Table 3 Theme 3: Expectations for a new memory clinic; CF = community forum participants
Sub-themes | Example excerpts highlighting sub-theme meaning | Excerpt number relating to text |
|---|---|---|
A new memory clinic could optimise patient care | ||
‘I’m not sure what there is in terms of provision of services. I know that there’s – there are some day centres around and suchlike things, and there are some things available via packages, but just having – either having the resource from the local area health to tell us what is available and where it is would be really helpful because we just don’t – haven’t had any communication for a very long time about what there is and how to get to it.’ – 11GP | 3.1a | |
‘They can go in there and we never hear anything again and there’s no – there’s a lack of communication. The community is very one-sided you know, like you’re involved initially as a patient and then we hear nothing back about what has been done or whatever … I think that anything that’s going to be successful I think will require you know engaging with GPs and communication with GPs. I think that’s really important so that, you know.’ – 2GP | 3.1b | |
‘I think if it has precise and as much information that they can give about the process and everything would be useful, and just to keep us informed about how things are progressing and when to expect these things to start, so information transfer would be useful at this stage, yes.’ – 9GP | 3.1c | |
Expected services provided | ||
Specialised diagnostic services | ‘To a memory clinic, I support what I would use a memory clinic for … is for there to be a quite clear and definitive diagnosis. So if it is dementia, clearly dementia, and hopefully some information about – and prognosis as well.’ – 10GP | 3.2a |
Rapid access to care and case management | ‘I suppose if you want to prioritise them, rapid access would probably be top of the list, and then certainly case management’ – 23GP | 3.2b |
Allied health | ‘The allied health as well, I think that would be helpful in terms of like getting the most out of it.’ – 13GP | 3.2c |
Support groups | ‘I’m thinking that rather than counselling, probably more support type groups might be more useful for carers and patients and gender assessing for groups for patients. That sort of support group type counselling rather than individual counselling I think.’ – 2GP | 3.2d |
Expected features of the clinic | ||
Easily accessible | ‘We also feel that the main building for the memory clinic needs to be extremely accessible, it needs to have parking, it needs to be accessible by public transport.’ – 14CF | 3.3c |
Culturally sensitive | ‘I think that if there were a local service, I’d feel more confident to send them to a local service that I know has also a multicultural sort of staffing or approach because yeah, the people that are most like hmmm are people who – English is their second language, they have a tendency to minimise their symptoms and sort of get on with things, so I would be less likely to send them to a clinic that I felt was just going to see them like a regular patient as opposed to a clinic that was like yeah, also we have people who can like you know connect on that like cultural and language level.’ – 13GP | 3.3d |
Barriers to the clinic | ||
Accessibility | ‘Because that’s why I’m thinking that you know, if there was like a pick- up community bus thing that picked all these people up to go to these services, it would be easier I think.’ – 2GP | 3.4b |
Awareness of the clinic | ‘So they wouldn’t be able to – I suppose another barrier is that GPs have no idea about this clinic. They have no idea, they don’t know anything about it so they’re not going to refer.’ – 15CF | 3.4c |
Referrals and costs | ||
Referral process | ‘You know, something that’s fairly quick so that I know it’s being organised and the patients will be seen’ – 1GP | 3.5b |
‘A pro forma, yeah, so that you kind of – sort of you kind of can narrow down what information you need from us, right, so it’s easier, and then we know what you want so we can write it down.’ – 5GP | 3.5c | |
‘In this day and age a lot of people probably like to email or fax, or occasionally some people like faxing, sending the referral to the specialist.’ – 10GP | 3.5d | |
Referral criteria | ‘By the time you get to severe they’re often no longer you know, in general practice area because they’re more in a nursing home. So mild to moderate for diagnosis and management, particularly when they’re out in the community. There’s such a great need.’ – 11GP | 3.5f |
‘I think anybody with memory problems. It’s a memory clinic isn’t it?’ – 21GP | 3.5 g | |
Cost | ‘Most people at that stage are not financially well off, so if it was bulk billable or covered by some sort of fund it would be very helpful.’ – 11GP | 3.5 h |