Who wants expert patient programmes for chronic mechanical spinal pain?: An investigation into the value of, and recruitment to, an expert patient programme as part of the physiotherapy management of chronic spinal pain

ObjectiveTo investigate the recruitment to, and value of, an expert patient programme as part of the physiotherapy management of patients with chronic spinal pain.DesignA qualitative design incorporating semi-structured audiotaped interviews subsequently transcribed and coded. Interviews were held with patients as individuals and a group of nine physiotherapists participating in a single focus group.SettingInterviews were held in a physiotherapy department within a small community hospital.MethodInitially an expert patient programme was organised and 20 patients were recruited. Interviews were held with five patients who had declined to participate and five patients who agreed. Those who agreed were interviewed before and after participation in the programme. Nine physiotherapists involved in recruiting patients to the programme were interviewed collectively in a one-off focus group.ResultsPatients and physiotherapists were not well-informed about the expert patient programme and were uncertain as to its value. There was resistance amongst patients to join the programme for logistical, perceptual and personal reasons. Recruitment was time-consuming for the physiotherapists involved and required persistence, commitment and persuasiveness. Some physiotherapists felt that they had inadequate time to recruit patients and were uncertain as to who would be suitable. Attendance on the single programme studied was poor, with two out of a potential 12 patients attending all six of the sessions. Participants who attended the programme found it a positive and useful experience.ConclusionsThis study confirms previous work that found a low uptake of places on programmes and difficulties in recruiting. Physiotherapists managing patients with chronic spinal pain are unsure as to the efficacy of expert patient programmes but feel that they could be useful for a small number of patients who are psychologically ready and sufficiently motivated to join. Patients who are successfully recruited to a programme can gain benefits including empathy and support. Further work needs to be carried out to demonstrate the value of the programme to both patients and physiotherapists.