U.K NHS Treatment Satisfaction Survey
Why This Research Is Important....
One of the greatest obstacles to developing and improving medical services around transition in the UK is a lack of solid research data about patient experiences and outcomes. Anecdotal accounts often suggest that problems exist but, until now, no rigorous research has been undertaken to capture and classify people's actual experiences (good and bad) across the board.
The Department of Health, under guidance from the trans workstream of its Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Advisory Group (SOGIAG) wants to remedy that information gap.
Who Is Carrying It Out?
The Audit Information and Analysis Unit, a professional research group with experience in this kind of work, has been funded to carry out the first truly comprehensive survey of its kind in Britain to ask transsexual people about their experiences and publish their findings.
Audit Information and Analysis Unit
Is It Confidential?
The survey takes place through a questionnaire which can either be completed online, or by filling out and returning a series of paper questionnaires. Questions were developed through extensive consultation with representatives of trans men and women. Particular attention has been paid to ensure that the process is ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENTIAL. Nothing you say about your experiences can be identified to you and no specific answers will be shared outside the AIAU research group. AIAU are experienced in handling highly sensitive medical details in research of this kind and only summarised findings will be published.
Note that although the questionnaires ask for some data that could identify you, such as your date of birth and your postcode, you can generalise these if you wish. For instance you can indicate just the year you were born if you wish, and just the first part of your post code (M21, WC1, etc..). The researchers don't want people to feel deterred by any fears about privacy. The important thing is to understand how old you are and which part of the country you live in - not to identify you personally.
Who Can Take Part?
Everyone wants this to be as comprehensive a survey as possible, no matter how you've obtained your treatment, and when that was. If you completed treatment a long time ago then your experiences back then will enable the researchers to compare whether and how things have changed. If your treatment was private rather than NHS then your experiences will indicate the differences in those routes. You just need to have been resident in the UK at the time.
How do I Take Part?
ONLINE: You can complete the survey online. It should take you about an hour, depending on how much detail you're able to provide.
OFFLINE: You (or your friends) can complete the survey on paper and post the completed forms if you prefer. We are particularly anxious to ensure that EVERYONE has an opportunity to take part, whether they have access to a computer or not. Some people may also prefer the extra sense of anonymity provided by completing a paper survey. Please help to ensure that your friends see and complete the survey too.
If you are completing the survey on paper then please print out PART ONE, which applies to everyone and then EITHER the trans women's or trans men's form. Completed forms should be posted to:
Carrie Gardner,
AIAU Project Coordinator,
Bexley Care Trust,
221 Erith Rd,
Bexleyheath
Kent DA7 6BR
How Will My Response Make a Difference?
The findings of this research, due to be published before Christmas 2007, will be important in setting priorities for improving gender identity services around the country. It will tell health service commissioners, gender identity clinics and trans people where services are doing things well, and where they can be changed and improved. That's why it's important for everyone to complete the questionnaires honestly, and in detail.
The findings will be published online, at the website of the Audit Information and Analysis Unit. We will ensure that the availability of the findings is widely publicised
http://www.pfc.org.uk/files/GenericAuditQuestions.pdfhttp://www.pfc.org.uk/files/MtFAuditQuestions.pdf
