Service Users Interviews

Phase 2: Interviews

Service User Interviews

We started off thinking we would ask people questions that required only a yes/no answer and we would carry out a small number of follow up in depth interviews at a later date. We looked at the early findings from the Delphi data and thought about the kinds of questions it would be useful to ask service users and carers. We then realised that we needed more than just yes/no answers from people in order to understand context and their experience of recovery and care coordination. A series of meetings of the research and steering groups developed a tool that incorporated some structured questions but also provided the opportunity for the interviewers to ask about people experiences, we called this a ‘semi’ structured interview. It was piloted as part of the research training of service users, for example they practiced interviewing each other. We then randomly sampled service users from the Trusts RiO data base checking with their care coordinators the best way to make contact with them. A letter with an information sheet was sent to each potential participant. When the researchers were comfortable and confident in the interview process they in pairs conducted each interview on NHS property. Following ethical requirements face to face consent was also gained as this point.

We constructed a service user research pack to be carried and used by the researchers –

Fifty two service users were interviewed in total.