Characteristics of positive feedback provided by UK health service users: content analysis of examples from two databases

Background Most feedback received by health services is positive. Our systematic scoping review mapped all available empirical evidence for how positive patient feedback creates healthcare change. Most included papers did not provide specific details on positive feedback characteristics.Objectives D...

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Main Authors: Mike Slade, Stefan Rennick-Egglestone, Richard Byng, Alex Stirzaker, Alex Russell, Rebecca Lloyd, Fiona Ng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2024-09-01
Series:BMJ Health & Care Informatics
Online Access:https://informatics.bmj.com/content/31/1/e101113.full
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author Mike Slade
Stefan Rennick-Egglestone
Richard Byng
Alex Stirzaker
Alex Russell
Rebecca Lloyd
Fiona Ng
author_facet Mike Slade
Stefan Rennick-Egglestone
Richard Byng
Alex Stirzaker
Alex Russell
Rebecca Lloyd
Fiona Ng
author_sort Mike Slade
collection DOAJ
description Background Most feedback received by health services is positive. Our systematic scoping review mapped all available empirical evidence for how positive patient feedback creates healthcare change. Most included papers did not provide specific details on positive feedback characteristics.Objectives Describe positive feedback characteristics by (1) developing heuristics for identifying positive feedback; (2) sharing annotated feedback examples; (3) describing their positive content.Methods 200 items were selected from two contrasting databases: (1) https://careopinion.org.uk/; (2) National Health Service (NHS) Friends and Family Test data collected by an NHS trust. Preliminary heuristics and positive feedback categories were developed from a small convenience sample, and iteratively refined.Results Categories were identified: positive-only; mixed; narrative; factual; grateful. We propose a typology describing tone (positive-only, mixed), form (factual, narrative) and intent (grateful). Separating positive and negative elements in mixed feedback was sometimes impossible due to ambiguity. Narrative feedback often described the cumulative impact of interactions with healthcare providers, healthcare professionals, influential individuals and community organisations. Grateful feedback was targeted at individual staff or entire units, but the target was sometimes ambiguous.Conclusion People commissioning feedback collection systems should consider mechanisms to maximise utility by limiting ambiguity. Since being enabled to provide narrative feedback can allow contributors to make contextualised statements about what worked for them and why, then there may be trade-offs to negotiate between limiting ambiguity, and encouraging rich narratives. Groups tasked with using feedback should plan the human resources needed for careful inspection, and consider providing narrative analysis training.
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spelling doaj-art-d2b338c7d27646c7a5949f9931b6cfee2025-08-20T02:14:15ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Health & Care Informatics2632-10092024-09-0131110.1136/bmjhci-2024-101113Characteristics of positive feedback provided by UK health service users: content analysis of examples from two databasesMike Slade0Stefan Rennick-Egglestone1Richard Byng2Alex Stirzaker3Alex Russell4Rebecca Lloyd5Fiona Ng61 School of Health Sciences, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK1 School of Health Sciences, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK3 Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK3 Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK4 Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA1 School of Health Sciences, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK1 School of Health Sciences, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKBackground Most feedback received by health services is positive. Our systematic scoping review mapped all available empirical evidence for how positive patient feedback creates healthcare change. Most included papers did not provide specific details on positive feedback characteristics.Objectives Describe positive feedback characteristics by (1) developing heuristics for identifying positive feedback; (2) sharing annotated feedback examples; (3) describing their positive content.Methods 200 items were selected from two contrasting databases: (1) https://careopinion.org.uk/; (2) National Health Service (NHS) Friends and Family Test data collected by an NHS trust. Preliminary heuristics and positive feedback categories were developed from a small convenience sample, and iteratively refined.Results Categories were identified: positive-only; mixed; narrative; factual; grateful. We propose a typology describing tone (positive-only, mixed), form (factual, narrative) and intent (grateful). Separating positive and negative elements in mixed feedback was sometimes impossible due to ambiguity. Narrative feedback often described the cumulative impact of interactions with healthcare providers, healthcare professionals, influential individuals and community organisations. Grateful feedback was targeted at individual staff or entire units, but the target was sometimes ambiguous.Conclusion People commissioning feedback collection systems should consider mechanisms to maximise utility by limiting ambiguity. Since being enabled to provide narrative feedback can allow contributors to make contextualised statements about what worked for them and why, then there may be trade-offs to negotiate between limiting ambiguity, and encouraging rich narratives. Groups tasked with using feedback should plan the human resources needed for careful inspection, and consider providing narrative analysis training.https://informatics.bmj.com/content/31/1/e101113.full
spellingShingle Mike Slade
Stefan Rennick-Egglestone
Richard Byng
Alex Stirzaker
Alex Russell
Rebecca Lloyd
Fiona Ng
Characteristics of positive feedback provided by UK health service users: content analysis of examples from two databases
BMJ Health & Care Informatics
title Characteristics of positive feedback provided by UK health service users: content analysis of examples from two databases
title_full Characteristics of positive feedback provided by UK health service users: content analysis of examples from two databases
title_fullStr Characteristics of positive feedback provided by UK health service users: content analysis of examples from two databases
title_full_unstemmed Characteristics of positive feedback provided by UK health service users: content analysis of examples from two databases
title_short Characteristics of positive feedback provided by UK health service users: content analysis of examples from two databases
title_sort characteristics of positive feedback provided by uk health service users content analysis of examples from two databases
url https://informatics.bmj.com/content/31/1/e101113.full
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