G545(P) Co-production of a patient experience project exploring patients moving through the transition from paediatric to adult healthcare

Aim To co-produce a patient experience project involving medical students and secondary school-aged young people exploring their peers’ experience of transition from paediatric to adult healthcare in an outpatient setting. Methods A second year medical student with personal experience of transition from paediatric to adult healthcare worked with members of an advisory group of young people to develop a questionnaire-based patient experience project. The advisory group were involved from the earliest stages of the project and the questionnaires were developed and refined using participatory techniques including sorting tasks and iterative design. Questionnaires were further adapted following role-play scenarios in which the young people used patient vignettes to put themselves in the position of young patients completing the questionnaires to detect issues with phrasing of questions and options for responses. The young people worked closely with the medical students to develop plans for the delivery of the project in paediatric outpatient departments at a tertiary centre. Novel co-production training was developed and delivered as part of the project. Medical students mentored young people and supervised them delivering questionnaires over summer 2019. The data are being analysed collaboratively and young project members are contributing to the write up of the project findings. Results The final questionnaires are a true reflection of what the young participants feel are relevant issues to explore with young patients moving from paediatric to adult care. 596 questionnaires were completed by patients during the project data collection phase, demonstrating that the questionnaires were acceptable to the target population. Of these, 115 were delivered by the young person’s advisory group members who gave over 100 hours of their summer holiday to take part in the project. Conclusion The importance of co-production of healthcare research and quality improvement is gaining recognition but examples in paediatric practice are still rare. To our knowledge this is the largest co-produced patient experience project into paediatric transition. The success of the delivery of the project is grounded in true co-production throughout the project. Novel participatory strategies and a level playing field for all project members are key aspects of this work.