Patient satisfaction with HIV service provision in NPMS hospitals: the development of a standard satisfaction questionnaire

A self-completion satisfaction questionnaire evaluating the standard of car e of HIV outpatient services was developed as part of the National Prospect ive Monitoring System on the Use, Cost and Outcome of HIV Service Provision in English Hospitals (NPMS). The questionnaire was designed in conjunction with service users and health care professionals, and piloted in three Lon don and three non-London HIV clinics. In addition to testing alternative me thods of administering the questionnaire, the pilot provided satisfaction s cores on a variety of aspects of service provision for participating clinic s. The questionnaire was completed by 548 respondents and was most effectiv ely collected using a sealed box in the clinic waiting area. Mean satisfact ion scores for the attitude and skills of staff members was 4.7 (95% CI4.6- 4.7) but satisfaction scores were significantly lower for the clinic enviro nment with a mean of 4.2 (95% CI 4.2-4.2). Satisfaction scores did not diff er significantly by gender, age, sexual orientation, ethnic group, employme nt status or severity of symptoms. London respondents were more satisfied w ith the clinic environment and seeing preferred members of staff than their non-London counterparts, however there were no other differences between c linics. The questionnaire functioned well in practice and provided meaningf ul and useful information for individual clinics as well as at aggregate le vel.