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Publication - Research and analysis

Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2021/22: public views of telephone and video appointments in general practice

Published
18 November 2022
Directorate
Population Health Directorate
Part of
Health and social care
ISBN
9781805252252

Findings from the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey (2021/22) of public views towards face-to-face and remote appointments in General Practices. The key themes of the research are to understand comfort, ease, influences on, and impacts of remote appointments on public attitudes.

This document is part of a collection

View supporting documents Supporting documents

4. Results

This section will summarise the results of the survey in relation to the themes explored for this survey. Each theme will discuss the general overview of the results and any significant differences between respondent demographics or characteristics. Due to the limited number of questions that could be asked, this survey did not capture if respondents had experience of all three (face-to-face, phone, and video) consultations. Thus, the results below are assumed to be the attitudes and perceptions of the Scottish public rather than reporting on personal experience.

In addition, existing evidence outwith this survey may suggest correlations between respondent characteristics and response, for example poor general health and age may be influential in a respondent's answer about which consultation method they prefer. The results below will only explore the significant differences found in this survey data as well as where there were no links to respondent characteristics/demographics.

4.1 Comfort accessing healthcare by video/phone compared with face-to-face

4.1.1 General Overview

In the first theme of 'Comfort accessing healthcare by video/phone compared with face-to-face', people were asked if they would be comfortable talking to their doctor or nurse via a face-to-face, phone, and video appointment separately. In this research analysis, comfort was associated with feelings and attitudes.

Figure 1: People's comfort level with face-to-face, phone, and video appointments.

This vertical bar graph shows how comfortable respondents would be talking to their doctor or nurse face-to-face, via phone, or via video. The results show that 94% of participants were ‘very/fairly comfortable’ with face-to-face, 71% with phone, and 67% with video.

Figure 2 shows that 94% (n=1130) of people thought they would be very/fairly comfortable with face-to-face appointments, compared to phone appointments (71%) and video appointments (67%). This trend reversed for 'fairly/very uncomfortable' where only 2% people thought this was the case for face-to-face appointments, 14% for video, and 19% for video.

4.1.2 Respondents' Characteristics – Significant Differences

There were no significant differences with comfort levels and long-term illness, health problems or disability; Educational qualification; SIMD; and Participants with or without children under 16. Age

Figure 2: People's comfort level with face-to-face appointments, by age.

This vertical bar graph shows the age of respondents who selected feeling very comfortable with face-to-face appointments. Of respondents who were 65+, 86% of them selected they would feel very comfortable with face-to-face appointments. The lowest percentage was 16-34, where 65% of respondents said they would be very comfortable.

As seen in Figure 3, over half of all age groups selected 'very comfortable' as their response to face-to-face appointments. A significantly higher percentage of those aged 65 and over (86%) were more likely to say that they were 'very comfortable' with a face-to-face appointment than any other age group (n= 267). There were no significant differences found for age in relation to phone or video appointments.

Sex

Figure 3: People who were 'very/fairly comfortable' with video appointments, by sex.

This vertical bar graph shows the sex breakdown of those who said they would be ‘very/fairly comfortable’ with video appointments: 62% of women and 73% of men.

In response, 73% of males (n=544) to this question were more likely to say that they would be 'very/fairly comfortable' with video appointments than females (62%, n=581). The sample size was too small to include a representative sample in 'other/prefer not to say'. There were no significant differences found for face-to-face or phone.

Level of Satisfaction

Figure 4: Percentage of people who were very/fairly comfortable' with remote (phone and video) appointments by level of satisfaction with the NHS.

This double vertical graph shows satisfaction with the NHS compared to finding remote appointments ‘very/fairly comfortable’. Those with higher NHS satisfaction rates were more likely to be ‘very/fairly comfortable’. The proportion of people who said that this would be ‘very/fairly comfortable’ for both phone and video appointments decreased as satisfaction with the NHS decreased.

Higher satisfaction with the NHS also emerged as a correlating factor with those were 'very/fairly comfortable' with remote appointments. Those who said they were very (n=131) or quite satisfied with the NHS (n=484) were also more likely to report being 'very/fairly comfortable' with medical appointments over the phone and through video.

The proportion of people who said that they would be 'very/fairly comfortable' for both phone and video appointments decreased as satisfaction with the NHS decreased.

Frequency of Internet Access

Figure 5: Percentage of people who selected being 'very/fairly comfortable' with remote appointments by frequency of access to the internet.

This vertical graph shows frequency of access to the internet among respondents who selected ‘very/fairly comfortable’ with remote appointments. Those who used the internet several times a day were more likely to be very/fairly comfortable with remote appointments than those who used the internet weekly of less.

Those who said they were 'very/fairly comfortable' with phone and video appointments were more likely to use the internet 'several times a day' (n=882). A higher percentage of people who used the internet weekly or less said they would be 'very/fairly comfortable' with phone appointments but a lower percentage said the same for video appointments.General Health

Figure 6: Percentage of people who were 'very comfortable' with remote appointments by general health level.

This vertical bar graph shows the general health of those who selected they would be ‘very comfortable’ with phone and video appointments. The results show that those with very good/good general health found phone and video almost equally comfortable (40% of participants for both). In comparison, 28% of those with ‘bad/very bad’ general health were likely to find phone very comfortable but only 13% of the same cohort said the same for video.

In repsonse to this question, those who reported 'very good/good' general health (n=770) were also more likely to say they would be 'very comfortable' having an appointment over the phone or via video than those with 'fair' or 'bad/very bad' health.

A higher percentage of people with bad/very bad general health said they would be 'very comfortable' with phone appointments, than those who said the same for video appointments.

4.2 Ease of accessing healthcare by video/phone/in-person

4.2.1 General Overview

In the theme of general ease of access to appointments, people were asked if they would find it easy talking to their doctor or nurse via a face-to-face, phone, and video appointment separately. In this research analysis, ease was associated with practicalities of attending an appointment. As shown in the graph below, more people selected that phone appointments were easier than those who selected face-to-face or video (n=1130). Those who reported that they 'did not know' for video appointments could suggest that these people do not have experience with this method of consultation.

Figure 7: People's level of ease with face-to-face, phone, and video appointments.

This vertical bar graph compares how easy respondents found it to talk to a nurse or doctor in-person, via phone, and via video. A higher percent of respondents found it easier to talk to a doctor or nurse via phone (81%), followed by in-person (73%). In comparison, only 58% of respondents found it easy to talk to a doctor or nurse via video.

4.2.2 Respondents' Characteristics - Significant Differences

There were no significant differences with educational qualification; Gender; Age; SIMD; and Participants with or without children under 16.

General Health

Figure 8: Percentage of people who found appointments 'very easy' according to their general health.

This multiple vertical graph compares the general health of respondents who found in-person, phone, and video appointments ‘very easy’. The results show that 53% of participants with ‘very good/good’ general health found face-to-face and phone to be equally easy. A higher percentage of those with ‘fair’ (42%) and ‘bad/very bad’ (36%) general health found phone to be easier than the other two appointment methods. Of all three appointment methods, video received the lowest percentage of respondents finding this easy.

Figure 9 shows that peoples' health could potentially be seen as an influencing factor on ease of attending appointments. In this question, those who reported 'very good/good' general health (n=770) were more likely to say that attending a face-to-face appointment would be 'very easy' (53%). Those who said their health was 'very good/good' were also more likely to say that talking to a doctor or nurse would be 'very easy' than those with 'fair', 'bad/very bad' general health. In addition, those who reported 'very good/good' general health (n=770) were more likely to say that video appointments were 'very easy'' (36%).

Long Term Illness, Health Problem or Disability

Figure 9: Respondents with/without a long term illness, health problem or disability who selected that attending a face-to-face appointment would be 'very easy'.

This vertical graph shows the percentage of respondents with and without a long term illness who found face-to-face appointments ‘very easy’. The results show that 40% of respondents with a long term illness found face-to-face easy compared to 51% of those without a long term illness.

In the above graph, those who reported that they did not have a long-term illness were more likely to say that attending an in-person appointment would be 'very easy' (51% n=682) than those with a long term illness (40%, n=443).

Figure 10: People with/without a long term illness, health problem or disability who selected that attending a video appointment would be 'very/fairly easy'.

This vertical graph shows the percentage of respondents with and without a long term illness who found video appointments ‘very/fairly easy’. The results show that 51% of respondents with a long term illness found face-to-face easy compared to 63% of those without a long term illness.

In the above graph, those who said they do not have a long-term illness or disability were more likely to say that video consultations would be 'very/fairly easy' (63%, n=682) than those with a long term illness (51%, n=443).

There were no significant differences between long term illness and phone appointments.

Satisfaction with the NHS

Figure 11: Percentage of people who found appointments were 'very easy' according to their level of satisfaction with the NHS.

This multiple vertical graph shows the percentage of respondents who found appointment types ‘very/fairly easy’ in relation to their level of satisfaction with the NHS. Higher NHS satisfaction correlated with finding appointment types easier than participants with lower satisfaction rates. The proportion of respondents who said that these would be ‘very/fairly easy’ decreased as satisfaction with the NHS decreased.

Higher satisfaction with the NHS also emerged as a correlating factor with those who said attending an in-person, video, and phone appointment would be 'very/fairly easy'. The proportion of people who said that these would be 'very/fairly easy' decreased as satisfaction with the NHS decreased.

Frequency of Internet Use

Figure 12: Percentage of people who found attending remote appointments would be 'very/fairly easy' according to their frequency of access to the internet.

This vertical graph shows frequency of access to the internet among respondents who selected they would find remote appointments ‘very/fairly easy’. Those who used the internet several times a day were more likely to find remote appointments ‘very/fairly easy’ than those who used the internet dairy and weekly or less (84% of participants for phone, 61% of participants for video). Of those who used the internet weekly of less, 55% said they would find phone ‘very/fairly easy’ in comparison to 10% for video.

As with levels of comfort with appointments, internet use emerged as a factor contributing to phone and video appointments. Those who reported using the internet 'several times a day' were also the most likely to say that talking to their doctor or nurse via phone or video would be 'very/fairly easy'. As internet access would be required to attend a video appointment these results are not surprising.

4.3 What impacts people's chosen method of accessing healthcare?

People in Scotland were asked what mattered most to them when considering whether to accept a remote appointment over a face-to-face appointment.

Figure 13: Impacts on chosen method of appointment.

This multiple vertical graph shows what mattered most to respondents when they decided to accept an appointment. The results show that a higher percentage of respondents said that how quickly they could get an appointment (38%) and how worried they were about their condition (46%) were the two main factors.

As shown in figure 14 above, 46% (n=1130) of people in this research stated that how worried they were about their condition would dictate whether they would accept a remote appointment over face-to-face. The next most frequent answer was based on how quickly they could get an appointment (38%, n=1130).

There were no noted significant differences in the data related to any characteristic or demographic variables.

4.4 Use of remote services (in place of face-to-face)

4.4.1 General Overview

People in Scotland were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with four hypothetical impacts from different modes of appointment in general practice.

Figure 14: People's attitudes towards the increased use of remote appointments (in place of face-to-face).

This multiple vertical graph shows scenarios that respondents agreed or disagreed with in relation to whether their doctor replaced some face-to-face appointments with remote appointments. The results show that a higher percentage of respondents said agreed that this would result in their doctor knowing their patients less well (66%), closely followed by 63% of respondents agreeing that this would also ensure those who needed a face-to-face appointment could get one.

Shown in Figure 15, people (n=1130) were asked about increasing remote appointments.

  • 66% agreed or strongly agreed that this meant that their doctor would know their patients less well
  • 63% agreed or strongly agreed that it would ensure those who needed a face-to-face appointment would get one quickly.

Those who did not know may highlight those who have had no experience of remote appointments and, thus, could not comment on the above question with certainty.

4.4.2 Respondent Characteristics Significant Differences

Only two significant differences were found in relation to two of the scenarios, general health and patient-doctor relationship as well as people with/without children under 16 and convenience of appointment. There were no significant differences found in relation to any of the other demographic variables such as age or gender. There were no significant differences related to the respondent characteristics variables for the other two attitudes in this question: 'reducing the risk that serious medical conditions are missed' or that remote appointments 'would ensure that those who need one can get a face-to-face appointment'.

General Health

Figure 15: People who agreed/disagreed with the assumption that increasing remote appointments (in place of face-to-face) would mean their doctor would know their patients less well according to their general health.

This vertical graph shows the general health of respondents who agreed or disagreed with the assumption that increasing remote appointments (in place of face-to-face) would result in their doctor knowing their patients less well. The results show that 49% of respondents with ‘bad/very bad’ general health were more likely to agree strongly to this scenario than those with very good, good, or fair health.

In response to this question, people with 'bad/very bad' general health were more likely to select 'agree strongly' (49% n=84) to the assumption that doctors may know their patients less well if there was an increase in remote appointments (replacing face-to-face).

People with/without children under 16

Figure 16: People with/without children under 16 who 'strongly agree' that increasing remote appointments (replacing face-to-face) would be more convenient for most patients.

This vertical graph shows respondents with or without children under 16 who strongly agreed that increasing remote appointments would be more convenient for most patients. The results show that 26% of respondents with children under 16 strongly agreed with this scenario compared to 14% of those without children under 16.

There is a significant difference in convenience of appointment and having children under 16 to care for. Those with children under 16 were more likely to 'agree strongly' (26%, n=203) that remote appointments would be more convenient for most patients in comparison to those without children under 16 (14%, n=927).

Contact

Email: socialresearch@gov.scot

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