Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 15, 2026
E-Patient Counseling Trial E-PACO: Computer Based Education versus Nurse Counseling for Patients to Prepare for Colonoscopy
Published on: August 1, 2019
Factors influencing confidence and trust in health professionals: a cross-sectional study of English general
Richard Baker1, Louis Steven Levene2, Emilie Couchman3,4
1Division of Public Health and Epidemiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK rb14@leicester.ac.uk.
Background:
Profound changes to English general practice aim to improve access to appointments, however, how these changes might affect patients' confidence and trust in healthcare professionals is unknown.
Aim:
To determine whether appointments that were 1) face to face with any type of healthcare professional, or 2) with GPs in any mode, were associated with variations in confidence and trust in the professional last seen.
Design And Setting:
A practice-level cross-sectional study of 6196 English general practices was conducted from 2023-2024, using published data.
Method:
In a weighted regression model, the outcome was patient-reported confidence and trust in healthcare professionals. The two variables of interest were the percentages of appointments with GPs in any mode or face to face any healthcare professional and the nine covariates were continuity, access, whether patients' needs were met, the annual appointment rate, practice list size, NHS region, deprivation, and practice populations' age and ethnicity.
Results:
In the model, higher confidence and trust was associated with higher percentages of patients seen by GPs in any mode or face to face any healthcare professional, also with increased continuity, appointment rates, percentages of patients having their needs met, percentages of patients aged >18 years, and percentages of White ethnicity. Confidence and trust was higher in all regions compared with London. Lower confidence and trust was associated with higher deprivation. There was no association with improved access or list size.
Conclusion:
This study cannot establish causation but does suggest that strategies to improve access that lower continuity, reduce the percentage of appointments that are with GPs, and increase remote consulting may lead to lower confidence and trust in healthcare professionals.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Ethical Standards II
Nurses are entrusted with upholding various ethical principles and standards. Nurses forge solid therapeutic relationships using trust, empathy, autonomy, confidentiality, and professional competence.
Confidentiality is crucial, embodying respect for individual privacy...
01:08Obedience
01:23Nurses' Legal Responsibilities II
Communication between nurses and...
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
01:22The Professional Nurse
Communication skills: These are critical characteristics, especially speaking and listening.
01:25Ethical Standards I
The Code of Ethics provisions outline the nurse's duty to the patient, the healthcare team, the profession, and society. The Code's fundamental principles include advocacy,...