Offering antenatal sickle cell and thalassaemia screening in primary care: a pre-post evaluation of a brief type of communication skills training.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate brief communication skills training for healthcare professionals (HCPs) in offering antenatal sickle cell and thalassaemia (SCT) screening in primary care.

DESIGN

Descriptive study within a cluster randomised controlled trial in 17 inner city practices.

METHODS

126 HCPs were invited to attend a training session. Outcome measures were: attendance; perceived usefulness of training; comfort and confidence in offering screening; offering screening at pregnancy confirmation consultations; gestational age at test uptake.

RESULTS

62% (78/126) HCPs attended training and 61 completed both pre- and post-training questionnaires. There were 49 new joiners and locums not in post at the start of the trial. After training, HCPs reported greater comfort [4.8 vs 5.4, p = 0.05] and confidence [4.6 vs 5.6, p<0.001] in offering screening. Pregnant women consulting trained HCPs were offered screening more frequently and at an earlier gestational age than those consulting untrained HCPs (75% vs 44%, χ(2) = 122, p<0.001; 91.5 days (attending training) vs 98.5 days (did not attend training) vs 101.8 days (new joiners and locums), F = 8.49, df 1069,2 p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Brief communication skills training for HCPs in offering antenatal SCT screening in primary care is feasible and can be effective.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Ways of maximising HCP attendance in training sessions requires consideration.