Service user involvement in the education of allied healthcare professionals in Ireland: A descriptive case study

Background: Service user involvement (SUI) in healthcare education is purported to result in more patient-centred practitioners. However, there is limited guidance as to how authentic and sustained SUI can be adopted in practice. This exploratory study aimed to identify current practices and explore how SUI may be better embedded in the delivery of healthcare education. Methods: A descriptive case study was undertaken in a higher-level healthcare education department in Ireland. Data were collected via an online survey completed by educators (n=27) and semi-structured interviews with service users (n=6). Survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Thematic analysis of interview transcriptions was undertaken. Results: Most educators indicated that SUI was limited to ‘one-off’ interactions or case-based learning and that there was ‘probably’ (75%) or ‘definitely’ (9%) not enough SU involvement. Both staff and service users reinforced the value of SUI in healthcare education, yet the potential of the role of the service users was not fully realised. Service users described the benefits of their involvement in humanising patients beyond the context of their condition/illness. Conclusions: Formalising SUI processes and procedures was suggested to support sustained SUI, as was the establishment of a service user panel. A single point of contact with the panel could streamline communication, reducing administrative burden. Findings are discussed in relation to concepts from implementation science.