Growing Proficiency in Tic Disorder Care and Skills (GP-TiCS): A Thematic Analysis of Patient and Professional Group Experiences in Primary Care for Primary Tic Disorders

Around 300,000 people in the UK are thought to be living with Tourette syndrome. Many people with tics and their families report negative experiences when approaching their General Practitioner (GP) for advice and support. Limited education during medical training coupled with a lack of National Institute of Health and Social Excellence (NICE) guidelines for tic disorders creates clinical challenges for healthcare professionals (HCPs). Building on the results of an international systematic review of healthcare experiences, the GP-TiCS project explored this further within the UK, conducting a thematic analysis of interviews with adults with tics (n = 5), parents of young people (n = 5) with tics, GPs (= 6), and secondary care HCPs working with people with tics (n = 4). The Factors Impacting GPs’ Knowledge and Education of Tics theme suggested that limited education and guidance made it more difficult for GPs to support people presenting with tics yet also considers how surmounting pressures and expectations on primary care may exceed the responsibility and capabilities of GPs. Inconsistent Availability of Support for Tics Across the Country continues to be an issue for GPs making referrals to services and for people seeking support, while secondary HCPs report receiving unclear referrals with limited information which makes service allocation more difficult. The Experiences of Primary Care for Tics theme explores how the wider impact of living with tics is often left unexplored, including persistent stigma, and poor communication and signposting from GPs. The results suggest accessible and appropriate education opportunities for GPs may improve experience for people presenting with tics by increasing GP knowledge and awareness of tics. This study precedes the development of an online learning resource for GPs.