The Role of Helplines in Cancer Care: Intertwining Emotional Support with Information or Advice-Seeking Needs

Ekberg, Katie; McDermott, J. Cynthia; Moynihan, Clare; Brindle, Lucy; Little, Paul; Leydon, Geraldine

doi:10.1080/07347332.2014.897294

Cited by 53 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Enquiries can be complex, with callers presenting more than one concern; and callers can have difficulty articulating their concerns. Moreover, when callers informational and psychosocial needs are complex and intertwined it can be difficult for call handlers to manage calls optimally [2]. These complexities, together with the expectations callers have which the service may not be able to satisfy, can contribute to misalignments between callers and call handlers [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Closing calls to a cancer helpline: Expressions of caller satisfaction

Woods

Drew

Leydon

2015

Patient Education and Counseling

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A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t  We examine 99 calls to the Macmillan cancer helpline using Conversation Analysis.  We focus on endogenous measures of caller satisfaction expressed during the call.  Callers express differing levels of satisfaction in the closing of the call.  Expressions of dissatisfaction cause difficulties in closing the call.  Patterns of communication may benefit organisations in how to manage calls. A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 3 AbstractObjective: This study provides an alternative approach to assessing caller satisfaction focussing on how callers express their appreciation of the service provided during the call, as the calls draw to a close.Methods: Conversation analysis is used to analyse 99 calls between callers and cancer specialist nurses on a leading cancer helpline in the UK.Results: Caller satisfaction is expressed through upgraded forms of the appreciations through which callers begin to close the call. Dissatisfaction is conveyed in what are by comparison with expressions of satisfaction, downgraded forms which acknowledge but do not fully or enthusiastically appreciate the information/advice given. With latter calls, nurses begin to 're-open' aspects of information/advice giving, thereby leading to more protracted call closings.Conclusions: Endogenous indicators of caller satisfaction are displayed through callers' upgraded appreciations in the closing moments of helpline calls. Difficulties in terminating calls (protracted by nurses re-opening information-giving etc.) arise when callers do not convey their satisfaction with the service provided.Practice implications: An understanding of endogenous indicators of satisfaction may benefit helpline organisations and further their understanding of effective call-handling, particularly through identifying the features common to those calls in which callers do not display their satisfaction with the call.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Closing calls to a cancer helpline: Expressions of caller satisfaction

Woods

Drew

Leydon

2015

Patient Education and Counseling

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“…A previous study (Ekberg et al, 2014) (Leydon et al, 2016). A previous study (Ekberg et al, 2014) (Leydon et al, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Specialist call handlers’ perspectives on providing help on a cancer helpline: A qualitative interview study

et al. 2019

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Objective To identify call handlers’ key experiences of providing telephone help on a cancer helpline. Methods Semi‐structured qualitative interviews with 30 call handlers from three UK‐based cancer helplines. Transcribed interview data were analysed thematically. Results Thematic analysis identified three themes: (a) call handlers’ perceptions of their role on the helpline, (b) challenges of working on a helpline and (c) the need for training/keeping up with competencies. Call handlers reported satisfaction with their experience. However, there are tensions: whilst advice is formally not part of the remit of the helpline, in practice the boundary between giving advice and giving information can be blurred. No follow‐up with callers could be difficult and experienced as a lost opportunity to help. Managing patient expectations could be challenging, and interviewees described particular difficulties with distressed callers. Training for the role was commonplace, but there was sometimes a desire for more opportunities. Conclusion There are challenges faced by helpline staff, and it can be difficult to manage callers’ distress and expectations of what they might get from a call experience. Recognising the skill and complexity of the call handler role is important, as it is meeting call handlers’ support and training needs. Support is important to minimise the risk to their own emotional well‐being.

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“…151,152 We focused instead on accessing information about families' needs and their experiences of using services by tapping into the staff's body of experience. In common with studies of cancer patients' use of helplines, 150 interviews with helpline staff in our study indicated that parents' reasons for calling charity helplines were multifaceted, with their psychosocial needs being intertwined with their needs for information and advice. Thus helplines clearly have a unique and important role in the support of families of children with CHD.…”

Section: Limitations and Strengths Of The Studymentioning

confidence: 96%

“…149 Helplines offer callers anonymity, convenience, time to discuss their concerns and are also an outlet for other people indirectly affected by a condition, such as family members and friends. 150 However, previous research into the role of helplines in health care, including those staffed by HPs, has focused on the user perspective, involving interviews or surveys with callers rather than with the helpline staff. 151,152 The CHF is a parent-led national charity that acts as the umbrella organisation for more than 20 other organisations and charities providing support to children with heart conditions and their families in the UK.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Infant deaths in the UK community following successful cardiac surgery: building the evidence base for optimal surveillance, a mixed-methods study

Brown

Wray

Knowles

et al. 2016

Health Serv Deliv Res

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This report should be referenced as follows:Brown KL, Wray J, Knowles RL, Crowe S, Tregay J, Ridout D, et al. Infant deaths in the UK community following successful cardiac surgery: building the evidence base for optimal surveillance, a mixed-methods study . Health Serv Deliv Res 2016;4(19). Health Services and Delivery ResearchISSN 2050-4349 (Print) ISSN 2050-4357 (Online) This journal is a member of and subscribes to the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (www.publicationethics.org/).Editorial contact: nihredit@southampton.ac.ukThe full HS&DR archive is freely available to view online at www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hsdr. Print-on-demand copies can be purchased from the report pages of the NIHR Journals Library website: www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk Criteria for inclusion in the Health Services and Delivery Research journalReports are published in Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR) if (1) they have resulted from work for the HS&DR programme or programmes which preceded the HS&DR programme, and (2) they are of a sufficiently high scientific quality as assessed by the reviewers and editors. HS&DR programmeThe Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR) programme, part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), was established to fund a broad range of research. It combines the strengths and contributions of two previous NIHR research programmes: the Health Services Research (HSR) programme and the Service Delivery and Organisation (SDO) programme, which were merged in January 2012.The HS&DR programme aims to produce rigorous and relevant evidence on the quality, access and organisation of health services including costs and outcomes, as well as research on implementation. The programme will enhance the strategic focus on research that matters to the NHS and is keen to support ambitious evaluative research to improve health services.For more information about the HS&DR programme please visit the website: http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/programmes/hsdr This reportThe research reported in this issue of the journal was funded by the HS&DR programme or one of its preceding programmes as project number 10/2002/29. The contractual start date was in October 2012. The final report began editorial review in April 2015 and was accepted for publication in September 2015. The authors have been wholly responsible for all data collection, analysis and interpretation, and for writing up their work. The HS&DR editors and production house have tried to ensure the accuracy of the authors' report and would like to thank the reviewers for their constructive comments on the final report document. However, they do not accept liability for damages or losses arising from material published in this report.This report presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The views and opinions expressed by authors in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the NHS, the NIHR, NETSCC, the HS&DR programme or the Depart...

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The Role of Helplines in Cancer Care: Intertwining Emotional Support with Information or Advice-Seeking Needs

Cited by 53 publications

References 26 publications

Closing calls to a cancer helpline: Expressions of caller satisfaction

Closing calls to a cancer helpline: Expressions of caller satisfaction

Specialist call handlers’ perspectives on providing help on a cancer helpline: A qualitative interview study

Infant deaths in the UK community following successful cardiac surgery: building the evidence base for optimal surveillance, a mixed-methods study

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