Unity rapid results service study

Unity have introduced a new service where patients can drop off their samples to be tested and usually receive results in hours rather than days. We want to hear the views of people who have used this service, to try and understand how the service is working for different people, what is going well, and what could be improved.

Because you have used the new same-day service.  You must be aged 16+ years to take part.

Do I have to take part?

No, taking part is voluntary, it is up to you to. Your healthcare will not be affected by your decision.

What if I change my mind?

You can withdraw from the study until a month after your interview, without giving a reason. To withdraw, contact the researcher and all information you have provided will be destroyed.

You will need to let the researcher know if you are interested in taking part – using the contact details above, or click here to fill in your details. The researcher will get in touch to check if you have any questions about the study.  If you decide to take part, an interview will be arranged for a time and location that suits you. The interview can be by phone or in person and will take about 30 minutes. Travel expenses can be paid on the basis of receipts and mileage. You will be offered a £10 high-street shopping voucher to thank you for your time.

The interview will focus on your experiences and views of the service. In order to make sure we interview people with different experiences the researcher will ask you about the results of your tests. You can choose which interview questions you answer. With your permission, the researcher will audio record the interview.

There are no direct benefits from taking part, but you may find it useful to have the opportunity to talk about your experiences. By taking part you will be having a say in how to improve sexual health services. Disadvantages of taking part include the time taken for the interview.

Confidentiality and what happens to results

All information collected will be held securely at the University of Bristol, and will only be seen by the research team and auditors authorised by the University of Bristol.  Personal details will be removed from interviews so that individuals cannot be identified. Interviewers are University of Bristol research staff – Unity Sexual Health staff will not have access to information on the identity of interview participants. The interview recordings will be deleted when the study is completed.

The research results will be used to improve the service and will be shared via the Unity website, reports in medical journals and at conferences. Anonymous quotes may be published, but no names or identifying details will be reported so it will not be possible to trace who said them.

Sharing data with other research studies

If you take part, you will be asked if you are happy for your interview with the personal details removed to be made available to researchers working on other relevant studies. You can still take part in our study if you prefer that your data not be used for other studies.

What if I have questions about the study?

Please ask the researchers any questions you may have by using the contact details overleaf.

Who is running and funding the study?

The study is organised by the University of Bristol and the Unity Sexual Health clinical team.

The study is funded by NIHR CLAHRC West* and has been reviewed and approved by Frenchay NHS Research Ethics Committee (ID: 18/SW/0090).

What if there is a problem?

If you have any concerns about any part of the study please contact the study Chief Investigator Dr Jeremy Horwood on 0117 342 1241 or J.Horwood@bristol.ac.uk. If you have a complaint please contact research-governance@bristol.ac.uk.

The Patient support and complaints service can provide general advice about taking part in research: 0117 342 1050 or psct@uhbristol.nhs.uk.