Update: Corneal Graft Experience Questionnaire

[ZoeScott]

Hi Everyone,

Thank you to those who have taken part so far.

For anyone who hasn't seen my original post, I work for NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), and am currently working on a dissertation on the topic of corneal grafts. NHSBT is reviewing the corneal transplant strategy, and as part of that, I am hoping to be able to gather some feedback from people who are have had a corneal graft. This feedback will be anonymised and then form the basis of my thesis, and it will also be shared with NHSBT staff and the National Advisory Group where discussions will take place on how patient experience can be improved and national discrepancies minimised.

I have spoken to Anne Klepacz who has suggested me posting on this forum, as she believes that some KC members might be willing to help. The feedback will be gathered by way of a short questionnaire and all data generated will be completely anonymous.

The questionnaire can be accessed at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YKCMWW2

If you would prefer to complete a Word version, send me a PM and I will send you the document.

Many thanks again for your help.
Zoe

[Elizabeth Mair]

Zoe, I've sent an e-mail copy of your questionnaire out to every KC member on the Scottish e-mail list. Hopefully you will receive some replies from them.
Elizabeth

[Anne Klepacz]

With several thousand members of this forum, surely there's more than 20 or so who have had a corneal transplant?! The questionnaire only takes a couple of minutes to fill in, so please add your voice if you have had a graft. It's not often that patients are asked for their views and if we don't take the opportunities we're given, we won't be asked in the future! The whole point of this forum is for us to help each other, so please think about the graftees of the future and do your bit to make their experience a good one.
Many thanks
Anne

[Jezzafletcher]

Anne - I absolutely agree with you re. Lack of responses - it is a sad indemnity. I responded on the day it went live. I suspect that the same is true for the 20 or so who have replied. I am starting to be concerned that this website is more about looking than contributing for many. To be honest In my last post I was looking for a bit of support - my post is approaching 500 "views" but of that number less than 1% have posted a reply! Thank you to those that have replied to the questionnaire.
Jez

[GarethB]

This has been encountered before and from my experience, people generally on visit or post on the forum if they are having a problem. this is pretty much the case for me now since getting perfect vision with my lenses and lens wear for all my wakeing hours.

I have asked at contact lens work shops and when I was at BCLA last year about graft life expectancy and it was often reported that as us post grafts get older and manage without the need of hospital assistance we drop out of the system.

It is only by the likes of Elizabeth taking the initiative and emailing all the Scotish members that people might act.

[Andrew MacLean]

I reckon Gareth may be right about the reason for the low response to the questionnaire. Folk are generally a bit hesitant about taking part in these information-gathering exercises, even when the information is entirely anonymous. The surprise is the way in which the same people will disclose to the world and its cousin almost every detail of their private lives in Facebook.

[Anne Klepacz]

A big thank you to all the additional people who have filled in the questionnaire in the last week. Nearing 40 replies now. Zoe's deadline has been extended to 31st May, so I hope we can get this up to at least 50 responses in the next couple of weeks. Please add your voice, all you graftees out there!
Anne

[ZoeScott]

Thank you to all who completed the corneal transplant questionnaire. A total of 53 questionnaires were completed, which has provided me with good data to complete my dissertation. A summary of the results is also being taken to the July meeting of the Ocular Transplant Advisory Group, which will influence the new Ocular Services strategy.

Your feedback is very much appreciated, and I hope will make a real difference to the current processes.

Thanks again,
Zoe