'Potential SCCs who
responded to the mailshot
or advertisement were
detailed information
about the SCC role.
Part 1 included 16 both
open-ended and closed
. . 1 1 .• questions. Background
contacted by email or information
telephone to see whether they
met our definition of
community
professional discipline,
iength of time in role,
base and employer (primary,
secondary care, or
other), and locality covered
(i.e. primary care
trust (PCT), city-wide). Questions about chnical practice
related to number and sources of referrals, referral criteria,
patient contact (frequenqr, timing and location) and the
use of protocols for patient assessment and discharge from
their service. An additional free text section was provided
for SCCs to record any other information relevant to their
role such as training.
Part 2 comprised eight open-ended questions relating to
challenges to the role and meeting patients needs; sources
of evidence for practice; content of assessments; provision
of carer assessments; support and training. Some of these
questions (e.g. content of assessment and training) had been
visited briefly within the first part of the questionnaire.
A draft version of the questionnaire was internally peer
reviewed with a local SCC. This resulted in a number of
changes being made to the questionnaire before the revised
version was sent again to the local SCC for comments.