Abstract
This study is significant for two reasons. Firstly, the findings from this research contribute to the existing literature on PCC by providing empirical data on the perspectives of health professionals in an Australian primary healthcare context. Although there is a great deal of literature regarding PCC, there is little information focused on the perspectives of health professionals in the primary healthcare setting (Behera et al., 2022). Person-centred care provides individualised care that integrates perspectives of the person, their family and the community, and is underpinned by the principles of respect, self-determination, and mutual understanding (Vareta et al., 2023). Determining how PCC is understood, applied and perceived by health professionals will address literature gaps in this area, and enable insight into how definitions of PCC are applied to the patient care setting.This study will add to the existing body of knowledge on PCC by highlighting specific issues and solutions within primary care settings, an area that has not been extensively explored in the literature. The findings are expected to have implications for policymakers, healthcare administrators, and educators, guiding them in creating supportive environments that foster person-centred approaches in the primary healthcare setting.
Secondly, the findings of the study highlight the practical challenges and barriers that may hinder the effective delivery of PCC, offering insights that could inform policy and practice.Identified barriers to PCC are components of care such as access, emotional support, coordination of care, and information and education provision (Kuipers et al., 2021a).
This research may help to identify areas where further training, resources, or organisational changes are needed to enhance the delivery and effectiveness of PCC (Vareta et al., 2023). The provision of PCC is fundamental in ensuring safety, quality and sustainability of health services; meaning that health professionals need to consider these aspects in their care (Choi et al., 2021). To ensure the delivery of PCC, health professionals require support at an organisational level to mitigate barriers such as time, environmental factors, such as space to work in; and human resource factors, such as staffing (Gustavsson et al., 2023). By researching health professionals’ perceptions of PCC, challenges, barriers, definitions and strategies can be defined, understood, and implemented to enhance PCC delivery in the primary healthcare setting.