180A Participatory Evaluation Framework for the Primary Care Education, Pathways and Research of Dementia (PREPARED) Primary Care Team Training Programme

Abstract

Background: The Primary Care Education, Pathways and Research of Dementia (PREPARED) programme is a National Dementia Strategy Implementation Programme that delivers training, education and support interventions for general practitioners and Primary Care Teams (PCT). In addition to increased dementia-specific knowledge, the PREPARED-PCT programme aims to increase inter-professional collaboration and behaviour change. This paper presents the protocol for an intensive "deep dive" formative evaluation this programme. Methods: A mixed methods design will be used comprising of critical review of training materials, quantitative assessment of delivery (fidelity, dose and reach), and questionnaireand interview-based assessment of training and facilitation satisfaction. Each PREPARED-PCT pilot site (n = 4) will also engage in three 2-hour participatory Appreciative Inquiry "deep dive" workshops where participants have the opportunity to work collaboratively to determine what it is they do well at the moment, how the PREPARED-PCT training will help them to improve, how easy or difficult it is to transfer that learning back to real-world practice and the additional supports necessary to achieve behaviour change. Results: The implementation-focused results determine if the programme was delivered as intended while the process-oriented results identify causal mechanisms (i.e. how the programme produces change) and the contextual variation in factors associated with observed variation in outcomes. This is particularly relevant for the PREPARED-PCT programme given the differences in how PCTs operate at a local level in Ireland. Conclusions: This transformative investigation of the barriers and facilitators of PCTs to deliver collaborative dementia care, and the impact of the PREPARED-PCT training programme in that context, will be instrumental in informing the operation and national roll-out of the programme. The PREPARED-PCT programme has the potential to contribute to the impact assessment of collaborative educational interventions on dementia care in Ireland, making it an exemplar for other chronic disease management pathways.