Self Care

1. Self Care An overview of the national Self Care landscape AWC Health and Well Being Hub 4 March 2014 Tina Butler Self Care Lead

2. What is Self Care? • Looking after yourself in a healthy way, whether it’s brushing your teeth, taking medicine when you have a cold, or doing some exercise, is really important to help to keep yourself as well as possible

3. a Sits within the Integration of Health and Social Care programme a Dedicated and committed Self Care Project Steering Group – multi agency a Dedicated team – Self Care Lead, Development Worker and First Contact team a First Contact Self Care signposting and referral service (sits on SystmOne) a Self Care Week 2013 – Guidance Pack and Evaluation Report a Developed virtual Dementia Self Care Pack (sits on the Dementia Clinical Pathway on SystmOne) – four more packs being developed; Depression & Anxiety, Asthma, Heart Failure and COPD a Develop/pilot multi agency attitudinal/behaviour change training package to frontline staff a Plan a Self Care Bradford & district/AWC 2014 Conference a Develop key messages for Self Care Self Care in Bradford & district and AWC…

4. Context... • Minor ailments are part of normal everyday experience for all • In most cases people manage these minor ailments through self care, but previous research demonstrated a level of dependency on the doctor • It showed that people often abandon self care for the doctor usually within 4-7 days • Unnecessary consultations – in most of these cases a prescription was given as a result of the consultation

5. Reducing GP consultations for minor ailments… Would result in significant savings and reduced demand on NHS; - 18% of GP workload is accounted for by minor ailments alone - There are 57m consultations involving minor ailments

6. Top 10 account for 75% of all minor ailments… Back Pain Dermatitis Heartburn and indigestion Nasal Congestion Constipation Migraine Cough Acne Sprains and Strains Headache

7. A need to shift behaviour and perceptions to encourage self care… Most people: • Engage in repetitive behaviour • Typically wait 4-7 days before seeking GP advice on a minor ailment (depending on the condition) • Need educating to ask the pharmacist for advice • Have concerns about paying more than prescription charge for over the counter treatment • Are more cautious when treating infants and young children Continued…

8. Pharmacists: • Spend little time out of the dispensary (~10%) • Think GP/Nurse should encourage patient to self treat • Strongly believe patients trust them And finally that GP/Nurses: • Claim to recommend self-care (people don’t agree) • Have less confidence in the pharmacist/believe patient doesn’t either • Need ‘permission to act’ • Don’t believe that patients know when to self care/think they lack confidence • Don’t agree that patients prefer to self treat

9. Empowerment with full support...Why? • Reduced demand on services/cost effective • Change dependency behaviour/improving people’s ability to care for themselves/family – fully engaged people • Confident about what to do/where to go/when to go • Less dependent on GP/services when faced with LTC • Prepared to challenge health and social care professionals about what they want regarding care and support

10. How do we make progress? Policies already reflect the need for people to take greater responsibility for their health and wellbeing: • Quick access when needed • More choice and less inequalities Implementing and action – we need to break the cycle of habitual behaviour by: • Mounting a public health education campaign about the top ten minor ailments in general practice by category • Giving people information to enable them to feel confident/self caring for the right time period • Giving doctors permission to endorse self care without offering a prescription • Focussing on promoting the drivers/removing barriers

11. Questions from you…Thank you