'Self care' for better health, new guidance for the NHS

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 14 Jan 2005 - 10:00 PST

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UK Health Secretary, John Reid, publishes new guidance for the NHS - Millions of people with asthma, diabetes and other long-term conditions could soon be receiving information by text messages and emails on how to stay fit and healthy, or even picking up health advice at their local barbers.

These are just some of the new ways in which the NHS could be helping people with long-term conditions take care of their own health better and are outlined in new guidance for the NHS published today by Health Secretary John Reid.

The document, 'Self Care - A Real Choice' is part of an on-going drive to improve the lives of the millions of people in England who are affected by long-term conditions. The guidance will also enable the NHS to improve the lifestyles of other people in the wider community, helping them to lead healthier lifestyles or take better care of minor ailments.

Long-term conditions are those conditions that cannot, at present, be cured, but can be controlled by medicines and other therapies.

John Reid said:

"It's all about empowering patients and the public to take more control over their lives. Everybody is used to brushing their teeth regularly to keep the dentist at bay. We are looking to get more people to adopt this proactive approach towards their general healthcare.

"This document sets out how the NHS should be making self care a central part of supporting people with long-term conditions, as well as helping us all improve our health."

The NHS will also be encouraged to extend use of more traditional self care support programmes, such as nurse-led classes educating newly diagnosed patients about their condition. The NHS Direct family of services - telephone helpline, internet and now interactive digital TV - adds modern communication technology to self care support programmes for all people.

The Government will issue the new guidance to the NHS this week on how it can provide people with real choice for self care by supporting and enabling them to care better for themselves and their families in a variety of situations and settings.

The guidance follows a blueprint, published last week, setting out plans for improving the health and quality of life of those with long-term conditions. In addition the guidance provides practical options that care professionals can follow to provide self care support to the general public to stay healthy.

At the heart of the new system is the 'community matron', a new type of health professional whose role will be to give one-to-one support to the most vulnerable patients with long-term conditions. They will monitor their patient's health and co-ordinate the care and support they need to achieve a better quality of life.

The NHS is committed to having 3,000 community matrons in place by March 2007.

Related links
Self care - A real choice: Self care support - A practical option

Notes to editor

1. The blueprint, 'Supporting People with Long Term Conditions - Improving Care, Improving Lives' was published on 5 January 2005.

2. The NHS is working towards a target of reducing by 5% the number of beds used by emergency in-patient admissions over the next three years. This target will back up the new changes announced last week.

3. Currently, just 10 per cent of patients who stay in hospital for their care account for 55% of all days spent in hospital. Many of these patients have multiple chronic long-term conditions.

4. Another recent innovation launched on 16 December is providing health information through digital TV. The NHS is increasing the accessibility of advice and information on healthy living and self care through NHS Direct, with the established telephone and internet service now having been extended to digital satellite TV. The new service "NHS Direct Interactive" was launched last month by Health Secretary John Reid. It has about 3000 pages of health, self care and NHS services information and advice in text and pictures plus a variety of video clips, available to nearly 8 million households just by pressing the "interactive" button on their TV remote. The new digital TV service has:

-- an A-Z of health related issues, including hundreds of topics covering illnesses and conditions such as flu, diabetes, coronary heart disease etc

-- advice on self care , such as on diet and nutrition, exercise, quitting smoking and sexual health

-- video clips on a range of health topics

-- tips on how to use the NHS

5. For media enquiries ONLY please contact Bradley Smythe in the DH Media Centre on 020 7210 5301. For all other enquiries please call the DH public enquiries line on 020 7210 4850

This is a press release from the UK Dept of Health

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