10.01.12
NHS to quiz patients at every opportunity
The Government has accepted recommendations for NHS staff to question patients about their lifestyles at every point of contact, following the publication of the second Future Forum report.
This is part of the objective for the NHS to promote healthy habits more holistically and reduce the huge scale of illness caused by lifestyle factors – and ultimately get patients to take more responsibility for their own health.
The group suggested that all health professionals, not just GPs, should take every opportunity to discuss diet, exercise, smoking and drinking habits with patients, regardless of the initial purpose of the discussion.
To emphasise the importance of this responsibility, the Government should seek to include this in the NHS Constitution, the Forum has recommended.
The report states: “There are millions of opportunities every day for the NHS to help to improve people's health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities, but to take this opportunity it needs a different view of how to use its contacts with the public.”
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: “The NHS Future Forum has again provided invaluable feedback and advice on what the NHS needs to do to improve results and put the NHS truly on the side of patients.”
Jo Webber, deputy policy director of the NHS Confederation added: “The NHS needs to focus more on prevention both to do better for patients and to live within its means in the long term. Healthcare professionals can play a big role in encouraging healthier lifestyles through their day-to-day contacts with patients. They need to think about preventing the next health problem as well as dealing with the illness that is in front of them.
“The policy of ‘making every contact count’ has been talked about for some time. To finally make this real for patients, it will be critical to engage with clinicians more successfully than has been done in the past. It will also be important to make sure that local messages on healthy living are delivered in a consistent way to avoid confusing patients unnecessarily.”
However, some medical professionals are concerned that this constant questioning could be counter-productive, by deterring or embarrassing patients and damaging the relationship between caregiver and patient.
Dr Clare Gerada, of the Royal College of GPs, said: “We already look for opportunities to offer advice, but the idea that every consultation will have to address these four concerns may deter patients from coming in the first place. The discussion must be based on the patient's agenda, and we should prise open these other issues only if it feels appropriate.”
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