The NHS is grasping the nettle of activity promoting self-management as part of the long-term conditions (LTC) QIPP programme, but clinicians are slow to engage and consultations with individual patients are often few and far between. Is this really going to be enough to keep patients motivated to self-manage their condition? Less discussed, and even less understood is the role of voluntary and community organisations in promoting self-management. Organisations based in the community are well placed to engage, support, signpost and deliver activities to increase self-care, self-management, and levels of activation for people with LTCs.
The Think Ahead: Stroke Information Service in Wigan has developed a Self-Care for Stroke training programme for stroke survivors and carers. Working in partnership with local health, social care, and charitable organisations, weekly sessions are delivered in a relaxed informal and friendly environment over 6 weeks, and guest speakers talk about life after stroke, support for carers, communication, aids and adaptations, active living and healthy lifestyles, and goal setting. The course is endorsed by the UK Stroke Forum Education and Training, and has QISMET registration.
While community and voluntary organisations cannot take the place of clinical care when clinical care is needed, they can provide wide and varied support to people in their own communities. With the right support and encouragement from commissioners, health and social care professionals, community-based organisations really can be the genie in the bottle; give it a rub and see what happens. A wealth of local knowledge is available; good links and referral processes with other community organisations can truly empower people to self-manage and increase activation levels. Health and social care colleagues do not have all of the answers, time, or resources to truly do justice to increasing levels of activation in people with LTCs, nor to promote self-management and self-care. However, working in partnership with community organisations can provide the synergy needed to develop and sustain changes to improve health outcomes. We just need to get on with the job.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2014