Self Care Campaign Launch Anniversary

LONDON, March 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Nine out of Ten GPs Now Believe Self Care by Patients has an Important Role in General Practice.

The Self Care Campaign has made considerable progress following its launch last year. New research shows a significant shift in GP attitudes.

TNS Kantar research in 2009 found 78% of patients claimed self care was not discussed in their GP consultation. However, new research by doctors.net.uk for OTC Bulletin shows eight out of ten GPs will now encourage self care in the future. Nine out of ten GPs believe self care plays an important role in general practice.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has announced an e-learning module aiming to develop GP consultation skills supporting self care for patients.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), National Voices (the voluntary sector umbrella organisation), and the National Association for Patient Participation (NAPP) have also come on board as champions. These organisations join a panel including Dr Michael Dixon OBE, Prof Mike Pringle and Dr Peter Smith OBE.

Lynn Young, primary health care adviser, RCN, said, "nurses work in a variety of health care settings, which offers them boundless opportunities to support people to self care".

Stephanie Varah, chief executive of NAPP said, "Patient Participation Groups (PPGs), placed at the heart of GP practices, have an essential role in empowering individuals to access information that supports informed decision making".

Gopa Mitra MBE, director of health policy and public affairs at PAGB, said, "we can now stop focusing on the 'why' and focus on the 'how' to put self care into practice. Hopefully the momentum we've built will continue into an upsurge of activity at local, regional and national levels."

Notes

The Self Care Campaign launched in March 2010 with a White Paper entitled Self Care: an Ethical Imperative.The Campaign called for the Government to bring an end to the culture of dependency on the NHS for treatment of self limiting and common symptoms that can be managed by self care.

It is good clinical practice to encourage people to look after their health when it is safe to do so. Self care is not about no care, it is about enabling effective use of the NHS so that it can continue to give quality care to all.

For more information contact: Victoria Mayman, Victoria.mayman@salixconsulting.com, +44(0)20-8675-4779.

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