Prevention should be our vision. We (say 50 million) need to take “self-care” to our hearts, understand the principles and practices, know of the local applications/initiatives, and apply them to ourselves.
Engender engagement with the use a “multi-systems” social approach with: education and training tax incentives, grants and benefits. Outcomes would be a sustainable NHS Yippee!
Exercise can prevent health problems, help to restore health and in some minimize the effect of health problems. A self care scheme should include explaining what exercise can do for both physical health, tools for assessing health maintenance/improvement/restoration needs, how to produce a self care plan) and how/where to find out more to put a plan in to action.
People are not aware of the need for self-care and they lack the capacity or will to look after their long term health particularly people living in disadvantaged areas. The support necessary for self care should come from community organisations. It is clear the NHS does not have sufficient resources to do this work alone. Useyourcommunity connects people to their local organisations which is needed to ensure self care actually happens. Self care needs regular community support for motivation.
People need to know and understand how to look after themselves and who to contact when they need to
This makes great sense
It's so much easier to look after yourself if high quality clinical advice can be provided easily and quickly. Often you know the best thing for you but just need that reassurance, be it a phone call or quick discussion with a doctor, nurse or pharmacist. Self care is not an easy option for the NHS, it requires an opening up of access to immediate signposting to give confidence to those trying to look after themselves and their families.
A great sentiment easily said difficult to achieve. I have already previously pointed out that present day culture, environment, economics all play a part.
Securing the whole hearted support of patients and carers for treatment plans would be more effective. That means that clinical services should involve patients and carers more in research, assessment, and treatment.Important factors in treatment and recovery include issues such as exercise, nutrition and diet, alcohol and smoking, mental health and the methods people use to cope with multiple conditions. Clinical services need to reach out to social agencies so that social factors are included
This content is created by the open source Your Priorities citizen engagement platform designed by the non profit Citizens Foundation