Poster
East Midlands MS Specialist Nurse Group - development of a patient health information file
Kathleen Franklin, Queen's Nurse, Northampton General Hospital Trust, Northampton; Rebecca Barraclough, RN. Northampton General Hospital (NHS)Trust; Fiona Cray RN, University Hospitals of Leicester (NHS) Trust.
Background
The National Service Framework for Long Term Conditions (DoH 2004) and Expert Patient Programme (DoH 2004) highlight the need to improve the quality of care for people with MS and to help develop self-management of long-term conditions. It is well recognised that people with MS are likely to encounter a variety of health and social care professionals, each of whom hold a separate record. For some patients this can lead to conflicting advice and interventions, duplications and certainly patient confusion. In addition, about half of all people with MS experience cognitive difficulties which include impaired ability to learn, to remember, to plan, to concentrate and to digest information quickly (NICE 2003). The East Midlands MS Specialist Nurse Group in England have developed a patient health information file to assist in involving the person with MS and their carer more closely in their MS Management Plan.
Objective:
The overall objectives of the health record/information file are:
- To serve as an aid to structured and unstructured care
- To support effective communication through education for patients, carers and professionals
- To promote patient centred care through independent use of the health file
- To facilitate the continuity of care
The health information file will be evaluated in pilot sites across the UK between January and March 2008. The results will be analysed and presented in this paper.
Study supported by: minor educational grant from TEVA Pharmaceticals Ltd Financial relationship: none.