Posters
Improving MS patient-centred care: The development of a communication tool
Caroline Pollington and Sarah White, MS Clinical Nurse Specialists, St George's Hospital, London
Abstract
The MS nursing service wanted to address the specific neurological care needs for people with MS being met during general hospital admissions and respite care. This was identified as an unmet need by patients known to the MS nursing service. By addressing this need, the MS nursing service will help to meet Quality Requirement 11 of the National Service Framework for Long-term conditions, which states;
The MS nurses, with assistance from the multidisciplinary team, devised a communication tool, entitled 'helping you to help me' to enable people with MS to inform hospital and social care staff about their specific care needs. The first draft was reviewed by a patient focus group to ensure it expressed their needs and concerns and portrayed an accurate reflection of the variability of MS symptoms. The suggested changes were then incorporated into the final version, which was endorsed by the hospital 'patient information group'. The final version was designed by the medical school graphics department before going to print, which was kindly funded by a pharmaceutical company.
The communication tool was launched at the beginning of July 2008 and the MS nursing service will be evaluating its use and effectiveness in July 2009.