scholarly journals The frontline of social prescribing – How do we ensure Link Workers can work safely and effectively within primary care?

2019 ◽  
pp. 174239531988206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Frostick ◽  
Marcello Bertotti
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Clinical Supervision ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Long Term Conditions ◽  
Social Prescribing ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Care Services

Objective To identify the training, skills and experience social prescribing Link Workers, working with patients presenting with long-term conditions, need to carry out their role safely and effectively within primary care services. Method Qualitative data were collected from Link Workers as part of the evaluation of three social prescribing schemes. Interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed. Results Link Workers describe the complexity of the work and the need to define the boundaries of their role within existing services. Previous life and work experience were invaluable and empathy was seen as a key skill. A variety of training was valued with counselling skills felt to be most critical. Clinical supervision and support were felt to be essential to conduct the work safely. Discussion Social prescribing is a significant theme within UK health policy and internationally and schemes in primary care services are common. Patient accounts consistently suggest that the Link Worker is key to the success of the pathway. Link Workers can facilitate positive behaviour change; however they must be recruited, trained and supported with a clear understanding of the demands of this complex role.

Electronic Patient Records (EPR), Library Services (LS) and Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Meetings

2017 ◽  
pp. 179-197
Author(s):  
Shahid Muhammad ◽  
Malcolm Rigler ◽  
Meshia Adams
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Multidisciplinary Team ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Patient Records ◽  
Electronic Patient Records ◽  
Long Term Conditions ◽  
Health Records ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Care Services

Patients with Long-Term Conditions (LTCs) account for around 50% of General Practitioner (GP) appointments, 64% of outpatient appointments and 70% of hospital bed days. There needs to be a wider access to knowledge and understanding such as directories with information leaflets, documents, books on lifestyle, helpful contacts and sources to information that can support patients and the general public on the most important elements their health. This cannot be achieved just through patients accessing their health records in sole. The objective of this paper is to 1) highlight the importance of integrating General Practice (GP), Electronic Patient Records (EPR) with Library Services (LS) and 2) also explore why it would be advantageous to implement patient-centred Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) meetings in primary care for patients with Long-Term Conditions (LTCs). This article provides a UK glance and how primary care services can be improved, integrating for the better. Having access to Electronic Patient Records (EPR) alone will not help or encourage a patient to gain confidence and/ or understanding especially if patients are overwhelmed by their healthcare choices and Health Literacy (HL) complexities. Patients' whose first language is not English for example, approaching more methods to support HL is/ will be challenging. Library and Health Services partnerships should be initiated to allowing access to wider resources. In addition, patient-centred Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) meetings should be arranged at dedicated time points between a doctor and patient/ carer and these can take place in a private section within library setting involving wider participation in care plans. Given that more patients and the public will have opportunity to access their health records, a “Libraries and Health” partnership can help integrate primary healthcare better thus allowing all to access health-related literature, using books, leaflets and digital media in a comfortable environment in a setting that also has staff that can support with HL and technology. An EPR and MDT initiative should be supported with library and health partnerships; this needs to be encouraged.

Long-term conditions in older adults using primary care services

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Alkhawaldeh ◽  
Omar ALOmari ◽  
Mohammed ALBashtawy ◽  
Ma’en Aljezawi ◽  
Mohammad Suliman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Long Term Conditions ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Care Services

De-professionalism as defined by services deemed unconventional, under-performing or ineffectual

2020 ◽  
pp. 121-142
Author(s):  
Nigel Malin
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Critical Care ◽  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Public Spending ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Care Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Under Performing

This chapter discusses reports that some hospitals and primary care services are ‘under-performing’ due to a lack of health and social care professionals, particularly in areas like critical care, long-term and chronic illness. Similarly, in schools there are continuing claims that core funding remains a serious issue, that they are struggling to get and keep enough teachers, and standards are threatened as a result. Austerity is an extension of the neo-liberal logic to characterise any form of public spending as ‘unproductive’.

Oxford Handbook of Primary Care and Community Nursing

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Community Setting ◽  
Community Health Services ◽  
Clinical Knowledge ◽  
Long Term Conditions ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
And Child Health

Concise and comprehensive, this handbook provides the reader with both evidence-based clinical knowledge as well as the organizational structure of community health services. Chapters range from common adult and child health problems, to more specific targeted advice for service users with extra needs and people with long-term conditions. The handbook includes information on how health and social care services are organized and funded, from common technical care procedures to complex situations, alongside detailed aspects of health promotion in adults, children, and adolescents. This handbook provides an accessible and instant resource, and a benchmark of good practice, for all healthcare professionals working in the primary care and community setting.

Polypharmacy perspectives in general practice environments

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 342-347
Author(s):  
Gerri Kaufman
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Practice Nurses ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Care Services ◽  
Medication Reviews ◽  
Funding Cuts

Practice nurses need to keep up-to-date with the latest prescribing guidelines, especially for patients taking multiple medications. Gerri Kaufman discusses some of the challenges facing polypharmacy and considers the roles of deprescription and medicines reviews Polypharmacy refers to the use of multiple medicines. A combination of medicines can be appropriate and beneficial for the patient; however, polypharmacy can also be problematic where the risk of harm outweighs the benefits of treatment. Polypharmacy is associated with increasing age, the presence of multi-morbidities, a culture of single condition guideline-based prescribing, obesity and lower wealth. Managing polypharmacy is a challenge for prescribers working in general practice and primary care. Polypharmacy is associated with adverse outcomes, including adverse drug reactions, falls, increased length of stay in hospital, and mortality. Vigilance around the safer aspects of prescribing, undertaking structured medication reviews and deprescribing are considered important in addressing issues with polypharmacy, and enhancing the management of patients on multiple medicines. Comprehensive guidance is available on the medication review process and deprescribing; however, the process is time-consuming, complex and requires investment. The NHS Long Term Plan put forward proposals to increase investment in primary care services, which include addressing medication safety. Workforce shortages and funding cuts for continuing professional development are both perceived as barriers to its implementation. Both individual prescribers and the systems in which they work are accountable for improving safe medicine use in polypharmacy.

scholarly journals Current understanding and implementation of ‘care navigation’ across England: a cross-sectional study of NHS clinical commissioning groups

2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (687) ◽  
pp. e675-e681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Tierney ◽  
Geoff Wong ◽  
Kamal R Mahtani
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Long Term Conditions ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Medical Needs ◽  
Social Prescribing ◽  
Evaluation Of Care

BackgroundCare navigation is an avenue to link patients to activities or organisations that can help address non-medical needs affecting health and wellbeing. An understanding of how care navigation is being implemented across primary care is lacking.AimTo determine how ‘care navigation’ is interpreted and currently implemented by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).Design and settingA cross-sectional study involving CCGs in England.MethodA questionnaire was sent to all CCGs inviting them to comment on who provided care navigation, the type of patients for whom care navigation was provided, how individuals were referred, and whether services were being evaluated. Responses were summarised using descriptive statistics.ResultsThe authors received usable responses from 83% of CCGs (n = 162), and of these >90% (n = 147) had some form of care navigation running in their area. A total of 75 different titles were used to describe the role. Most services were open to all adult patients, though particular groups may have been targeted; for example, people who are older and those with long-term conditions. Referrals tended to be made by a professional, or people were identified by a receptionist when they presented to a surgery. Evaluation of care navigation services was limited.ConclusionThere is a policy steer to engaging patients in social prescribing, using some form of care navigator to help with this. Results from this study highlight that, although this type of role is being provided, its implementation is heterogeneous. This could make comparison and the pooling of data on care navigation difficult. It may also leave patients unsure about what care navigation is about and how it could help them.

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