It seems odd - how can you learn to self care? It's what you do all the time any way. You always do what's best for you and only when you run into problems or are not happy about the way your health is that you turn for health advice. And of course you may well have tried many different places inluding friends, family, the internet including google, read leaflets, magazines, watched TV programmes, thought about what you have done in the past given the same symptoms before resorting to make an appointment to see the doctor or nurse. So what else could you possibly do and learn?
Well research from PAGB (1) shows that MINOR AILMENTS are part of normal everyday experience for us all, particularly: backache, coughs and colds, headaches and migraine, toothache, indigestion, skin problems, allergy and respiratory problems. They are typically not life-threatening and do not pose a major health risk and can be safely managed by patients themselves (2). They are different from other ailments because serious conditions usually require prescriptin medication, usually require a doctor or nurse to help you and last longer than a minor ailment. Patients do self manage using over-the-counter remedies but patients most often stop between 4-7 days if things do not improve and then try to seek help from their GP when many GPs think this may be unnecessary.
We want you to be confident in self care by choosing the appropriate over-the counter remedies. If symptoms persist then you can go to the pharmacist who is an EXPERT in MINOR AILMENTS and can encourage you to further self care. We at Haughton Thornley Medical Centres fully endorse the view that patients can work with their pharmacist to help resolve ANY MINOR AILMENTS you may have,
Remember: if the pharmacist does not think you will get better without the help of the doctor or nurse then they will ask you to make an appointment with us if need be. We are all here to help you get the best care possible and to help you manage your illness better.
But maybe you are reading this because somebody has asked you to read this but you don;t feel confident in using the internet yourself even though you know it is important to do so because so much useful information to help you self care better are now on the internet. Fear not! We have helped to set up an IT course at Hyde library which literally teaches you how to switch a computer on! It also teaches you how to get on the internet, how to create an e-mail address, learn how to go to trusted websites, learn how to book an appointment on line and order repeat prescriptions and even look at your own GP electronic health record. The first course happened earlier this year and was a resounding success. The second course is running already. It was so over subscribed that there are plans to run a new course in the new year as soon as this one ends.
The course which is run by Tameside Adult Learning and is endorsed by NHS Tameside & Glossop Local Care Record Development Board
runs for 6 weeks lasting 2 hrs once a week. It costs £10 in total but is FREE for those people who are on benefits. If you would like to know more about the course and how you can get on it or if you know somebody who you think may benefit from a course like this then please phone Gillian or Trevor on 0161-343-8899. You can learn more about the course by clicking here
to find out more.
You can also learn more about self care by clicking here
,a resource set up by NHS Choices and also backed by NHS Tameside & Glossop and Haughton Thornley Medical Centres.
(1) Source: Everyday healthcare study: 1987 & 1997 conducted by BMRB International for PAGB
A Picture of Health: 2005 conducted by NOP for PAGB/Readers Digest
(2) TNS Healthcare data
Who supplies the information for this website?
There are many sources of information now available to us all on the internet, what we have endeavoured to do with this site is to bring together reliable sources of information from NHS Choices (National Health Service), BBC Health as well as links to patient and carer organisations, charities and others that we feel can be trusted. Please refer to the terms and conditions of use and ALWAYS CONSULT A DOCTOR OR OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL IF YOU REQUIRE MEDICAL HELP
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Please send us your comments or tell us abut your experience of using the website when you meet with your a GP, nurse or any other menber of our staff.
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