6:20pm Friday 13th November 2009
By NHS Buckinghamshire
TOO few people know what health services are available to them, and too many choose services which mean they and other patients don’t get the best care, according to NHS Buckinghamshire, which is today launching its ‘choose well’ campaign aimed at encouraging people to use the local NHS differently.
The campaign, which is being launched during national ‘self-care’ week, encourages people to become familiar with what individual health services can provide for them and to choose appropriately when they need advice or treatment.
The campaign will also remind people of the importance of looking after themselves and stocking up the medicine cabinet, particularly in the weeks leading up to winter.
The campaign is based on nationally tested ‘choose well’ messages and local research carried out in Buckinghamshire last year which showed that more than 30% of people in A&E could have been treated elsewhere, but that people were confused about their choices and where they could go for what. As a result, people were using A&E for minor issues such as contraception advice, minor aches and pains and mild toothache.
The campaign will encourage people to become familiar with six health choices:
Over the next few weeks, information will be given out across Buckinghamshire to members of the public and voluntary and community groups and there will be stands in shopping centres, supermarkets and railway stations. Some local advertising will also be taking place, including a hard hitting poster campaign later in the month.
NHS Buckinghamshire chief executive Ed Macalister-Smith said: “We are working hard in Buckinghamshire to develop high quality community-based services, and to encourage people to use them. This means that people will get care closer to home, which is what patients say they want. It also means that we can use our resources more effectively.
"As part of this, we need to ensure that people know the range of health services available to them and that they use them appropriately.
"This doesn’t always happen at the moment - for example, too many people are using A&E when they could be treated elsewhere, taking up the time of staff who could be treating our sickest patients.
"Often this is because people simply don’t know what is available to them and that is what we need to put right.
"The public may not realise that services are constantly developing. For example, NHS Direct and their web services have changed substantially recently, pharmacists are constantly extending the range of help that they offer, and GPs have been responding to patient feedback and are opening for longer hours.
"We are asking people to get to know what the local NHS has to offer and to use it responsibly.
"We will give people information on what is available for them and then move on to a harder hitting campaign aimed at getting people to think differently about how they use the NHS.
"We are keen for public feedback on the whole campaign and anyone with ideas or suggestions should get in contact with us.”
Should members of the public wish to comment on this campaign please email: communications@buckspct.nhs.uk.
Download a copy of the Choose Well leaflet Choose Well Leafletfresh3.pdf
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