Peter – Improved Annual Health Check
Reducing inequalities in health are a major feature of LeDeR. Uppermost in consideration is how to improve life expectancy.
LeDeR is clear that more people need Annual Health Checks (AHCs) and AHCs need to be for more people (increasing %) and of better quality, followed up by a Health Action Plan (HAP) that is received by the individual and their carers.
Hear Me Now (HMN) provides a facility to develop and share questionnaires, including Easy Read questionnaires, securely. A person can complete the pre-AHC questionnaire and send results back.
In previous years Peter had felt ill informed and under prepared for the stress of the actual appointment with the GP. A pre-AHC easy read questionnaire was sent to Peter a month before his AHC appointment using HMN. This year with the questionnaire arriving early he was able to be fully involved in answering the questions. It only took him and his support worker 40 minutes compared to several hours previously. The completed questionnaire was returned to the GP through HMN and arrived within minutes.
Key challenges in the AHC process are:
- Gathering data on the individual in a timely fashion
- Making sure the data gathered is of good quality
- Getting the service user to be involved wherever possible in data collection
- Reducing the time to gather data, including the pre-AHC questionnaire
- Having a secure method of transmitting data from the service user to the GP
- Tracking the work of the GP in producing and sharing the HAP
- Providing help, advice and support to the person implementing the HAP
Peter went to the GP Practice knowing what he had completed and being able to retrieve his answers if he needed to be reminded of what he had put. The appointment went well and focussed on the issues that mattered to Peter. The GP and Peter were happy that he had taken time to put information on to HMN that was shared at the appointment to help with communication.
After the appointment the GP produced a HAP and sent it to the service user usingHMN. The provider supporting Peter also received a copy of the HAP through the secure NHS email system at the same time so they could work on implementing the HAP together.
The impact of HMN on the AHC process is hugely beneficial improving the involvement of the service user and preparedness for the AHC appointment more effectively and efficiently. The GP practice receives the information securely prior to the appointment, making the appointment less anxious for the user. The appointment is more effective and the HAP is shared directly with the service user and the support worker who can then implement it effectively.
Outcomes
- Quicker pre-AHC questionnaire completion
- Appropriate preparation before AHC recorded in Hear Me Now so Peter can have his voice heard without anxiety
- Good quality AHC appointment focussing on health and care priorities
- HAP shared with individual and carer using secure communication
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