Dear Editor,

Recent news that Britain lags behind other countries in cancer survival rates http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21242871 highlights the need for an integrated healthcare model to improve the way in which individuals with or at risk of such long term conditions are managed.

The research indicates that one of the reasons behind poor survival rates is late diagnosis, which is reported to be down to a patient’s reluctance to visit their GP due to a fear of time wasting or embarrassment. This is however, not the complete picture. It is equally as likely, if not more so, that individuals will not seek clinical advice because they have little or no idea of what the support networks are if they are diagnosed.

This fear means that it becomes all too easy for someone to incorrectly self-diagnose based on a previous experience or explain away what might be a telling symptom for a medically trained professional.

This is where health coaching can make a huge difference. For individuals diagnosed with a particular long-term condition, health coaching - where registered nurses help the patient manage their condition by providing mentoring and support via two-way phone calls - is emerging as a powerful platform to nurture informed patients and help them overcome fears, embarrassment and better manage their long-term conditions.

For example, with security and anonymity in the arms’ length, yet trusted relationship, patients are more likely to mention that they have noticed blood in their stool or a small lump in their breast. Using the correct, non-directive, terminology, the health coach can then suggest that “your GP would want to know about that because there are a number of reasons for that to be happening and it’s important to confirm the cause so that you can be given any necessary treatment ,” which could provide the necessary spur a patient needs to help early diagnosis and improved chances of recovery.

Health coaching has been shown to motivate patients towards a readiness to change unhelpful thinking patterns. It can facilitate patients’ confidence and skills in self-management, and help them prepare for consultations, particularly in this instance by providing them with the confidence to know they would not be wasting the doctor’s time, proactively consider treatment options and encourage behavioural change. Moreover, with patients conscious that consultation time with their GP is limited, health coaching provides a valuable opportunity for individuals to discuss the longer-term management and implications of their condition with a trained health practitioner – providing that ongoing support patients need as they seek to adapt their lifestyles.

As Britons we have good access to skilled medical staff and cutting-edge treatments; it is therefore critical that the support tools and services are also in place to support individuals in all aspects of their care.

Yours sincerely,
Clare Wexler,
CEO, Totally Health
www.totallyhealth.com

Competing interests: None declared