New guidance calls for more tailored care for people with multiple conditions

People witharthritis and other conditions may be able to benefit from treatment that is more personalised and individually tailored to their individual needs in future, thanks to the publication of new national guidance for NHS workers. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has made a new guideline available for healthcare professionals, GPs and physicians, highlighting the ways in which patients with complex health issues need to be put at the heart of decisions about their care, including how to decide between different medicines and treatments. Healthcare professionals will need to"be alert" to the presence of chronic pain, one of the main symptoms of arthritis. A more personalised treatment approach The guidance calls for healthcare providers to put together individual care plans for patients with two or more conditions - a particular priority for elderly and frail people and those taking 15 or more medications on a regular basis. A database summarising the benefits and side effects of a number of common treatments has been created as part of this, with the aim of helping patients to prioritise appointments for different conditions - and even to decide whether certain treatments might be appropriate to stop using if they offer only a limited benefit. Professor Mark Baker, director of the centre for guidelines at NICE, said:"Our guideline brings an important perspective to light - that it's our responsibility as healthcare professi...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news