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Understanding adherence and providing support

Anton Emmanuel, from the Bowel Interest Group, provides practical steps for improving patient adherence to prescribed treatment and highlights the impact of training and tailored support.

A core principle of medical treatment is that patients will adhere to a therapy following consultation and prescription. Clinical trials are predicated on that assumption. The reality is far more complex. Multiple factors affect patients’ persistence with their treatment and these need to be taken into account by healthcare professionals (HCPs). However, checking that patients adhere with their therapy is not something that many HCPs are confident with. It can be regarded as questioning the professional-patient relationship which is based on Trust. 

Increased pressure on the National Health Service (NHS) coupled with a rise in chronic conditions makes this issue a pressing one. Currently, patients are experiencing difficulties in accessing primary and secondary care,1 while simultaneously, chronic diseases are now responsible for 88% of the overall disease burden in the UK,2 and between a third and a half of all medicines prescribed for long-term conditions are not taken as recommended.3 The move towards integrated care systems for provision of NHS care offers the opportunity to embed good practice in terms of optimising patient information and, hence, improving adherence. The potential improvements in treatment outcomes would help manage demand for further healthcare while improving patient quality of life. 

Understanding adherence obstacles

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Upcoming Events

Central Sterilising Club - Annual Scientific Meeting 2024

Crowne Plaza at Gerrard’s Cross
15th April 2024 – 16th April 2024

DECON UK 2024

National Conference Centre, Birmingham
17th April 2024

Infection Prevention & Control

National Conference Centre, Birmingham
23rd - 24th April 2024

Theatres & Decontamination Conference 2024

Coventry Building Society Arena
16th May 2024

The AfPP Roadshow - Birmingham

Millennium Point, Birmingham
18th May 2024

The AfPP Roadshow - Exeter

University of Exeter
22nd June 2024

Access the latest issue of Clinical Services Journal on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Clinical Services Journal app from your device's App store

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