Establishing self care as an integral part of our healthcare system is a big challenge but is crucial to the dynamics of our society and economy. This was the message from Tim Kelsey, national director for patients and information, NHS England, at the 17th Annual Self Care Conference.

In general, he said, England is good at communicating, “but when it comes to communication in healthcare, we’re terrible.” He outlined improvements that need to be made to boost the reach and success of the self care initiative, such as explaining self care solutions to people in an accessible way and the NHS and healthcare sector working harder to support colleagues in promoting it.

“Too many people think self care is only about prevention, but it’s not,” Mr Kelsey continued. It’s also about empowering people with long-term health problems, such as diabetes, to manage their condition themselves.”

Mr Kelsey also highlighted the concern among some healthcare professionals that self care “contaminates” regular medical treatment and leads to “bad patient/doctor relationships”. But he made it clear that we need to move away from this and “recognise the clinical benefit of self care and how it can empower people”.

The Self Care Conference launched Self Care Week, the national awareness campaign which aims to help people understand what they can do at home to look after their own and their family’s health without the need for GP or A&E visits, as well as making better use of their community pharmacy. Visit: www.selfcareforum.org/events/self-care-week-resources for more.