Nicola Bussey has been working with the Personalisation Team to explore ways of embedding approaches within the MSK pathway. As a physio therapist at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, she has seen changes first-hand and shares her thoughts through this blog.

Personalisation in Physio

I have seen a gradual change over the past few years in the way physiotherapy is offered.  The tone of conversations I hear between clinicians and patients is changing.  Clinicians are now becoming more comfortable with patients wanting to have a say in the treatment they receive.  I have observed in my own patients that outcomes are better and patient satisfaction is greater when their opinions and choices are really listened to.

How ready people are to be involved in conversations about their treatment varies hugely between individuals.  The reasons for this are varied and complex.  Cultural and generational beliefs play a part, as well as confidence and understanding.  It is not always obvious to the clinician how able the person feels to be involved. This is where I feel the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) can really add value to help us understand where the patient is at so we can tailor the support they need.  This also helps to address health inequalities to ensure people who need more support are identified and don’t slip through the net.

Physiotherapy as a profession is already very tuned in to the ideas of personalised care without necessarily being aware of it.  Patients are routinely asked during the assessment process about their own perceptions of their condition and what expectations they have from physiotherapy.  Goals are set that are meaningful to the patient and treatment options are discussed to allow patients to take an active part in making a decision about the treatment plan.

We are starting from a very good base.  Personalised care approaches will build on this further.  Some people will need more support than others, but ultimately it is about empowering people to be in control of managing their own health when they can and knowing where to reach out for support if they need it.  Physiotherapists can play an important role in this to help people access support from a whole range of sources to suit the individual.  This could be from healthcare professionals, community-based support or online resources.

There is loads out there so start by having a look on https://www.lincsphysio.nhs.uk/ and the www.itsallaboutpeople.info sites. Nicola can be contacted via Nicola.Bussey@ULH.nhs.uk to discuss Shared Decision-Making Tools and other approaches within the MSK pathway.