1- I would class skin breaking down as serious, yes. Dry skin, less so. Certainly something one could initially manage at home
B- yes, I’m suggesting looking at resources for self care of simple ailments. Home remedies have always been vitally important.. Granny probably had a readers digest book of home care – simple self care of small burns, abrasions, and what not is actually what’s missing from a lot of society nowadays.
7-patient contacts… It’s what they need to see if they don’t wear glasses, right?
I think my suggestions have been prompted, perhaps more vigorously, by
A- a fairly eye-rolling Monday consultation…
B- the fact my work in the CCG recently has basically been of the ilk “the NHS is nearly fubar’d, and we ALL have to work to save it”
This basically means secondary care have to be more effective and realistic, Primary care have to work hard on reducing referrals when in house management or other community teams may help, and….the big one….. Patients MUST (yes, dare it be said, MUST) lose the sense of entitlement that some people have (not all, and not anyone in this thread have made me think they believe) that they can have ANYTHING ‘health related’ at a time that suits them.
I only highlight the fact that simple ailments that can initially be managed at home (and I’d class dry skin / sunburn etc a simple ailment) SHOULD be managed at home in a rather ‘parental role’ because I can see ‘around the corner’ so to speak….
There..that’s my evening of public engagement over with 😉
I hope the skin’s better. I can sympathise. My hands are completely knackered – I use diprobase, oilatum, dermol, and when really bad a smidgen of potent steroids. Even then they crack and drive me mad. In fact, when they are really dry and crack I get properly stressed!!!
I suppose that’s what you get for having to wash your hands every fifth or sixth patient contact…….
DrP