Unique Derby arthritis self-management course – does it have a long-term impact on patients?
The effectiveness of a unique lifestyle management programme for inflammatory arthritis patients in Derby is to be evaluated - with a view to making it available in other parts of the UK.
All newly diagnosed and existing patients at Derbyshire Royal Infirmary are offered the chance to take part in the Lifestyle Management for Arthritis Programme (LMAP) and there is a good take-up.
Run by occupational therapists (OTs), nurses and physiotherapists, the course uses a step-by-step approach to help people develop self-management strategies on how to cope with their condition over three to six months. Topics include drug therapy, exercise, pain and fatigue management, joint protection, managing stress and relaxation.
The course, developed initially by Dr Alison Hammond as a clinical trial, has already been shown to be effective a year after patients completed it, and is now part of the routine service to patients. Now the plan is to assess if it has any impact in the longer term.
Dr Hammond and research therapist Joanne Rayner have been awarded funding of £47,553 over three years by the Arthritis Research Campaign to carry out the evaluation.
“Our lifestyle management course is different to many arthritis education programmes provided by other rheumatology departments,” explained Dr Hammond. “Ours is more a training programme for patients. It is delivered in several modules (four meetings each) which people can choose to attend over three to nine months. There is a real focus on practical training, and we would like to see this kind of service rolled out further.”
Exercises such as tai chi and walking programmes using pedometers have been enthusiastically taken up by patients with inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
The Arthritis Research Campaign is the fourth largest medical research charity in the UK, and in the past 12 month received more than £32 million from public donations to fund its research and educational programmes. The charity’s head office is based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
