The Trust Gap — people and Facebook
Peers and moderators working together give patients the support they need.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a piece about The Trust Gap, highlighting the void between what patients and medical professionals trust regarding health information. That post put a spotlight on the organisations that we are working with that are perfectly placed to plug that gap. This post is about the people!
Our NHS Widening Digital Participation programme is providing us with the opportunity to talk to some of the most isolated communities in England, that could be a homeless group under Hastings pier or a traveller community in Dorset. We are finding out some sweeping truths about how patients get health information.
Overwhelmingly the people that we are talking to trust their peers to give them health information.
My neighbour has been through it. They understand.
Our pathfinder in Stoke is experimenting with Facebook groups for specific long term conditions. This is proving very successful as it satisfies a raft of patient needs;
- Support from peers who understand what patients are going through
- Access to health information that is tailored to their specific needs (timely information)
- Easier access to a health professional who moderates the group
Our friends at Redmoor Health have put together a guide for services using social media (namely Facebook)in this way.
I had initial concerns that people wouldn’t engage in a moderated group as they may see it as being policed. I’m very happy to say that I was completely wrong. The groups are positive, supportive and helpful. The administrators (health professionals) step in if any medical advice has been given that isn’t correct (albeit given with good intentions) and are there to answer health questions or point to relevant pieces of information as they are needed.
There is an added benefit that FAQ’s can be answered to the whole group and therefore increase everyone’s knowledge.
Don’t take my word for it though. The people in the Atrial Fibrillation (A/F) team are finding it amazing. They have approx 30% (100 people)of the area’s A/F sufferers signed up to the group at the moment.
What’s next?
We will evaluate the clinical outcomes to groups such as these. We will look at the investment in time from Health Professionals to make it work and will work to reach the people who aren’t involved.
One area that we are keen to explore more is the idea of a ‘skilled peer’. Community or condition specific champions that are trained up to help the groups and are trusted by health professionals… more on this as it develops.
If you would like to know more about our NHS Widening Digital Participation programme please don’t hesitate to contact me pete@goodthingsfoundation.org
