Diabetes UK supports any initiative that enables people with diabetes to be more involved with their own care. Patient Held Records (PHRs) can help people with diabetes to increase their knowledge of diabetes and their own health. By giving direct access to information about personal treatment and care information, patient held records help to place people with diabetes at the centre of their care, with greater choice and control as part of the care planning process. As such, patient held records play an important part in patient empowerment, a core concern of the national service frameworks.
Self-management is a central objective of all diabetes care. This can be enhanced by patient held records through the inclusion of a personal care plan. Patient held records can also support integrated care by facilitating communication between primary and secondary care.
The purpose of patient held records and care plans must be communicated to people with diabetes if they are to use them effectively and gain the most benefit from them. People with diabetes should not, however, be put under pressure to hold a record if they do not want to, nor should they be criticised if they choose not to use one.
Careful consideration must be given to the particular needs of different groups. It is important that the development of patient held records is undertaken in a way which is sensitive to cultural, ethnic and linguistic differences. The needs of people with disabilities, low literacy and communication or learning difficulties must also be addressed.
More information about patient held records and care planning is available on the shared practice database.
January 2003