The DIY Health Model was co-created by Bromley by Bow Health Partnership (BBBHP, Tower Hamlets, London) in partnership with the community it serves in response to a need identifiable across most general practices in the UK.

Parents of children under the age of 5 were frequently re-attending St Andrew’s Health Centre (one of the surgeries run by BBBHP) for support with managing self-limiting childhood problems.  These repeat visits led to a recognition that health care professionals needed to work better with parents and carers to identify how to provide knowledge and skills that ensure they were more confident to manage their children’s health at home and when to seek further help.

The first cohort of the programme, with topics including fever management, diarrhoea, vomiting, coughs, cold and flu, saw outstanding results.  Not only were parents more confident and empowered, in the three month period looked at, parents who had attended the most sessions had a reduced attendance for the GP, as well as out-of-hours GP and A&E.

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