Sandwell and Birmingham CCG, which serves a particularly deprived population in England, potentially saved 1,925 GP appointments for minor ailments as part of its activities during National Self Care Week last year. Compared to the previous year, the CCG saved around £300,000 prescribing costs on medication that can be bought over the counter.
It’s achievements helped to crown it the Outstanding CCG for Self Care Week 2019, jointly awarded by the Self Care Forum and NHS Clinical Commissioners. Its aim for Self Care Week was to help empower people in the population, support local clinicians to reduce prescribing levels of OTC medicines and so decrease GP appointments for minor conditions.
The CCG’s Medicines Quality Pharmacy Team led the programme, devising and implementing a huge range of innovative activities to engage its diverse community and so increase levels of self care in the local population.
The Team encouraged and supported surgeries to get involved, tailored messages to specific groups in the area engaging children, young people, worshippers, shoppers and fitness fanatics to name but a few.
You too can implement a similar programme using this case study by the CCG which reveals how it was done and how it overcame the barriers to help achieve its aims.
