NHS Own Health

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Information for commissioners

The fundamental principles of Birmingham OwnHealth are to support and empower members to make informed decisions about their own care and to take action to improve their wellbeing.

Initially, care managers aim to influence attitudes by making members more aware of the issues so they recognise the need to take action.

Care managers then follow this up by aiming to influence behaviour changes through constant encouragement and support. They regularly follow-up with the individual to ensure the positive changes are maintained.

Compared with baseline there were statistically significant improvements at follow-up (9-10 months) in:

  • Number of days per week that individuals took physical activity
  • Sodium intake
  • Concordance with prescribed medication

The programme supports those individuals who have been identified at level 2 of the Long Term Conditions triangle and also provides support to those individuals who have been stepped down from level 3 to level 2.

Care managers pyramid

Our care managers take a holistic, not just disease-based approach to care and are supported by bespoke software that is adapted to incorporate local guidelines and pathways.

Following behaviour changes, clinical indicators are measured to show the benefits individuals achieve with the OwnHealth programme.

Service use change flow chart

Since the programme’s inception in 2006, it has shown significant improvements in individuals’ attitudes towards their own health behaviour and has had a positive impact on the demand for healthcare resources.

Individuals enrolled in Birmingham OwnHealth:

  • Found the service accessible and easy to use
  • Were satisfied with the quality of the service
  • Felt more confident in their ability to self manage their condition
  • Showed improvements in their willingness to make behaviour changes
  • Showed changes in their diet, exercise and smoking habits
  • Had improved cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure control
  • Had improved concordance with their medication regimens
  • Reported fewer symptoms

Improvements in quality and outcomes framework targets

Improvements in quality bar chart

  • Over the 9 month period between initial assessment and follow-up, HbA1c levels fell from 8.2% to 7.7%
  • This suggests better control of blood glucose levels and medication concordance
  • Although cholesterol levels were well-controlled at the beginning of the programme, they continued to improve with an average follow-up measurement of 4.29mmol/l
  • There were statistically significant improvements in mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure at follow-up (systolic: 140.6mmHg to 134.9mmHg; diastolic: 79.2mmHg to 75.4mmHg)

Changes in self-reported symptoms

Changes in self-reported symptoms bar chart

  • Individuals generally reported feeling much less symptomatic at follow-up compared with baseline
  • Trends were positive over time, and this may be reflective of the Birmingham OwnHealth programme, but could also be due to contribution from other activity by GPs, health promotion campaigns, the Expert Patient Programme and other support programmes

“I am having some very different conversations with my OwnHealth patients than I used to have. I am seeing better compliance and a much improved attitude to health. There has definitely been an improvement in clinical metrics and well-being for my patients.”

GP involved in Birmingham OwnHealth

As patients have progressed in the programme they:

  • Have made fewer appointments with GPs and required fewer specialist consultations
  • Appear to have made fewer A&E visits and have been admitted to hospital less frequently.

In a postal survey of people enrolled on the programme:

  • 42% believed that Birmingham OwnHealth® had reduced their need to go to hospital
  • 67% thought that the service had helped to improve their access to other healthcare providers