Listening to what patients wants has become the watchword across NHS Forth Valley following the policy Realistic Medicine launched by Catherine Calderwood, Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer.
Catherine Labinjoh, Consultant Cardiologist, has been appointed as our new Realistic Medicine Clinical Lead and will be working closely with clinicians over the next two years to build on this approach and also link with the national Realistic Medicine team.
Realistic Medicine recommends patients ask the following five questions to help make the right treatment decisions for them in order to avoid unnecessary treatment and reduce waste and variation in care and outcomes.
- Is this test, treatment or procedure really needed?
- What are the potential benefits and risks?
- What are the possible side effects?
- Are there simpler, safer or alternative treatment options?
- What would happen if I did nothing?
