Demonstrating professionalism through approach, behaviour and attitudes of Realistic Medicine
read more
You can read the Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2020 – 2021, Recover, Restore, Renew, at the Scottish Government website.
One of the main aims of Realistic Medicine is for people using healthcare services and their families to feel empowered to discuss their treatment fully with healthcare professionals, including the possibility that a suggested treatment might come with side effects – or even negative outcomes. Everyone should feel able to ask their healthcare professional why they’ve suggested a test, treatment or procedure, and all decisions about a person’s care should be made jointly between the individual and their healthcare team.
Realistic Medicine is not about failing to offer treatments. It is about supporting people using healthcare services, and their families, to feel empowered to discuss their treatment. That’s why changing our style to sharing decisions with our patients is one of our priorities. A move away from the "Doctor knows best" approach to shared decision making between the professional and patient will require more meaningful discussions about the treatment options available as well as their risks and benefits.
Building a more personalised approach to care, in partnership with people through shared decision making, is perhaps the most important aim of Realistic Medicine. We must create a more open and trusting atmosphere that facilitates more meaningful conversations between people and their healthcare professionals that help people make informed choices about their treatment and care options, based on what matters most to them.
Healthcare professionals are the stewards of healthcare resources. We know that overuse of investigation and treatment can result in harm to patients. By seeking out and eliminating harm and waste, we can provide healthcare that people really value.
Tackling unwarranted variation is essential to improving outcomes derived from healthcare across Scotland. Unwarranted variation is variation in healthcare that cannot be explained by need, or by explicit patient or population preferences. We need to ensure the prevention of harm and waste from overuse and overtreatment, freeing up resources currently used without benefit to clinical outcomes in order to address under-provision of care.
Realistic Medicine is not about failing to offer treatments. It is about supporting people using healthcare services, and their families, to feel empowered to discuss their treatment.
To practise Realistic Medicine, we must embrace the best international evidence, employ sound clinical judgment and support empowerment by listening to what matters most to patients. We need to make more effective use of knowledge and skills across the multi-professional knowledge base, and foster the conditions to support innovation in care delivery.
May 12, 2021
NHS Scotland have launched a public campaign to support patients and health and care professionals to have positive conversations about care and treatment. The key message of the campaign is that it’s okay to ask questions of health and care professionals. NHS Scotland have suggested four key questions for patients to ask: What are the…
Read more
May 11, 2021
At our recent Realistic Medicine Teams Networking session on 31 March, updates and learning was shared between Health Boards across Scotland. Dr Alastair Ireland, Realistic Medicine Clinical Lead for NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, updated the network on progress within GG&C, including on Treatment Escalation Plan resources and implementation, the development of communication training, and…
Read more
April 12, 2021
The recent publication of the CMO’s annual report for 2020 – 2021: Recover, Restore, Renew highlighted the importance of tackling unwarranted variation in practice and outcomes. Progress made in the delivery of the Healthcare Science National Delivery Plan 2015–2020 around adopting principles of a Realistic Medicine approach led to the publication of the National Demand…
Read more
April 23, 2021
“Abandoned”, “isolated”, “alone” were just some of words shared by survivors and their families, following an episode of critical illness requiring intensive care. Not only did the patient not know the person they had become, families didn’t recognise the relative they brought home. These recovery stories were shared following attendance at our post-intensive care rehabilitation…
Read more