The Research Background to Food Clinics
The Foundation has launched a training programme for Community and GP Practice Nurses to deliver Food Clinics which can address the growing problem of patients presenting with a broad raft of food related problems.
The initiative follows four years research commissioed by FAIR into how Community and Practice Nurse led Food Clinics can support patients in isolating the cause of their problem and sustaining a personal strategy to address it.
Whether prompted by their GP or self refered, the starting point is simply that patients accept that their underlying problem might be food related and are willing to work with the practice nurse through a staged programme, to first isolate the basis of the problem and devise an appropriate personal strategy which can work in their home to deal with it.
The FAIR Research showed that there is no common starting point for patients perceptions that their feeling unwell arises from food. The symptoms identified in the trial spanned the broadest range of reported problems, including weight, gut and bowel; water retention; headaches, as well as perceived intolerances or potential allergies.
Strikingly the findings of the research were that:
- 37% of patients are willing to attend a nurse led food clinic which gives them sufficient individual contact time to establish the specific nature of a problem, and to work through a structured programme to isolate and deal with it; and
- 70% of such patients participating in such a clinic will find that the basic problem is simply poor diet / unhealthy eating, which they can readily be coached to deal with.
Food Clinics
The trial Food Clinics clearly showed the considerable potential for resolving a very substantial order of patient need. Food Clinics thus have significant potential for helping GP practices reduce levels of repeat patient consultation and other costs to the PCT including testing.
The Food Clinic covers:
- a proper level of both initial and programmed clinic contact time (typically 45 minutes on each occasion) with a trained, informed nurse with whom they can develop an appropriate strategy for them which they can apply in their own home setting:
- a staged approach over timescales appropriate to each individual, from information, through self monitoring, healthy eating, and then, where appropriate, exclusion diet:
- access to on-going support information, including such guidance in understanding food labeling and menu planning that will work for families, as well as of local mutual support groups / lunch clubs and networks that practices will already be aware of.
At all stages a patient's progress is subject to control by and referral to their GP to deal with specific potential clinical problems that may be identified, and for any specialist diagnostic / treatment as may be necessary.