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Major Discrepancies in Psoriasis Postcode Lottery
Psoriasis patients across the UK are being given differing and sometimes sub-standard levels of care, according to a new survey.
Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent skin disease that affects up to three percent of the population and can require lengthy in-patient hospital treatment. And, say researchers from the British Association of Dermatologists and the Royal College of Physicians, patients are not receiving the care they need.
“Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease which can have a huge physical and psychological impact, and as such patients require a high standard of care,” says Dr Colin Holden, President of the British Association of Dermatologists. “On a national level, the NHS is failing to provide patients with the level of care they deserve. Basic elements such as bathing facilities, appropriately trained staff and access to treatments are lacking to a worrying degree.”
The results of a study of hospital dermatology departments show that 20% of units have no dermatology specialist nurses, and 32% do not have adequate bathing and showering facilities for adult in-patients. In 41% of units, topical treatments were applied by nurses who had no dermatology training, or by the patients themselves.
The effect of the psychological, social and physical burden borne by patients with psoriasis is considerable. The emotional impact causes one in ten patients to contemplate suicide, especially those of younger age. However, the survey revealed that clinical psychology services were available for adults and children in only around 40 percent of units.
At least 5% of units do not have the appropriately trained person, a medical physicist, monitoring the phototherapy equipment, despite this being mandatory. And almost 40% of hospitals are restricted in prescribing the newest treatments which target the cause of psoriasis rather than the symptom.
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The one positive finding was that the average waiting time for routine appointments is only 10 weeks – below the maximum 12 week wait.
"The report supports anecdotal evidence from those that contact us about the inconsistencies of treatment and facilities in the UK,” said David Chandler, psoriasis patient and Chief Executive of the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance. “Living with a disease that affects you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year is depressing enough, but to then find out that if you lived in a different location you would get better care is just an added burden."
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