141. The Benefits of a Multidisciplinary Group Education Session for Patients with Newly Diagnosed Rheumatoid Arthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis

Abstract

Background: The 2013 NICE Quality Standard for RA recommends that patients should be offered educational and self-management activities within one month of diagnosis. In June 2013, we started a monthly group educational session for all patients with newly diagnosed RA and PsA, patients were referred from clinics from April 2013. The sessions include presentations by the multidisciplinary team; comprising a specialist rheumatology practitioner, registrar, physiotherapist and occupational therapist with support from local NRAS co-ordinators. We present the feedback from patients attending the group. Methods: Feedback forms were completed by patients attending the educational session from June-October 2013. Patients completed a pre-session question on their expectations, and feedback questions following the session about what they had learned and suggestions for improvement. We also reviewed clinic letters for all newly diagnosed patients in April and May 2013 to identify referral patterns. Results: Out of 64 patients with newly diagnosed inflammatory arthritis invited to the educational session 59 accepted and 5 declined. Thirty eight (59.3%) patients attended, 12 brought friends or family members and 2 brought their employers. Feedback questionnaires were completed by 35 patients. Answers to the pre-session question indicated that patients wanted information about RA 20 (57%), medication 19 (54%) and how to help themselves 6 (17%), including lifestyle adaptations 6 (18%), managing flares 5 (14%), blood monitoring 2 (6%), fatigue and sleep 2 (6%), and diet 2 (6%). After the session, patients were asked to report 3 important things learnt, patients recalled information about the condition 4 (11%), treatment 6 (17%), monitoring including blood tests and DAS28 scores 4 (11%), relaxation techniques and pacing 7 (20%), the importance of exercise 16 (46%) and how to get seek help from the MDT and patient support groups 4 (11%). Patients were asked how the session could be improved; 20 (57%) replied they would not change anything, from the remaining 15 (43%) suggestions included increased interaction, additional sessions in peripheral centres, and more advice on travel and vaccinations, sleep hygiene and joint protection. On review of clinic letters from April-May 2013; of the 17 newly diagnosed RA patients, 8 (47%) were referred to the education session from their first clinic appointment, 7 (41%) from subsequent appointments and 2 (12%) were not referred, of the 8 newly diagnosed PsA patients, 1 (13%) was referred from their first clinic appointment and 7 (88%) were not referred. Conclusion: Patient feedback from a multidisciplinary education session for patients with a new diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis was positive. Forty per cent of patients offered the session did not attend and further improvements are needed to increase patient uptake. Only 36% of newly diagnosed patients with inflammatory arthritis were referred from their first clinic appointment, so greater clinical awareness is also needed.