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GP has inspired ideas to boost patient wellbeing
A GP says patient appointments by ‘regular attenders’ have dropped since she spearheaded a range of support services in the pratice including a wellbeing clinic with money advice, free yoga and social gatherings to tackle loneliness and isolation.
Laura Coia is determined to improve the physical and mental health of patients who attend her surgery in Auchinairn, on the outskirts of Glasgow, helped by a weekly blog that encourage them to make 2019 “a year of small changes”.
She organised an all-day coffee morning in the practice to help foster community spirit and also made sure no one spent Christmas Day alone by linking up with hotels and restaurants offering free meals.
Laura, 40, says that while she is now seeing less of patients she tends to see more regularly with chronic ailments, new referrals to the practice have increased.
She said: “At the moment I’m actually seeing more patients because word gets out that if you are having problems with your mental health or stress or if you are wanting advice on weight loss, go see Dr Coia.
“What I have seen is that patients who I was seeing a lot of, I’m seeing less of them and it’s a much more positive consultation.
“If it was to list the top problems I see it would be fatigue, being overweight, anxiety and depression. Just generally feeling rotten.
“I see massive numbers of people with obesity and diabetes.
“The patients I see who want to lose weight, they might not have lost significant amounts but what I’m seeing is, they are much more mobile, they have better relationships.
“Their wellbeing is so much more improved that it’s not all about eating. Over the next year I’m hopeful I’ll see a bigger difference.”
Laura also launched a weekly blog and website dedicated to health and wellbeing which includes a range of advice from her, Izzy Howat, a consultant in diabetes and endocrinology and Grant Yuill, a personal trainer.
She said: “A simple blog might be to say to patients to go down to Aldi, see what is on the ‘Super Six’ vegetables and challenge yourself to make something out of it.
“It changes every week so you won’t just be eating the same vegetables every week.
“We know that little changes are easy to make and easy to sustain and what we are saying to people is, don’t set yourself up for a fall.
“If the only change you do is eat more vegetables you are going to be doing something really good for your health.”
Tackling anxiety and depression related symptoms can be the most challenging part of her job, Laura says because the root of the problem