When someone is diagnosed with a long-term health condition such as cancer or dementia or experiences a stroke, the NHS has a duty to provide the best physical care possible. Every healthcare professional will know that this is vitally important, but will also realise that the full picture of a patient’s health and wellbeing is more complicated. One aspect of treatment and management that often gets overlooked is relationships.
Strong relationships with partners, family and friends are a crucial part of making life with a long-term health condition better. In fact, there is clear evidence that good-quality relationships can prevent, delay or minimise the effects of health conditions. People with strong relationships are 50% more likely to survive life-threatening illness than those with weaker ones. Ultimately, high-quality relationships can improve health and wellbeing for the 15 million people in the UK living with long-term physical or mental health conditions and potentially reduce pressure on the public purse.
But if this is the case, then why are relationships not reflected in NHS policy? A recent poll of more than 600 people living with a life-limiting health condition or who were disabled found that only half (51%) of those who have received professional support said it has taken their relationships into account effectively. A further 21% said they feel the support they received has not considered their relationships at all.
Following news this week that NHS staff are feeling increasingly stressed, it may seem unrealistic and even unfair to ask them to consider relationships in addition to the physical health of their patients. However, if we put measures in place to ensure health professionals know where to signpost people for relationship support, and that the right support is available to everyone who needs it, this may relieve some of the burden.
At the moment, people with long-term health conditions don’t know where to turn, with a staggering 91% of people in our poll saying they are not aware of any relationship support services available for them. Of course, not everyone will want help with their relationships if it is offered to them but for others it could be a lifeline. This is not least because about one in four people with a life-limiting health problem or who are disabled said their condition has impacted negatively on relationships they have or have had with partners (24%), friends (25%), family (23%) or colleagues (33%).
This week, more than 3,000 people have signed our petition to support Relate’s The Best Medicine campaign and call on central and local government to put relationships at the heart of the NHS. Until now, the specific role of family and couple relationships has been given little attention in health policy, despite recognition of social factors in recent reports such as the 2012 Health and Social Care Act and 2010 Marmot review.
The Best Medicine policy report, written by Relate and thinktank New Philanthropy Capital, recommends a government inquiry into how the true value of relationships can be recognised in the NHS. We want the next health secretary to become the health and wellbeing secretary. They would have relationships and quality of life for carers and people with health and care needs explicitly in their remit. On a regional level, we want clinical commissioning groups and local authorities to undertake a “family test” when they consider new local policies.
The evidence is clear – strong relationships can improve health outcomes and save money. Health policy needs to catch up with this way of thinking, giving health professionals the tools to take action and reap the rewards for their patients and themselves.
