Healthwatch England, a patient champion group, has urged the NHS to roll out QR Code ‘Trauma Cards’ to help survivors when they seek healthcare.
Healthwatch conducted a trial in Essex, found the cards helpful for patients, and called for a national pilot.
The cards are intended to be given to healthcare professionals when the holder encounters a triggering situation.
The card has a QR Code that, when scanned, provides more information on the patient’s condition. Calls for NHS to Expand QR ‘Trauma Cards’ Nationwide After Successful Trial Experiencing and how to help.
One of the patients who participated in the trial said
I find it very helpful – because of the anxiety, I just shut down and can’t talk. Knowing I’ve got the card means I’m less likely to be triggered. It’s like that comfort blanket. It takes that stress off you.
Healthwatch England reported a strong adoption of the cards during the Essex pilot, with 15,000 distributed."
A survey of 3,571 adults revealed that 18% of those who have experienced trauma reported avoiding services due to their distress either “very often” or “fairly often”.
Louise Ansari, chief executive of Healthwatch England, said that when people avoid healthcare, their conditions can deteriorate, and their illnesses last longer.
A lot of times, patients with trauma find it difficult to explain their conditions to healthcare professionals, which makes it challenging to provide them with the appropriate care.
“The pilot project in Essex has shown trauma cards can improve experiences for people using health and care services, empowering them and facilitating communication with healthcare staff,” said Ansari while calling for a national pilot for the QR Code trauma cards.