Dyspepsia, part 2: engaging patients to choose health

Abstract

Part one of this article concentrated on the political and social determinants of health in relation to dyspepsia. Here the concentration is on how we engage and empower patients with dyspepsia to become active agents of change. It is not enough simply to motivate patients to change; we need to ensure that they have the capability to affect change. Rather than the notion of Creating a Patient Led NHS (DH, 2005) becoming simply an empty ritual, this article proposes a stepwise framework for engaging patients as 'active participants' in their care. It demonstrates how we can engage patients into choosing health and shows what that service might look like. The challenge has been made to the healthcare profession on social and political grounds and it is up to us to find and utilise strategies to make the best of the available resources for the benefit of the patient population.