Exeter PCT Headache Clinic
| Description | Aims to integrate primary and secondary care approaches to the management of headaches with the aim of reducing the burden of headache in the community. |
|---|---|
| Setting | Primary and secondary care |
| Populationting | People with headaches that impact on the quality of their life |
| Intervention summary | Offers headache specific clinics in primary care |
| Outcome Summary | Changes in HIT (Headache Impact Test) and MIDAS (Migraine Disability Assessment) scores before and after consultation |
| Startup Cost | None |
| Running Cost | We charge £125 per episode of care (one consultation and one follow-up). |
| Funding | Pharmaceutical contribution for educational elements. NHS funding for service delivery. |
| Started | 2001 |
| Ended | Ongoing. |
| Location | South West England, England |
| Contact |
|
Background
The project aims to integrate primary and secondary care approaches to the management of headache with the aim of reducing the burden of headache in the community.
What is the problem you are trying to solve?
Reducing the burden of headache
What local organisations are involved?
Devon Primary Care Trust and Derriford Hospital.
How many people are running this project and who are they?
The project is lead by a GP (Dr David Kernick) and a consultant neurologist (Dr Stuart Weatherby). The network has 30 members who are interested in headache.
What local population are you targeting?
People with headache that impacts on the quality of their life
How many people are you targeting?
N/A
Interventions
What interventions are you using to address the problem?
Educational deliver -: direct meetings and also web based; and education information - headache specific clinics in primary care.
For more information please see the headache clinic website 1 .
Is the project design based on evidence? If so, please state reference.
No.
Outcome
What outcomes or planned outcomes are you measuring?
We are measuring the number of patients referred and validated headache outcome measures.
Do you have any outcomes or results yet? If so, what are they?
Yes, currently submitted for publication.
Major outcomes include changes in HIT (Headache Impact Test) and MIDAS (Migraine Disability Assessment) scores before and after consultation. We also gather qualitative data.
Is your project relevant to a government target or guideline?
No.
Feedback
What obstacles did you have to overcome to set up this project?
The current policy framework of the NHS is not designed to facilitate cooperative working.
What have you learned about the project so far?
Things are a lot more difficult than you think they are going to be.
What would you do differently?
Nothing