On 3rd and 4th October, Lindsay attended the RCGP Conference in Liverpool where she was joined by HG Advocates, Suzanne and Maegan. Between them, they spoke to over 100 GPs and shared the new RCOG guidelines, along with information about our amazing charity. It was a fantastic opportunity to speak to the healthcare professionals who are often HG sufferers’ first port of call and educate them about their role in treating this condition. We had some excellent conversations with GPs who had never heard of PSS, along with some GPs who came and found us because they had suffered themselves or had patients that they just didn’t know how to help.
I’ve never said “Don’t suggest ginger” or “Don’t use Ketones” so many times in 2 days!
The RCGP Conference is the second large scale conference we’ve exhibited at this year. It’s always daunting going to such a big show as such a small charity especially when there are some huge companies sponsoring the event. But I’m always amazed at how welcoming the other exhibitors are and the sense of camaraderie even though we are essentially vying for the attention of the same people.
I was delighted that two of our volunteer HG Advocates could come along to the RCGP conference not only to keep me company but also to share the load of talking to GPs and providing their invaluable insight as volunteers with lived experience of HG. Both Suzanne and Maegan were an absolute credit to our charity and the additional draw of Suzanne’s 1 year old meant that we got far more attention than we expected! It turns out that GPs can’t resist chatting to babies.
Over the 2 day event, we spoke to around 120 GPs. We handed out posters to go up in GP waiting rooms and clinics and we spoke about the incredible work that PSS does across the whole country. More than half of those we spoke to had never heard of us before which just proves how important it is that we get in front of the at events like these and raise awareness of the important work we are doing.
We gave out some key messages to those GPs who came to talk to us including:
- Don’t suggest ginger! It’s disgusting to vomit and it doesn’t help (where is the evidence base for suggesting it?!)
- Don’t use Ketones as a diagnostic tool. They don’t indicate dehydration anyway and aren’t an indicator or severity of symptoms.
- Refer HG sufferers to Pregnancy Sickness Support for ongoing emotional support
In addition to raising awareness of our wonderful charity, the other focus of this event was to raise awareness of the new RCOG Guidelines and in particular, the one page algorithm that was created by Dr Melanie Nana specifically for GPs to ensure that the care they are giving is consistent. It was so well received that I ran out of copies but never fear! It can be found at the end of the RCOG guidelines as an appendix.
Given that GPs have such a challenging role, with a need to know about an extensive range of ailments and illnesses, anything that makes their job easier is a bonus. They were delighted to see the simplicity of this algorithm with some promising to share it with colleagues and have it laminated on their desk for easy access.
We had some interesting discussions with a couple of GPs who had reservations about prescribing anti emetics explaining that the risks were an issue for them. Armed with the RCOG Guidelines and our extensive knowledge of the evidence base, we were able to counter their concerns with facts and the message that there are risks associated with NOT treating HG too and every decision should be in collaboration with patients based on a risk v benefit analysis.
Those GPs who knew of PSS, had often first hand experience of HG and they made a point of coming to say “thank you” for being here, for existing and for providing the most fantastic emotional support and signposting. I was struck by how many had struggled to access care even with their medical background. Many had never really come across HG before their own experience while others found they had to fight for medication and understanding. All were very grateful for Pregnancy Sickness Support and the support they offer.
This is why our work to educate healthcare professionals is so vital. I believe that by improving education for GPs and those in Primary Care, we can improve the care of HG sufferers. If HG is treated early, and pre-emptively for those in subsequent pregnancies, there is less chance of hospitalisation. It is my wish that by educating GPs around the impact of HG and the safety of treatments, we can increase confidence in prescribing and HG sufferers will face less barriers to care.
The RCGP Conference was an absolutely exhausting 2 days, with lots of driving, standing and talking, but I hope the impact of our attendance at the conference will be felt by many across the country.
Lindsay Salmon is Pregnancy Sickness Supports Community & Engagement Manager. She can be contacted on project@pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk
