The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has launched new guidance for the assessment and management of psoriasis.
A key message from the guidance says GPs should proactively assess the impact that psoriasis may be having on the daily lives of their patients.
In its first clinical guideline on the assessment and management of the condition, NICE advises GPs and other healthcare professionals to assess the impact that psoriasis has on the physical, psychological and social wellbeing of their patients. They should do this when they first see their patients, before they refer them to specialists, and when they monitor how they are responding to treatments.
Dr Catherine Smith, a consultant dermatologist who chaired the development of the NICE guideline, said:
"... It is vital that GPs and other healthcare professionals recognise these possible consequences when they first see their patients, and that they routinely assess the impact that the disease is having on their daily lives.
Early and proactive identification will allow patients to receive the support and effective treatment they need in a timely manner...”
It is a breakthrough that NICE is also advising that everyone with psoriasis should be assessed for psoriatic arthritis on an annual basis, particularly during the first ten years as this is when the condition is most likely to develop. This will be a key development in identifying and preventing joint damage
.
Dr Natasha Smeaton, a GP who helped develop the NICE guideline, said:
"Psoriatic arthritis is rarely seen by GPs and so there may be confusion regarding how it should be diagnosed when compared to other joint problems...
Early diagnosis is important because the condition is aggressive and associated with progressive joint damage...”