Home > For Consumers > Education and Prevention > Patient Education > Lifescripts

Lifescripts

Lifescripts generic methodology card

Helping patients make lifestyle changes: generic Lifescripts 5As methodology.

Lifescripts generic methodology card: Helping patients make lifestyle changes: generic Lifescripts 5As methodology (PDF 96 KB)

Hard copies of this document can be ordered from National Mailing and Marketing - see Lifescripts order forms.

html version of Lifescripts generic methodology card

Ask

Less intensive (1-5 mins)

Identify patients who can benefit from Lifescripts¹

• Waiting room checklist and poster
• Patient record prompts: check lifestyle habits at least every two years
• Prompts by practice staff

Ask: 'How do you feel about your (lifestyle) at the moment?'

More intensive (5-15 mins)

Identify patients who can benefit from Lifescripts¹

• Waiting room checklist and poster
• Patient record prompts: check lifestyle habits at least every two years
• Prompts by practice staff

Ask: 'How do you feel about your (lifestyle) at the moment?' Top of page

Assess

Less intensive (1-5 mins)

Assess interest in lifestyle change

• Assess:
  • risk (dependence, activity, behaviour) - if high risk consider more intensive intervention
  • interest and confidence in changing

Ask: 'Are you willing to give (lifestyle) change a try?'

• Assess barriers to change (e.g. 'What would be the hardest thing about changing?')
• Record lifestyle habits in patient's record

More intensive (5-15 mins)

Assess current lifestyle and interest in lifestyle change

• Assessment tool:
  • risk (dependence, activity, behaviour)
  • interest and confidence in changing (motivational interviewing)
• Assess psychological factors e.g. negative emotions (boredom, anger, worry/anxiety, depressed)
• Take lifestyle change history - identify barriers to sustaining or making a change in the past
• Assess mental health status
• Record lifestyle habits in patient's record Top of page

Is the person ready to attempt change?

If yes, ready to attempt change, continue with the 5As approach

If no, not ready:

• Advise on benefits of change
• Offer information and resources
• Assess interest in changing at later date Top of page

Advise

Less intensive (1-5 mins)

Advise on benefits of change

• Provide brief, non-judgemental advice about positive benefits of change

More intensive (5-15 mins)

Provide tailored advice

• Give feedback on current lifestyle
• Provide brief, non-judgemental advice about positive benefits of change
• Discuss individual benefits
• Set date for change Top of page

Assist

Less intensive (1-5 mins)

Offer resources and support

• Offer information/ resources
• Encourage social support

More intensive (5-15 mins)

Write prescription for change

• Jointly devise strategies for support
• Individualise the prescription (incl. goal setting)
• Make an individual plan to deal with common challenges
• Prescribe medication²
• Offer information/ resources
• Encourage social support Top of page

Arrange

Less intensive (1-5 mins)

Arrange follow-up

• Negotiate a separate consultation about lifestyle change
• Organise follow-up review

More intensive (5-15 mins)

Arrange referral and follow-up

• Refer to support
• Recruit social support (e.g. partner or family)
• Organise follow-up review
• Negotiate a separate consultation about lifestyle change

¹ See relevant national guidelines.
² Note contraindications, adverse effects and drug interactions.

Page last reviewed: 18 March 2011