See Psoriasis Look Deeper - report out now.

[Jill Anderson]

On Wednesday 17th October, the See Psoriasis Look Deeper campaign - a collaboration between The Psoriasis Association and The Mental Health Foundation launched in the Houses of Parliament.

Psoriasis is a multi-faceted condition that can affect people in many ways. There are physical symptoms- flaking, itching, redness, discomfort, even pain- but there are also impacts on mental wellbeing and quality of life, as well as social lives, careers and relationships.

The See Psoriasis Look Deeper collaboration published a report of these findings, which not only quotes directly from patient-created works of art, but also backs these experiences up with hard statistics: up to 1.8 million people in the UK have psoriasis. 77% of those affected describe it as a 'problem' or 'significant problem' in their lives. One third experience depression and anxiety. 26 work-days a year may be lost per patient, because of psoriasis.

The report also includes opinions and endorsements from experts in the field, including Dr Chris Bunker, President of the British Association of Dermatologists, Sir Paul Beresford MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Skin, and Dr Stephen Kownacki, Executive Chair of the Primary Care Dermatology Society.

The See Psoriasis Look Deeper report calls for better multi-disciplinary care for people with psoriasis, encourages healthcare professionals at all levels to take into account the impact of psoriasis on a person's life, and offer psychological support where needed, and to fully implement upcoming the upcoming NICE Guideline on the management of psoriasis. 

Download here