Has anyone been asked by their GP to become an expert patient(do not laugh Pikeman )?
I visited my GP yesterday and was asked if I would become an expert patient and would like to hear from anyone who is on this programme. Paul

Really Paul, would I?

Have you been suggesting treatments to your GP? Will you get paid for being on such a list? Will we see you on TV?

Looking forward to hearing more.

Hello Paul

"People living with chronic diseases are not only often in the best position to know what they need in managing their own condition but given the necessary skills can make a tangible impact on their disease and quality of life more generally. So this programme brings together patients and clinical organisations in developing self-management initiatives. "

This 35 page pdf document The Expert Patient: A New Approach to Chronic Disease Management for the 21st Century was published in September 2001. A key recommendation was to introduce self-management training programmes for patients.

This NHS programme is described here.

You can read comments by patients about the NHS Expert Patients Program at the Different strokes Discussion Board

I don't think they had cancer in mind when they started the programme. Perhaps they are considering to include it into the programme now. Anyway, hope that helps you stun your doctor with your new found knowledge .

Let us know how you get on.

Best wishes

Vinod :coffee: izza:

Hi Dr , I may know whats going on but it spoil the fun when you know whats going to happen next

Hello again Paul.

Well, I've read a fair bit. of the material in the links Vinod sent you.

I hope you enter the programme because I still don't really know what it really seeks to achieve in practical terms.

It does seem to be heavily administrative (people reporting on reports etc.).

However, the comments of patients who have been in the programme all seem to be positive.

So I wait for you to educate me.

Join the club Pikeman I am not sure either, All I can make out of the reports is that it's the PATIENT who knows what is needed and when because he has been there done that got the vid etc . It is just implimenting common sense. (thats my 52 page summary)

Hmm, I wonder.
I wouldn't have thought there's a great deal a patient could contribute, technically, about the actual treatment. For sure the patient can and should contribute a great deal to how they've been affected mentally and physically by their illness and its subsequent treament.

Thing is will any action follow after 2004.

This time I'll remember to log off.

Good night sweet people

Link to article: The UK Expert Patients Program: Lessons learned

quote:

Abstract:
Globally, the enablement of self-care is increasingly being recognised as an essential component of chronic disease management. Within the UK a key selfcare policy initiative is the Expert Patients Program. Developed from the Chronic Disease Self Management Program, this is a 6 week self-management education program for people with different chronic diseases, facilitated by lay volunteers.

As an example of a major public health initiative designed to enhance self-management in long-term conditions, this paper draws on evaluations of the EPP and CDSMP and analyzes the implications for the development of similar programs for cancer survivors. There are a number of evaluations of the CDSMP which suggest significant improvement in participants’ chronic disease management self-efficacy and some evidence of healthcare utilization reduction.

However, whilst the national evaluation of the EPP demonstrated similar improvements in self-efficacy and health status, there was no significant effect on healthcare utilization. Trials of such programs need to be treated with some caution as participants are often not typical of the general population, and as a complex intervention effectiveness is inherently difficult to assess. Qualitative evaluations revealed that the EPP’s strength was derived mainly through peer support and learning. Nevertheless, a number of contextual problems were identified including recruitment, clinicians’ lack of engagement with the program and inflexible course materials. Lay-led self-care support programs such as the EPP have a significantly positive effect on self-efficacy
which could be of benefit to cancer survivors. However, a number of lessons should be learned from the EPP when developing similar initiatives for cancer survivors