News: 'Expert patients' to be given more control

The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7166 p373-376
22 September 2001

“Expert patients” to be given more control

Patients are to be given more control over managing their illnesses, the Department of Health says. The Department has launched a new report on “expert patients”, which sets out how the National Health Service will enable patients with long-term medical conditions to become decision-makers in their own treatment and care.

The report recommends that, over a six-year period, user-led self-management training programmes for patients with chronic diseases should be introduced within the NHS in England. Between 2001 and 2004, pilot programmes will be set up within primary care trusts and, from 2004 to 2007, programmes will be extended to all NHS areas.

A national co-ordinating and training resource centre will be set up to provide health care, social services and voluntary sector professionals with training and up-to-date information on developments in the provision of self-management. As part of continuing professional development programmes, a core course will be established to promote health professionals’ knowledge and understanding about the benefits of user-led self-management programmes both to themselves and to patients.

The Department of Health says that people living with conditions such as asthma, diabetes mellitus and arthritis often possess a wealth of knowledge and experience about the management of their own conditions and, with support and training, should be able to take the lead in their treatment. User-led self-management pilot programmes carried out in the United Kingdom, so far, show that such models can enhance the relationship between health care professionals and patients, and can lead to improved clinical outcomes.

Commenting on the launch of the report, a spokesman for the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry told The Journal that the ABPI was thoroughly supportive of the “expert patient” initiative. However, the pharmaceutical industry could only communicate directly with the public through patient information leaflets and not by any other means. It hoped that the law regarding this would change to allow more communication to happen. The ABPI published a report on the “expert patient” last year (PJ, 1 April 2000, p502).

Copies of the Department of Health’s report, “The expert patient: A new approach to chronic disease management for the 21st century”, can be obtained, free of charge, from the Department of Health, PO Box 777, London SE1 6XH and is available on the Our Healthier Nation website.