The Expert Patient Programme

[Mdaisy]

The Expert Patients Programme (EPP)

The Expert Patients Programme (EPP) is a self-management programme for people living with a chronic (long-term) condition. The aim is to support people by:

increasing their confidence

improving their quality of life

helping them manage their condition more effectively

About EPP courses

The EPP course is open to anyone with a long-term condition. You don't need to be sent by your GP or hospital doctor, though it is helpful to let them know you're going on the course. The initial EPP course covers the following topics:

dealing with pain and extreme tiredness

coping with feelings of depression

relaxation techniques and exercises

healthy eating

communicating with family, friends and healthcare professionals

planning for the future

The course is free and consists of six consecutive weekly sessions, with each session lasting around two-and-a-half hours. The sessions are run by two tutors who both have a chronic condition. You can participate as much or as little as you wish. (NHS Choices)

nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSs...

Questions

1. Anyone been referred by GP to these types of sessions 1a) Were you referred and NHS funded?

2. Anyone been to this particular one? 2a) Any feedback at all?

3. How did you find the sessions in general ?

Do let us know if you have courses in you area - as maybe we should post a list of courses available for people with Fibro/Chronic Illness here in the community as useful information.

Don't forget we have a series called 'Expert Patient' about Fibro yu may like to read too;

fibroaction-public.sharepoi...

Thank You for the feedback

Best Wishes

Emma

FibroAction Administrator

[Hidden]

Hi M thanks for this

Just to add that the 'Hibernation Club and Springtime Society' posts have been following and discussing elements of the Expert Patient series that is on fibroaction.org and they can be found in the category 'Community Blog'.

Fluffies and smiles for everyone

xxx sian

[TheAuthor]

This is wonderful.

Thank you

Ken x x

[nissanjean]

What is an expert patient?

[Peace2014]

I was referred last year and am due to start the programme in May. I picked up the leaflet initially at the hospital, but there were also leaflets at the Doctors practice . I have already met someone who has been on it and she said it was good. I live in the West Midlands.

[fenbadger]

I've read the FM articles and talked informally to the doc about this. There don't seem to be "courses" locally, nor are practice nurses up to speed. Postcode lottery again? Even so I find it helps a lot to be engaged in one's own illness and treatment. My doc talks in a lot of detail to me that I know he doesn't use with other patients - and shares consultants reports in a different way which others just gloss over. he's very good at targeting his talk to the patient's level of understanding.

[silverhead]

Hi all, I have attended one of these at my local hospital, I was referred by my doctor, I was looking forward to attending this in the hope that it would give me some positive information to help with my condition. Unfortunately this was not to be, the group of about 35 people who attended were shoved into what could loosely be termed as a gym, even the support staff acknowledged that this was far from ideal but the only room they had available. The information gained was no more than I had been able to gather from the internet, with the exception of the exercise routine, I attended all six dates and have to admit I was greatly disappointed in the whole course as was everybody who attended, by the sixth week there was about 8 of us left in the group, and to be told that was it there is nothing else available after the course unless we felt we needed to come back and do the same course again. in other words just get on with it oneself, so all in all in my humble opinion these sessions are not worth attending, and of course as we are all aware the only support available to us are the ones like this and fibropool which I am also a member of, and the only support we get is that from our fellow sufferers. HTH Cheers all

[fenbadger in reply to silverhead]

That sounds unhelpful but may be a measure of how well engaged you are. There's always a falling off and rarely full attendance due to "other commitments". You were probably well rid of the leavers.

[fenbadger]

Yeah. I appreciate him and hope I make it clear. he's one of the good ones we're liable to lose over the next few years.