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What is an 'expert patient'?

Expert patients:

  • feel confident and in control of their lives;
  • aim to manage their condition and its treatment in partnership with health professionals;
  • communicate effectively with health professionals and are willing to share responsibility for their treatment;
  • are realistic about the impact of their disease on themselves and their family;
  • use their skills and knowledge to lead full lives.

Source: 6.

The purpose of patient self-management programmes is to develop the confidence and motivation of patients to use their own skills, information and the professional services, to which they have access, to take effective control of their life with a chronic condition. The Expert Patient Programme course is generic rather than specific to a particular condition. There are plans to make disease-specific modules on asthma, coronary heart disease and diabetes available through the programme. There are also other initiatives that focus on specific conditions, for example the National Society for Epilepsy's LivingWell programme.

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