Navigating the NHS

Expert patients programme (EPP) - Expert patients

NHS Choices Medical Reference

Many GPs who care for people with chronic (long-term) conditions say that the patient understands the condition better than they do. This is not surprising. Many patients become experts as they learn to cope with their chronic conditions.

There is evidence that, with proper support, people with a chronic condition can take the lead in managing their condition. This helps to improve their health and quality of life, and reduces their incapacity (lack of strength or ability).

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An expert patient is someone who:

feels confident and in control of their life
aims to manage their condition and its treatment in partnership with healthcare professionals
communicates effectively with professionals and is willing to share responsibility for treatment
is realistic about how their condition affects them and their family
uses their skills and knowledge to lead a full life

Self-management

Self-management programmes are not simply about educating you about your condition. They also aim to enable you to take control of your health by learning new skills to manage your condition on a daily basis.

The primary method behind EPP was developed in California by Kate Lorig, an American professor. Her work with people with arthritis made her realise that many people with the condition have developed ways of coping and solving problems.

Professor Lorig and some of her colleagues decided to pool this information and develop a course that would help people manage their own arthritis. They realised that the problems that are faced by people with arthritis are often faced by people with other chronic conditions. For example:

pain management
stress (when too much pressure is placed on you)
low self-image
depression (feelings of extreme sadness, despair or inadequacy)

This led to the development of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Course, on which EPP courses are based.

: Glossary
Chronic: Chronic usually means a condition that continues for a long time or keeps coming back.
Pain: Pain is an unpleasant physical or emotional feeling that your body produces as a warning sign that it has been damaged.
Heart: The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood around the body.
Disease: A disease is an illness or condition that interferes with normal body functions.
Expert Patients Programme: The Expert Patients Programme is an NHS course for people living with long-term health conditions, to help them understand and manage their conditions.