Issue - meetings

To receive evidence from Haringey Teaching Primary Care Trust on the Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed programme and the Expert Patients Scheme. 

Marina Chrysou and Sue Tokley from Haringey TPCT gave a presentation about the Expert Patients scheme.  This was a generic course open to all people with long term conditions.  Referrals came from a wide range of sources including self referral, community matrons and other health professionals. The programme was piloted in 2004.  It was not aimed at any particular conditions nor was it specifically intended for very high intensity users.  The emphasis was on self management and the long term consequences of conditions.  It was led by volunteer lay people who had a long term condition themselves.  It aimed to address a range of issues including loss of confidence, stress management, relaxation and living with pain.  It promoted physical activity and a problem solving approach.  Its overall objectives were to help people become more self sufficient and overcome the symptom cycle.  The group structure provided a means of support for people as well as social benefits.  The sessions all took place in community settings. 

7 courses had been run last year, including one aimed at Turkish speaking people as part of the Race for Health programme.  There had also been a course aimed a people with communication impairments.  Referrals for the scheme were steadily increasing and good links the Mental Health Trust’s team of psychologists had been developed.   Mental health users constituted the largest group of those referred (1/3).  This was due partly to the fact that mental health professionals had a good understanding of the approach that was used.  Other conditions that participants had included chronic pain (25%), arthritis (21%), diabetes (17.5%), COPD and angina. 

Evaluation of the course had shown that patients had felt that they had benefited from an increased level of physical activity, social benefits and increased confidence. Three generic courses were planned this year plus another course for Turkish people and one for people with Aphasia.  In addition, a specific course was planned for people from the Greek and Greek Cypriot community with cardiac conditions who had a low take up rate of cardiac rehabilitation. 

The scheme was now in its fourth year of operation.  Last year, 80 patients took part in the scheme and 76% completed it.   Encouragement was given to people on the courses to continue meeting and twice yearly reunions were held.  No data was kept on whether people who had completed the course were more likely to comply with their medication.  Consideration was being given to franchising the programme to appropriate support groups so that they could run them themselves.  The intention was to increase the number of courses that were run next year. 

A bid for expansion had been put in for next year.  This was part of a four year plan and would mean that more courses could be run.  However, whether or not additional money was forthcoming was dependent on other priorities. 

Monitoring of take up was undertaken but there was a lack of information on how effective the courses were.  Consideration could be given to assessing the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23