Welcome to our partner The Expert patient Programme

Doctors who take care of patients with long-term chronic disease often observe "my patients understand their disease better than I do". Research shows that people living with chronic diseases are often in the best position to know what they need in managing their own condition. Many patients gain the life skills to cope with a chronic condition and improve their quality of life.

The Expert Patients Task Force, made up of people with chronic conditions and voluntary sector organisations, was set up in 1999. The aim was to design a new programme that would bring together the work of patients and clinical organisations in developing self-management initiatives.

The report - The Expert Patient: a new approach to chronic disease management for the 21st century - recommended action over a six year period to introduce lay-led self-management training programmes for patients with chronic diseases within in the NHS in England.

A pilot phase between 2001 and 2004 will evaluate local programmes and between 2004 and 2007 programmes will be mainstreamed within all NHS areas.

4Ps are supporting the programme trainers in four pilot sites by raising awareness of how the Expert Patient Programme fits within the wider agenda of involving patients and the public in health care.