ABSTRACT
Historically, patients have received a paternalistic style of management in the UK National Health Service (NHS), being on the receiving end of treatments or interventions rather than forming an active partnership with health and social care professionals over decisions about their care. It is now recognised that quality of care and outcomes of interventions can be enhanced by individuals having an increased understanding of their own conditions. This has led to the development of self-management courses known as Expert Patient Programmes.1 Putting the patient as the focus of health and social care service delivery remains at the forefront of the UK Government’s agenda2,3 and is emphasised in the National Service Framework (NSF) for long-term conditions.4 The first of the 11 quality requirements of the NSF, ‘A person-centred service’, states the need for health services to provide individuals with effective and timely information, education about their condition, while also involving them in decisions about their treatment and future plan of care.
