Expert Patient Programme

Slosh

A friend of mine tutors on this course and has offered to get me a place if I wish. I just wondered if anyone on here had heard of it?

hileena111

Hi Slosh
You give it a try....as far as I remember its a 6 week course.
Its for all chronic pain {not just arthritis}
I went to it before I went to Challenging arthritis or any of the other arthritis ones.
Quite similar to the 6 week arthritis one except its all chronic pain not just arthritis.
If you've got the chance to go ahead jump at it......certainly in our area the arthritis ones seem to have stopped due to lack of funding.
Good luck.
pm me if you want any more info
love
Hileena

Slosh

Thank you for that. I've been given some contact details so I'm going to email. I'm not sure how it will fit in with my planned return to work in September so I will discuss it with my head and also at my Occupational health appointment as I might be able to get them to put it in their report as a recommendation.

dreamdaisy

I've heard of them, they no longer run in my area due to budget cuts. Go for it, Slosh, you've nowt to lose and hopefully summat to gain. DD

Slosh

Thanks. I have emailed the contact I was given.
What a wise lot you are!

salamander

I did a course. There is some good stuff in it but, generally, I found it very light in content and quite useful things (like pacing) were really skimmed over. I can't say it was life changing for me but some people got more out of it.

daffy2

It would be worth giving it a go, but if it doesn't fit in then try finding one of the AC courses, which are more specific, and can be very useful. Just bear in mind that you may be an Expert Patient, but that your GP may not have done the corresponding course in how to deal with EPs! I raised this point some years ago when I was working( in a lay capacity) with local health bodies, and the EPP was being flagged up as the next bright idea to improve patient care. Both I and my sister had recently had bad experiences of trying to ask our GPs to look at our conditions in a different way, and so I asked if GPs would be given training in how to relate to EPs. In the public meeting I was given 'fob-off' answers but afterwards the person concerned admitted that no, they weren't and that he, as a practising GP, felt that was not helpful, especially as there can be a tendency for the medic to become defensive if he(usually) or she perceives that the patient is doubting expertise or knowledge. I would hope that in the intervening 10 years or so that might have improved....

hileena111

Hi Slosh
I think if it fits in.....go for it.
Other people must be more lucky than here in the North East
Our Arthritis Courses have just about stopped.....there haven't been any for ages.
I suppose if it was a choice.....they are both 6 week courses and one is very similar to the other {except for the chronic/arthritis theme} I would go for the arthritis one. If you can do both great, or if an Arthritis one isn't available ...well!!!
I've got both work books from them.
Good luck making up your mind and hope you enjoy it if you do go
Love
Hileena

Slosh

I have put my name on a waiting list for an AC course but don't know if there will be one running in my area any time soon. It's interesting what you say about the interaction with GPs Daffy. Hopefully as you say things will have improved and as my GP practice is a training one hopefully they will be in favour. If I go ahead I will mention it when I next see them.

ichabod6

It doesnt exist now.
From 1st June 2014 it's selfmanagementuk. and the programme is
selfmanagement4life.

barbara12

oh slosh I was just going to say good luck with it, then I read ichabod6..hopefully its the same thing and will be of help to you ..

Slosh

I have emailed the person I was told to contact so once I get a reply I will let you know. The friend who told me about it is a tutor on the course so hopfully even if the name has changed it will still be relevant.