Expert Patient programme volunteers

Purpose of role

• To deliver leaflets and promotional material relating to the programme to doctor’s surgeries and local hospitals within your locality.
• Following appropriate selection and training, there may be opportunity to attend health events and also give talks to local organisations and GPs for the Trust.
• Support the trainers when they are delivering a course in the community by setting up the venue and assisting them during their course.
• Attend support sessions and training events and any additional training the Trust require you to attend.

Estimated hours and length of commitment

• Following initial training, we would like you to be able to volunteer for at least 2 years.
• Working within your local area and at your own pace.

Skills and knowledge

• Personal experience of living with and self-managing any long term health condition.
• Good awareness of disability issues.
• Good communication skills.
• Good team working skills.

Purpose of role

To deliver self-management training courses from the Stanford University Expert Patient Programme Manual, in accordance with organisational quality standards.

Following appropriate selection and training, there will be an opportunity to deliver other identified training programmes for the Trust.

We have new courses available on:

• caring for me and you
• diabetes
• self-care after COVID-19
• thriving and surviving cancer
• workplace self care

Required training

The training for our courses are currently being delivered online via Teams. You have to attend all sessions which is twice a week for 2.5 hours per session over a 7-week period.

Once training has completed you will deliver your first 2 courses online with an accredited volunteer trainer and have the support of a coordinator throughout your delivery.

You will be assessed on both your first 2 courses and then to maintain accreditation we assess all our team once every year. We maintain high quality assurance standards through our stepping stones guidelines.

Activities and responsibilities

• Preparing for and delivering Expert Patient programme courses in accordance with organisational quality standards.
• Acting as reserve training volunteer in respect of agreed courses and providing temporary cover on occasions.
• Give adequate notice of availability.
• Liaising with co-trainers as necessary ahead of and during the programme to ensure effective delivery.
• Complete routine administration before, during and after the course.
• Participating in the marketing and promotion of courses in the local area, in liaison with the expert patient programme manager.
• Attend support sessions and training events to give valuable feedback and suggest improvements for consideration to the programme team.
• Respect participants confidentiality at all times.

Estimated hours and length of commitment

We hope that, following initial training and accreditation, you will continue to volunteer with the Trust for at least 2 years.

We envisage that each training volunteer will deliver a minimum of 2 self management programmes per annum in order to maintain ongoing accreditation and competence.

The programme is delivered in a variety of formats, some of which may include evenings and/or weekends.

Skills and knowledge

• Personal experience of living with and self-managing any long term health condition or a carer.
• Good awareness of disability issues.
• Good communication skills including listening skills.
• Good team working skills.
• Provide feedback during courses of any concerns that might arise.

Case studies from some of the volunteers that deliver the expert patient programme.

Health Service Journal Awards 2015

In 2015, we were nominated for the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Compassionate Patient Care award for our work within Cornwall. Our team reached the finals, and we were invited to attend a very glitzy event in London.

Out of 1,600 nominees, we got into the final 10 which was a massive achievement for such a small team in Cornwall. The dedication and hard work put in by all the team is absolutely fantastic and we are proud to say we are the rainbow in people's clouds.

Elaine, expert patient programme manager

Elaine attended an expert patient programme course as a participant on the very first course in 2003. From there she was so taken aback by the programme, and it ticked so may boxes for her, that she decided to train to become a volunteer tutor in 2004. She was offered a coordinator's role with South Hams Primary Care Trust and then went to work as a trainer for Arthritis Care for 5 years to gain further experience in delivering self-management courses.

In 2013, Cornwall were recruiting for a new manager, and she was delighted to get the role, which she had worked her way up to over the last 10 years.

"I have the most amazing and inspirational team who believe in our course content and the impact it can have on people living with long-term health conditions and their carers."

Lizzie

Lizzie attended one of our Newquay courses in 2014, after a work injury left her in permanent pain and having to undergo surgery. She was very worried about training to become a tutor as she has dyslexia, but we assured her this should not be a barrier and that we would support her in her new role as volunteer tutor. She has never looked back and is a very dedicated and important part of the team.

Denise

Denise attended an expert patient programme course at the Merlin MS Centre in 2013 and was so inspired that she asked to be trained up so she could deliver the course to other people living with long-term ill health.

In 2014, Denise qualified as a volunteer tutor. She shows empathy, gentleness and is a very compassionate lady who enjoys delivering the course. Denise also has done her level 2 counselling and has been a befriender for Face2Face in the past, supporting families who have children with disabilities.

Karen

Karen attended an expert patient programme course in 2017, due to cerebral palsy having an increasing impact on her life. She found the course so helpful and empowering at a low point in her life that she decided to train to become a volunteer tutor.

Karen made some good friends on her course as a participant in 2017, who she is still in touch with to this day. Having benefitted so much from the course, Karen qualified as a volunteer tutor in 2019. She is currently studying an NLP course.

Alan

Alan attended an expert patient programme course in 2018 in his capacity as carer for his wife, immediately saw the value in the program and volunteered to train to become a tutor. He qualified as a volunteer tutor in 2019 and since the pandemic began has assisted in adapting the program for online presentation.

Kath

Kath attended an expert patient programme course in 2009 following a diagnosis of fibromyalgia at the age of 27. Attending the course changed her life, having spent the previous 3 years staying at home focusing on every symptom and change related to her long-term condition, to a house purchase and her first pregnancy within 3 months of completing the course. She qualified as a volunteer tutor in 2019 with Alan and Karen. She was delighted to be offered the temporary position of expert patient programme course coordinator in January 2022.