Expert Patient Programme: managing patients with long-term conditions.

It is estimated that currently there may be as many as 17.5 million adults in Great Britain who are living with a long-term condition. Often these conditions will have a huge impact on the quality of life experienced by the person and any carers who might be involved. The impact on health care services is also profound. Long-term conditions potentially pose serious problems for healthcare systems in terms of adequate and appropriate resources to deal with the complexity of care required. Empowerment programmes which develop individuals' ability to self-manage their conditions are one way of helping people to maintain their independence and maximise their well-being. This article outlines one model (the Expert Patient Programme) and describes key issues with developing this approach in one acute Trust.