The Expert Patient Programme

The Expert Patient Programme is a self-management programme for people living with long-term health conditions. In North and West Belfast, the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust is running the Expert Patient Programme for people who are living with long-term anxiety.

The programme provides a short course to help people who have long-term anxiety maintain their health and improve the quality of their life. It is a course that helps you to take control of your anxiety and make a difference to your life.

The Expert Patient Programme is not an anxiety management course and it does not provide health information or treatment. It aims to help participants develop the skills and confidence to take responsibility for their own health and encourages working in partnership with health professionals such as G. P.’s and Community Psychiatric Nurse’s.

Who is the course for?

The course is for any one living in North and West Belfast who has long-term anxiety and wants to improve their quality of life.

What does the course involve?

The course consists of 6 sessions, which are held weekly. Every session lasts for 2 ½ hours and includes a break for refreshments. Some of the topics covered in the course include:

Each week participants are encouraged to set a practical, achievable goal for the week ahead. This helps build participants confidence when a goal is achieved and allows problem solving skills to develop when goals or not achieved or hurdles have to be climbed to reach goals.

What does the course offer?

It encourages you to share your skills and experience and learn from others. It helps you take control and manage your lifestyle.

It will help you to:

What does it cost?

The course is free but we need you to give a commitment to attend all 6 sessions.

You will receive a handbook to help you get the most out of the course which is also provided free of charge.

Who will run the course?

People who have experienced living with long-term anxiety and have trained as tutors will run the course. They know what it is like to live with anxiety on a daily basis and will understand what you have to live with day in day out.

How do I get a place on a course?

Getting a place on a course couldn’t be easier. You can self-refer onto the course by filling out a short application form.

To obtain an application form contact the Project Co-ordinator by phone, fax, letter or email.

If there is an upcoming course you would like to attend please put details of course on the application form. If none of the upcoming courses suit, fill in an application form and sent it to the project co-ordinator. The application form asks for peoples preferred areas and times to attend a course and the co-ordinator can get in touch when one is planned in your area and it will help the co-ordinator plan where to hold future courses.

For full contact details of co-ordinator see ‘Who to contact for further information’.

Upcoming courses

Start Date:	6th September 2007
End Date:	11th October 2007
Day:	Thursday
Venue:	NICVA, Duncairn Gardens
Times:	10.00am – 12.30pm
Start Date:	6th September 2007
End Date:	11th October 2007
Day:	Thursday
Venue:	Maureen Sheehan Centre, Albert Street
Times:	10.00am – 12.30pm
Start Date:	6th November 2007
End Date:	11th December 2007
Day:	Tuesday
Venue:	Hanna Centre, Crumlin Road
Times:	10.00am-12.30pm
Start Date:	8th November 2007
End Date:	13th December 2007
Day:	Thursday
Venue:	Top of the Rock, Upper Springfield Road
Times:	1.30pm – 3.00pm
Start Date:	10th January 2008
End Date:	14th February 2008
Day:	Thursday
Venue:	Vine Centre, Crumlin Road
Times:	10.00am-12.30pm

Who to contact for further information

You can contact the Expert Patient Programme by:

Writing to:

Expert Patient Programme,
Project Co-ordinator,
Twinspires / Curran House,
155 Northumberland Street,
Belfast. BT13 3JF

Phoning: 028 90417481

Faxing: 028 90417411

E-mailing: epp@nwb.n-i.nhs.uk