David Gilbert (left) and Mark Doughty: 'We are about giving patients the confidence and the skills to engage with other professionals.' Photograph: Centre for Patient Leadership A unique leadership programme is giving patients, their carers and service users a voice and helping them influence and shape the health services they use. The Centre for Patient Leadership was established three years ago by Mark Doughty, who has severe rheumatoid arthritis, and David Gilbert, who had a nervous breakdown when he was 25.
Both recognised from their own personal experiences the potential power of the patient voice, but both felt no support was available to make sure that voice was heard. Their own health experiences influenced their individual career paths. Between them they have expertise and skills in learning and development, advocacy and patient engagement.
Gilbert says: "We believe current engagement mechanisms are not fit for practice. Life-changing illness, injury or disability is the crucible within which leadership can be developed. Patients can have a vision of, and passion for, change borne out of their lived experiences. Stepping up to want to change things for others, requires learning and support to develop the confidence and capabilities to work with professionals to influence change."
Courses on offer, which are tailored to individual need, range from two months to a maximum of six months. They involve a mix of workshops with mentoring and coaching support, and focus on self-leadership, relationship building and dialogue, and developing influencing and advocacy skills.
Doughty says: "It's about building effective relationships, being able to communicate and having the ability to dialogue ... and talking together about problems that you share. We are about giving patients the confidence and the skills to engage with other professionals in which the patient themselves perceive themselves as being equal."
The company works with individual patients and organisations, which are trying to make patient engagement more meaningful. Between 400 and 500 people from a range of national, regional and local organisations including strategic health authorities and clinical commissioning groups have completed its leadership programme.
This article is published by Guardian Professional. Join the Healthcare Professionals Network to receive regular emails and exclusive offers.
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