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Patients as partners: improving care through shared decision making

This interactive workshop from the Education Department at the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), in partnership with the RCP's Care Quality Improvement Department and the Health Foundation, is aimed at consultants from all specialties who have an interest in improving the quality of care they provide through the use of shared decision making.

From the Francis Inquiry to the Berwick review into patient safety, there is a growing drive to radically improve the quality of patients’ experience of, and involvement in their care. NHS England’s mandate explicitly emphasises the need to work with patients and carers to ‘manage and make decisions about their own care’. In future, we anticipate that all clinical staff and trainees will be required to deliver care in this way with shared decision making and support for self-management as practical approaches to making this a reality.

This 'Patients as partners' workshop is a unique opportunity to find out how you, your trust and your patients can benefit from shared decision making and support for self-management.

What you will learn

This workshop will enable delegates to:

  • describe shared decision making and support for self-management and care planning, and the similarities and differences between them
  • explain the rationale and theoretical background to shared decision making and support for self-management as an approach to partnership working with patients and carers
  • identify the key attitudes, skills, systems and tools that need to be developed for this to become part of normal practice, and explore the common elements and differences in different clinical settings
  • identify key consultation skills for use in your practice
  • use resources and exemplars for putting into practice the skills for effective consultations.

Who should apply?

  • SAS
  • consultants and final year trainees.

Related courses and further dates

This workshop is available as in-house training for your trust. If you would like to commission this course, please do not hesitate to contact Oliver Cullen on +44 (0)20 3075 1555 to discuss your training needs.