History

The pilot phase

The Expert Patients Programme was originally piloted by the NHS in 2002-2004. The EPP course was based on the Chronic Disease Self Management Programme (CDSMP) which was developed and researched by a team led by Professor Kate Lorig at the Patient Education Research Centre, Stanford University, California. Following a successful pilot phase, the programme was rolled out through primary care trusts (PCTs) across England.

Expansion of course provision

In 2005, the Government’s Manifesto pledged to treble investment in the EPP and this was followed by the Department of Health White Paper, Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services published in January 2006 which made the commitment to increase EPP course capacity from 12,000 course places a year to 100,000 by 2012 through the establishment of a Community Interest Company (CIC) that would be become a national provider of self-management courses in England.

Expert Patients Programme Community Interest Company (EPP CIC)

On 1 April 2007, EPP CIC went live with its own Board of Directors chaired by Stephen Jacobs OBE. The purpose of the company was defined as establish the principle of individual self-management and self-care as a recognised public health measure, deliverable in a cost effective and sustained way. Simon Knighton joined EPP CIC as Chief Executive in June 2007.

So far over 50,000 people have attended an EPP CIC course and 1,700 people have been trained as tutors. We have developed many new products and approaches and research and evaluations findings have shown positive outcomes for people living with long term conditions who attend a self-management course.