EFFORTS to make patients more active in looking after their own health are being heralded a success.

As part of an initiative to help build knowledge, skills and confidence in patients, NHS Morecambe Bay CCG has introduced health coaching.

The training, which is being delivered across Morecambe Bay, focuses on helping people become active participants in their own health and care.

The inspiration for introducing this style of training came from the NHS Five Year Forward View, which set out a central ambition for the NHS to become better at helping people manage their own health.

Claire Muir, health coach trainer for Morecambe Bay CCG, said: “It’s about having better conversations and empowering people to live well. Having a long-term health condition to manage can be a frightening prospect for some and this training is about improving relationships between staff and patients.

“Overall it enables people to live healthier and happier lives.”

Health coaching aims to enable people to thrive by feeling motivated, confident and in control of their own health and care.

Evidence has shown that health coaching can address health inequalities as well as improve health behaviours including medication compliance and helping people to stay well within the community.

Health coach trainers working within Bay Health and Care Partners are running a health coaching programme, which gives health professionals the ability to use these approaches when delivering care.

The Health Coach Trainers originally approached the two respiratory teams within South Cumbria (Barrow and Kendal) and the teams agreed to adopt the health coaching approach.

Following this, teams have begun to use their health coaching skills with their patients and it’s been reported back that it’s having a positive impact.

Helen Haney, community respiratory nurse specialist from South Cumbria Respiratory Service, said:

“The health coaching course helped us to consolidate our existing skills in our approach to our patients. In helping patients identify the areas where they may need support and by using our coaching skills, we aim for patients to gain increased motivation to self-manage their own conditions.”

Nineteen members of staff have completed the health coaching course and 150 of their patients are benefitting from having better conversations with professionals.