Learn self-management online
04 July 2006

People with asthma in England who have access to the internet are being offered the chance to take part in an online self-management course and research study.

The Expert Patients Programme (EPP) online course runs for six weeks and is open to people with long-term conditions, including asthma, who are aged 18 or over and who live in England.

Participants will learn skills to manage their condition day to day, by spending two hours a week on the course website and completing online activities. There are no set times to log on and although participants need basic computer skills, online tutorials are available to help people on the course.

Topics covered include managing tiredness, taking exercise, communicating with healthcare professionals and use of medicines. The course is interactive and is supported by trained staff and volunteers in the NHS.

The Expert Patients Programme was set up in 2002 by the NHS to help people with long-term conditions to manage their symptoms, providing them with the necessary skills to make an impact on their illness and improve quality of life.

The online course is a pilot project, provided through a partnership between the Department of Health, NHS and Stanford University. Its usefulness will be gauged by a research study: people taking part will be asked to complete three questionnaires over a year to feed into this. Personal details will remain confidential, and participants will be able to use a ‘screen name’ while online.

To find out more and to enrol on a course follow the links below.