Coaching for Patients involved in Research

In this entry, Sally describes her experience of using Coaching methods to train and develop members of the public who are getting involved in research.

Introduction

Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) requires host organisations to identify and support the information, training and development needs of the people they involve.  This has tended take the form of training courses, and information handbooks and guides.

As part of a Masters Programme in Coaching and Mentoring I was interested in how they could be supported by a coaching programme.  The core principles of coaching that are that it is client led, bespoke, and focuses on behaviour change to support problem solving seemed to play well to the needs of involved patients and the public.

The support

A 6 month coaching programme, which included an assessment meeting, some assessment exercises, a plan for coaching and a finishing session.   Coaching was one-to-one, mostly face to face, sometimes on the telephone and by email.

Coaching is an increasingly popular form of interaction between two people, or can happen in small groups.  It is time limited, focused on problems and enabling the client to find solutions to these problems.  Whilst coaching should be empathetic and considerate to the clients and their issues, it is not counselling.  Clients tend to find coaches. There needs to be an element of self determination on behalf of the client to be ready to explore problem areas, and do something about them.

There are numerous models of, and for coaching, and there is a growing literature about the effectiveness of coaching.  However, coaching for patient and public involvement is much less written about.  I found two related examples; a coaching programme for service users and carers involved in Higher Education programmes at Leeds Metropolitan University, (no evaluation published); and a mentoring scheme for mental health service users/carers in a mental health NHS Trust, Kennet (2007).  Kennet K (2007) “Creating space for mentoring”, Conference presentation at South Bank University 1st November 2007.

Context

I have known the client for several years in their role as a service user researcher.  When I commenced a coaching qualification I needed to recruit some willing ‘learner clients’.  I approached the client to discuss the possibility of working together.  The client was in the middle of one research project, and involved in a strategic capacity on another.  The client was keen to explore this type of support, as there were current and outstanding issues relating to involvement.  At the beginning of our coaching relationship the issues that were pertinent for the client were:

• Being able to be more assertive with colleagues
• Increasing confidence (general, and related to work produced as part of involvement in research)
• Challenge potentially negative assumptions about abilities and skills.
• Being able to ‘let off steam’ about the politics and power games sometimes played out in research projects
  

Cost and practical issues

I travelled to the clients’ home area and we met in neutral places such as cafés.   This incurred no cost to the client, and was more convenient.  I paid for my travel, and the time incurred in coaching, preparation, and follow up was part of my studies for the coaching qualification.  The research team were unaware of my coaching relationship with the client.

Benefits of coaching for Patient and Public Involvement?

• A bespoke approach to support – able to focus on unique issues related to involvement
• The coach works to the clients agenda
• Focussed on solutions, and skills and behaviours to achieve these
• As I wasn’t part of the research team the client could speak freely
• At the end of the coaching programme the client felt that they could influence change, and had gained a measure of control.

Challenges of coaching for Patient and Public Involvement?

• It is resource intensive and potentially costly for research groups
• Preserving anonymity – we have been unable to share the experience with the research team as yet  

What next?

We are still in touch and talk in a more informal capacity.  I will be progressing my aspirations for projects that evaluate coaching for involvement.

• Login