Reflections and insights from a place-based approach to implementing coaching

Better Conversations Test and Learn Pilot at Berkeley Vale

Healthcare providers across the globe are facing an increasing demand on services, which is often combined with reduced financial resources. The rise of long-term conditions is significantly contributing to the pressure that the services are facing. In England and Wales people with long-term conditions account for over 50 per cent of GP appointments and over 70 per cent of in-patient bed days, and the cost to care for those with long-term conditions is around 70 per cent of the NHS’s total spend.

In 2019, health coaching as part of supported self-management (SSM) was incorporated into to the NHS Long-Term Plan, emphasising the need for greater engagement between patients and healthcare professionals leading to more personalised care. In the UK evaluations have found improvements in patient self-efficacy (Thomas, 2011), perceptions of clinician’s own well-being (Newman, 2014) and indicative cost savings in service provision (Kibble et al, 2014).

How to exploit or spread new ideas and innovative practices is a challenge in any sector. With support from the NHS Innovation Accelerator Programme (NIA) from 2015 onwards and support events for local health coaching trainers and leads from the NHS Leadership Academy during 2018, it is known that many sites have been introducing health coaching.

During the financial year 2018-19 four training pilots were funded via the local HEE discretionary budget to build a coaching approach into existing healthcare roles. This report details observations, reflections and insights from a place-based approach to implementing coaching.