Talking Health Network

Talking Health Network

Talking Health is a Network of independent freelance consultants working to support the development of high quality, values based, lay led self-management programmes for people living with long-term conditions.

The members of the Talking Health Network share a collective vision of a world in which people living with long-term conditions have access to, and are central to, the development and implementation of lay led self-management programmes that can help them to develop the necessary confidence and skills to live as full a life as possible. 

Network founders, Jean Thompson MBE (previously Joint Managing Director of the Expert Patients Programme Community Interest Company) and Jane Cooper (former LTCA Director of Self-management and EPP CIC National Lead for Quality and Partnerships), have both played key roles in the introduction and expansion of self-management interventions in the UK over the past ten years, working alongside many Network members. Our collective efforts are aligned to the values and standards contained within the Quality Assurance Framework; Stepping Stones to Success and Ss2Q Stepping Stones to Quality.

The Talking Health Network is delighted to have the endorsement of Professor Kate Lorig RN, DrPH (Professor at Stanford Pt. Education Research Centre, USA) who founded the concept of self-management interventions. "How exciting to see another application of self-management. This takes expert patients to a whole new level. I am pleased to join you in this effort."