Development of a training program to support health care professionals to deliver the SPACE for COPD self-management program

Open access journalBackground: With the growing burden of COPD and associated morbidity and mortality, a need for self-management has been identified. The Self-management Programme of Activity, Coping and Education for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (SPACE for COPD) manual was developed to support self-management in COPD patients. Currently, there is no literature available regarding health care professionals’ training needs when supporting patients with COPD on self-management. Aim: This study sought to identify these needs to inform, design and develop a training program for health care professionals being trained to deliver a self-management program in COPD. Methods: Fourteen health care professionals from both primary and secondary care COPD services participated in face-to-face semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to produce a framework and identify training needs and views on delivery of the SPACE for COPD self-management program. Components of training were web-based knowledge training, with pre- and posttraining knowledge questionnaires, and a 1-day program to introduce the self-management manual. Feedback was given after training to guide the development of the training program. Results: Health care professionals were able to identify areas where they required increased knowledge to support patients. This was overwhelming in aspects of COPD seen to be outside of their current clinical role. Skills in goal setting and behavioral change were not elicited as a training need, suggesting a lack of understanding of components of supporting self-management. An increase in knowledge of COPD was demonstrated following the training program. Conclusion: Both knowledge and skill gaps existed in those who would deliver self-management. Analysis of this has enabled a training program to be designed to address these gaps and enable health care professionals to support patients in self-management. Keywords: self-management, COPD, health care professionals, trainin

A self-management programme of activity, coping & education - SPACE FOR COPD in primary care: The protocol for a pragmatic trial

open access articleIntroduction National guidance for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suggests that self-management support be provided for patients. Our institution has developed a standardised, manual-based, supported self- management programme: Self-Management Programme of Activity Coping and Education (SPACE for COPD(C)). SPACE was previously piloted on a 1-2-1 basis, delivered by researchers, to individuals with COPD. Discussions with stakeholders highlighted considerable interest in delivering the SPACE for COPD(C) intervention as a group-based self-management programme facilitated by healthcare professionals (HCPs) in primary care settings. The study aims are to explore the feasibility, acceptability and ef cacy for the intervention to be delivered and supported by HCPs and to examine whether group-based delivery of SPACE for COPD(C), with sustained support, improves patient outcomes following the SPACE for COPD(C) intervention. Methods and analysis A prospective, multi-site, single-blinded randomised controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted, with follow-up at 6 and 9 months. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the control group (usual care) or intervention group (a six-session, group- based SPACE for COPD(C)self-management programme delivered over 5 months). The primary outcome is change in COPD assessment test at 6 months. A discussion session will be conducted with HCPs who deliver the intervention to discuss and gain insight into any potential facilitators/barriers to implementing the intervention in practice. Furthermore, we will conduct semi-structured focus groups with intervention participants to understand feasibility and acceptability. All qualitative data will be analysed thematically. Ethics and dissemination The project has received a favourable opinion from South Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee, REC reference: 14/SC/1169 and full R&D approval from the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust: 152408. Study results will be disseminated through appropriate peer-reviewed journals, national and international respiratory/physiotherapy conferences, via the Collaboration and Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care and through social media