The ability to find resources, particularly information, is an important part of building participants’ confidence that they can increase their control over the situation. In this, signposting to outside sources can be more effective than providing the information in lecture form. In the US all programme participants receive a workbook (“Living Well with HIV and AIDS” Gifford, Lorig, Laurent and Gonzalez). This contains a mixture of generic self-management advice and more detailed advice on HIV related topics.

While this is an excellent book it had disadvantages in a UK context as it reflected US experience of living with HIV and treatment protocols which differ from British ones. In addition it was felt that any workbook would rapidly become out of date given the pace of change in HIV treatment.

In order to overcome these problems the references in the UK version of the PSMP are to NAM factsheets, Information Series booklets and the Treatments manual. Participants have indicated that they particularly value being introduced to this source of authoritative, readily available and multi-level information, which is continually updated. In addition participants are provided with a workbook developed by the EPP (“Self-Management of Long-term Health Conditions – A Handbook for People with Chronic Disease”- NHS Expert Patients Programme) which EPP use this alongside the generic CDSMC. This covers and reinforces the principles and techniques of self-management from the course and deals with issues common to anybody living with a long-term condition.