NHS Training and support:

Many NHS Acute and Primary Care Trusts are looking for innovative, patient-friendly and cost-effective ways to meet the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act regarding involving patients and the public in the planning and delivery of healthcare. There are also strategic aims for many NHS organisations that relate to development into “learning organisations”.

Personal coaching provides ideal support for patients who are getting involved in local NHS decision making and planning, as unlike formal training, it is tailor made to individual needs and provides pro-active support in ensuring the client is empowered to make an impact.

Coaching also provides a unique way of developing the learning potential of an organisation by tapping into the potential of the organisation’s most important assets – its staff and the teams they operate in.

I am a formally-trained Life Coach with a successful background over eight years in patient and public involvement, capacity building, facilitation and training within a variety of NHS Settings.

As such I am work effectively with patient groups and NHS staff (and indeed both together) to support improved access, better involvement, increased performance and effective support in NHS Trust settings. I coach individual patients or groups to enable their effective participation in NHS Trust groups or networks and I facilitate workshops or meetings, deliver NHS training to community groups and undertake a variety of other relevant PPI functions.

My coaching techniques are highly effective in the maximisation of performance within teams and wider organisations and in getting the most out of existing training opportunities. Research has shown that coaching as an adjunct to formal training can increase the effectiveness of the training by productivity increases of up to 88% (training without a coaching element was shown to increase productivity by just 22.4%.

As an independent coach I am able to undertake a variety of coaching functions within NHS settings in a very cost-effective way for NHS Organisations.

My individual Coaching programme enhances the capacity of individuals to participate in Local Health Service planning and delivery or to perform more effectively within the NHS by:

• Tapping into the client’s unique potential, recognising it and using it

• Allowing the client to ‘own’ and take responsibility for their solutions, strategies and outcomes rather than being ‘trained’

• Enabling the client to use existing skills and knowledge with more confidence and impact

• Empowering the client to identify areas where additional knowledge or skills would be useful to them personally, to access appropriate local training resources and to plan how and when they will use new skills and knowledge in practice

• Enabling the client to decide how they will change negative situations in their partnership working and then providing support to implement goals to ensure change and progress

• Developing influencing skills, group working skills and confidence

• Ensuring positive changes are made and that they are sustained

• Providing a ‘safe’ environment between coach and client in which the client can explore and test new, more effective behaviours and strategies that can lead to positive outcomes

• Developing tools and strategies for handling challenges that are sustainable and unique to the individual

• Enhancing the effectiveness of training by up to 88%

• Measuring ongoing success to ensure the increased capacity of the client

Patient groups and individuals are also empowered to participate by:

• Clarifying the purpose of their involvement

• Identifying desired outcomes from their participation

• Developing and implementing strategies to achieve their desired outcomes

• Developing and implementing strategies for improving communication and information sharing with the local NHS bodies they are involved with

• Clarification of roles and responsibilities within the context of the Patient and Public Involvment agenda

I am able to offer a range of programmes from one-off sessions with groups to longer-term individual or group coaching support. I can deliver one-off training days and regular or one-off facilitation sessions as well as project work such as supporting and facilitating ‘Quality Action Teams’ to improve services. I am also able to provide coaching for individuals and teams to increase performance through positive change.

Please contact me at coaching@kittyfitzherbert.com to arrange an informal discussion about how I can meet the needs of your Trust or click here to see coaching options available.

"Kitty is easy to talk to and a good listener who creates the right environment which makes you proactive."