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PSMP - Positive Self-Management Programme

The Positive Self-Management Programme (PSMP) is a peer-led self-management programme aimed at people living with HIV. The Programme consists of seven weekly sessions of two and a half hours each, followed by an optional residential weekend. The Programme is designed to provide participants with skills and techniques that will allow them to improve and maintain their physical and mental health. Working within a supportive group environment, participants work with trained facilitators, most of whom are also living with HIV, to develop a range of skills. Several important assumptions underlie the PSMP:

• People with long-term (chronic) conditions, such as HIV/AIDS have similar concerns and problems.
• People with HIV/AIDS must deal not only with their disease but also with the impact it has on their lives and emotions.
• Peers with HIV/AIDS, when given training and a detailed Facilitator's Mannual, can teach the PSMP as effectively as healthcare professionals.
• The process or way the PSMP is taught is as important, if not more important, than the subject matter that is taught.

How does it work?
The PSMP consists of seven sessions each of which is 2 ½ hours in duration. They are generally completed over seven successive weeks. Groups of 8–16 participants work together with two facilitators in a highly participative process. Throughout the emphasis is on the group identifying problems and finding solutions for themselves.

At least one of the facilitators is a person living with HIV. The other facilitator(s) may be a healthcare professional or a person living with another long-term condition but the PSMP is specifically designed to be delivered by lay volunteers with real experience of living with conditions. The “role-modelling” aspect of having a facilitator living with the condition is fundamental to the success of the approach. Many people involved with self-management believe that the best results can be achieved where both leaders live with a condition themselves

All Living Well PSMP facilitators have attended a standard training programme and will have passed a process of accreditation. They are monitored regularly by trained assessors in order to ensure that quality standards are maintained.

What areas does the PSMP cover?
Subjects covered in the PSMP include:

• Techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fear, fatigue, pain and isolation.
• Appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and endurance.
• Communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals.
  Nutrition.
• Evaluating symptoms.
• Advanced directives.
• How to evaluate new or alternative treatments.
• How to best integrate medication regimens into daily life so they can be taken consistently.

Living Well's PSMPs are delivered in a supportive group environment. Through discussion and sharing of information participants are encouraged to attain new skills and direction to help them make better informed decisions about managing their condition. Our PSMPs also allow participants to meet other people facing similar concerns and challenges, helping them to overcome isolation and build a supportive social network.

How can you join a PSMP?
The PSMP is currently open to anyone with HIV who has an address in one of the following London boroughs:

• Brent
• Camden
• Ealing
• Enfield
• Hammersmith & Fulham
• Haringey
• Hounslow
• Islington
• Kensington & Chelsea
• Wandsworth
• Westminster

Referrals to the PSMP can be made through NHS organisations and healthcare professionals in participating London boroughs and primary care trusts, or you can refer yourself. If you have any questions or would like to refer yourself to join a PSMP or to find out more about any of the services we offer please contact us now.