Education for partnership – developments in medical education

Many patients expect to play an active role in managing their own health care. A growing body of evidence shows that people who are actively involved in protecting their health and managing their healthcare have better health outcomes. In order to be fully engaged, patients require help from clinicians who recognise and actively support their contribution and are willing to work with them as healthcare partners. However, evidence from patient surveys suggests that appropriate support from clinicians is not always forthcoming. This study looked at the extent to which doctors are being trained to work in partnership with patients and explored gaps in both evidence and practice.