Health Connect Coaching Programme
NHS Health Connect Coaching
St Edmunds
Victoria Place Road
Torquay TQ1 3QH
Phone: 07825 792847
Email: Health Connect Coaching coordinators
What is Health Connect Coaching?
Health Connect Coaching (HCC) is a volunteer-led health and wellbeing coaching programme designed and developed alongside people with lived experience of long-term health conditions.
This coaching programme supports individuals who are finding it difficult to manage their physical long-term health condition, to take positive steps forward, helping them to build knowledge, skills and confidence for better self-management. Health Connect Coaching encourages and empowers people to take back control of their health and wellbeing, focusing on what matters most to them.
People accessing the programme (referred to as peers) are carefully matched with one of our trained Volunteer Coaches who has experience of the same or a similar health condition or symptoms. This shared lived experience helps create a supportive, understanding relationship — working with someone who genuinely ‘gets it’.
At a glance, Health Connect Coaching offers:
- Free, one-to-one support from a trained Volunteer Coach with lived experience
- Focuses on building confidence, skills and self-management
- Personalised, step-down coaching over four-six months
- Delivered online via Microsoft Teams (community face to face- limited availability)
- Co-designed with people who have lived experience of long-term conditions
- Supports personalised care and self-management alongside clinical care
How does the programme work?
Once matched, peers and their Volunteer Coach take part in regular one-to-one coaching sessions over four-six months. Coaches are fully trained, supervised and supported throughout the programme.
Most peers receive up to 14 personalised coaching sessions, using a step-down approach (weekly, fortnightly, monthly) based on individual needs, gradually building independence and confidence over time.
Most coaching sessions are delivered online via Microsoft Teams.
For safeguarding and professional boundaries of our volunteer coaches, home visits are not supported but limited face to face sessions in the local Torbay and South Devon community may be available.
If peers are unfamiliar with Microsoft Teams, our coordinators can provide practical support and guidance to get started.
How did Health Connect Coaching come about?
Health Connect Coaching was developed following a large co-design event in September 2019, attended by over 135 people living with long-term health conditions, alongside members of the clinical teams who support them.
Together, participants explored how people with lived experience and healthcare professionals could work collaboratively, each bringing their own strengths, to better support long-term condition management and wellbeing.
During the first two COVID-19 lockdowns, a smaller working group continued to develop these ideas into a pilot service. The programme is now being tested, delivered and continuously improved, working closely with people who have lived experience at every stage.
Health Connect Coaching is proud to be:
- national finalist – NHS Parliamentary Awards 2023
- winner of the NHS England Southwest Integrated Personalised Care Awards 2022 (Living in a Digital Age).