Team PATA

PATA Programmes - Expert Patient Project

Background to the Expert Patient Programme

The Paediatric Aids Treatment for Africa (PATA) Expert Patient Programme in partnership with One to One Children's Fund was launched after the 2007 Nairobi PATA Forum. At this PATA forum a common challenge articulated by teams was the lack of human resources within clinics. This resulted in long patient waiting times, limited psychosocial support services and ultimately compromised the quality of care being delivered to children. PATA responded by launching the Expert Patient Programme which was loosely modelled on the Partners In Health (PIH) Accompagnateur programme. The programme was also seen as a move towards involving people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) within multidisciplinary treatment teams.

Thus the PATA Expert Patient programme aims to task-shift less technical tasks within the clinic; involve community members in the clinic and provide some financial relief for unemployed people living and working with HIV/AIDS. While the immediate goal relates to task shifting, ultimately it is hoped that the Expert Patients will be viewed as a key member of the treatment team, i.e. a member who brings new knowledge, insights, skills together with a deeper understanding of the community and what it means to live with HIV.

The WHO publication entitled Treat, Train Retain (2008) defines task shifting "... the rational redistribution of tasks among health workforce teams. Specific tasks are moved, where appropriate, from highly qualified health workers to health workers with shorter training and fewer qualifications in order to make more efficient use of the available human resources for health..."

At the centre of the PATA Expert Patient model is the clinic treatment team, which typically consists of a doctor, nurse, pharmacist and counsellor who work together to deliver services to children infected and affected by HIV and their families. Treatment teams are exposed to the Expert Patient programme at a PATA Forum and identify a need for task-shifting within their clinic. Each treatment team then examines their clinic processes and identifies areas where tasks can be shifted and what services can be provided by one or a number of Expert Patients. Clinics then apply for admission to the programme which runs from April to March the following year. Those teams who are successful receive US$ 260.00 per month, which must be used to provide a stipend to a varying number of Expert Patients. The stipend received by each Expert Patient varies according to the hours they work, the service they provide as well as the local norms of what is considered a fair wage.

The PATA Expert Patient programme in partnership with One to One Children's Fund thus follows a flexible model which is adaptable and context driven and able to address specific clinic shortages and bottlenecks. The programme is driven by a team of frontline health care workers. For more information on the Expert Patient programme, view the powerpoint presentation on the Expert Patient programme from the November 2011 PATA continental summit. An Expert Patient Handbook can be downloaded to guide PATA clinic supervisors in working with Expert Patients.

Teams participating in the Expert Patient Programme in 2012/13

48 Clinics are participating in the Expert Patient programme in 2012/13. These clinics are listed below.

Reporting Dates and requirements

Clinics receive payments in quarterly installments. These will be paid in April, July, October and January. Clinics are required to provide a reciept acknowledging that they have received each tranche.

Prior to receiving the October payment, clinics are required to complete a progress report which is due on the 31 August 2012. This can be downloaded from the website or requested from info@teampata.org.

In order for clinics to be eligible for funding in the 2013/14 year, they need to have submitted a final report to PATA by the 28 February 2013. This can be downloaded from the PATA website or requested from info@teampata.org.

Clinics are encouraged to send Expert Patient stories and testimonies to info@teampata.org. If there are any queries regarding payments, please email glynis@teampata.org or info@teampata.org.

Expert Patient Day Sheets:
An Expert Patient Handbook
An introduction to the Expert Patient programme - November 2011
Interim Expert Patient Report August 2012 (MS WORD), Francais
End of Programme Supervisor Report (MS WORD), Francais
MOU with PATA and Clinics for 2012-2013 Programme (MS WORD), Francais
PATA support group
PATA child friendly clinic day sheet
PATA administrative tasks
PATA Expert Patient stories
PATA Expert Patient supervisor telephone interview questions
PATA Expert patient interview questions
PATA HIV screening assistant day sheet
PATA Home visit day sheet
PATA nutrition assistant day sheet
PATA Phlebotomy assistant day sheet
PATA setting up expert patient programme for support group
PATA setting up expert patient programme to make a more child-friendly clinic