Patient Activation Measure (PAM)
There is central ambition for the NHS to become better at helping people to manage their own health and wellbeing. To meet this commitment, NHS England has been working to scale up support for people living with LTCs (Long Term Conditions). Patient activation
is a measure of a person’s knowledge, skills and confidence to manage their own
health and wellbeing, and is a core enabler for supporting self-management and
personalising care.
The Patient Activation Measure, or PAM, provides a structured way to measure and address the diversity of patient needs, moving away from a generic approach and towards a more personalised and effective model of care.
The PAM also helps identify the levels of person or patient activation, which enables healthcare providers to tailor support and interventions accordingly, leading to better patient engagement and outcomes.
It is now widely acknowledged that people who have the knowledge, confidence and skills to manage their own health tend to have better health outcomes than those who have a more passive approach. Patients with high levels of activation understand their role in the care process and feel capable of fulfilling that role. Individuals with long term conditions, who are more highly activated, are more likely to engage in positive health behaviours and to manage their health conditions more effectively. On the other hand, people who have low levels of activation are less likely to play an active role in staying healthy. They are less good at seeking help when they need it, at following advice given by healthcare professionals and at managing their health when they are no longer being treated. Their lack of confidence and their experience of failing to manage their health often means that they may prefer not to think about it.
The PAM can make a valuable contribution to assessing a patient’s ability to self care at any given time. This assessment helps support next steps on what would be needed to increase their levels of knowledge, skills and confidence in order to improve their health and wellbeing outcomes. It can be used to tailor interventions to individual needs, significantly increasing the likelihood that people will adopt behaviours that contribute to better health. It can also help commissioners to make available the kinds of interventions needed, especially for those with low levels of activation who have most to gain.
The PAM should be used in conjunction with care and support planning and a range
of interventions to support self care. It comprises of 13 questions that match the respondent to one of four levels of activation.
10 Steps to implementing PAM
- Identify need
- Involving people and co-production
- Clarify the reason for its use
- Develop options for supporting self care
- Micro-planning
- Use the process map to identify resources needed
- Complete your implementation plan
- Provide ongoing support
- Plan continuous monitoring and evaluation
- Be prepared to support healthcare professionals in the
implementation
Resources
patient-activation-measure-quick-guide.pdf NHSE