The Role
Health and Wellbeing Coaches (HWBCs) help and guide people to change their behaviour and to make the right healthcare choices. They offer a holistic and personalised care approach to provide those patients who need it with the knowledge, skills and confidence to actively manage their conditions and reach the health and wellbeing goals they have identified. HWBCs often work within a multi-disciplinary team, and provide either individual or group face-to-face or digital appointments.
More information: Health and Wellbeing Coach role or Welcome Pack for HWBCs
Benefits for the Practice
- Reducing the need for appointments with GP
- Tackling health inequality through target work with specific groups identified
- Support of people with long-term conditions
Benefits for the Patient
- Leaning to make positive choices
- Reducing the risk of developing long-term conditions
- Being empowered to take their healthcare into their hands
Training & Development
Health and wellbeing coaches come to the role with a wide variety of transferable skills and experiences, for example they could come from a health and care background, the private or voluntary sector. However, when working in the NHS, a basic level of training is needed before health and wellbeing coaches should take referrals.
More on the Workforce Development Framework for Health & Wellbeing Coaches.
