Published on: 4 June 2025
The NHS team behind the largest ‘expert patient’ programme in medical education in the UK has today (4 June) shared its secrets with the world, publishing a toolkit on how to improve the teaching of future psychiatrists by involving the real-world experiences of people with mental ill health in the curriculum.
The Derby Psychiatry Teaching Unit – part of Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust – launched its Expert Patient Programme Toolkit at an event hosted by Lord Kamlesh Patel of Bradford at the House of Lords.
The milestone event marks the culmination of 17 years of pioneering work aimed at providing those who teach medical students with the resources they need to embed lived experience in their teaching.
Developed by NHS professionals working in the education of medical students from the University of Nottingham, the toolkit represents the collective efforts of the faculty team and 60 expert patient teachers – believed to be the largest of its kind in the UK, and possibly the world.
The innovative approach has transformed how future psychiatrists are trained, ensuring that the voices of those with lived experience of mental health conditions are not only heard but are central to the learning process. The approach includes face-to-face contact: the expert patients attend appointments with the medical students and allow them to ask questions about their psychiatric history and then, afterwards, give the students feedback on how they can improve their way of communicating and assessment style.
Selina Ullah – Trust Chair at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust attended the event and was accompanied by colleagues Vikki Ashton-Taylor – Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Delivery Officer and Arun Chidambaram – Medical Director, to show their support.
Selina said: “The launch of the Expert Patient Programme Toolkit is a significant milestone for medical education, not only for our Trust but from a nationwide perspective.
“The toolkit reflects our deep commitment to co-production and the value of lived experience in shaping compassionate, effective mental health care. I am incredibly proud of the Derby Psychiatry Teaching Unit for leading this work and setting a national – and possibly global – example.”
Photo: Subodh Dave - Consultant Psychiatrist (left) with Lord Kamlesh Patel of Bradford at the House of Lords (right).
The launch event brought together leaders in medical education, mental health influencers, and members of the lived experience community who have co-produced the toolkit. Guests include Dr Howard Liu from the World Psychiatric Association, Dame Robina Shah – Director for the Doubleday Centre Medical Schools Patient Partnership Collaboration, and Andy Bell – Chief Executive of the Centre for Mental Health. Guests included Dr Howard Liu from the World Psychiatric Association, Dame Robina Shah – Director for the Doubleday Centre Medical Schools Patient Partnership Collaboration, and Andy Bell – Chief Executive of the Centre for Mental Health.
Attendees had the opportunity to explore how the toolkit supports other medical schools and mental health educators in embedding lived experience into their own teaching practices.
Miriam Stanyon, Research Project Manager at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The Derby Psychiatry Teaching Unit have achieved some great work over the last few years, with the support of those with lived experience.
“The team hope that this event will inspire other medical educators and provide them with the tools they need to do something similar where they are.”
Meg Rayner, Lived Experience Facilitator at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, explained how the “Expert Patient Programme has opened so many doors”.
She said: “I would say to psychiatry departments that wish to involve patients in their teaching, that they should! Both students and patients benefit enormously, with patients feeling empowered and students learning so much along the way.”
This event is a celebration of partnership, progress, and the power of lived experience to shape compassionate, effective mental health care.
For more information on the psychiatry teaching unit and the Expert Patient Programme Toolkit, please visit the Derbyshire Healthcare website.
