“A series of consecutive individual clinical consultations delivered in a supportive group setting, where all can listen, interact, and learn.”

Clinicians, healthcare professionals and patients are always seeking better ways to offer and receive high quality care. That’s why around the UK, GP practices and many hospital departments now offer Group Consultations.

Group Consultations, also known as Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs), are a new way of engaging patients in self-managing their chronic diseases, most of which are lifestyle related diseases and which can be complex and life-long.

While the conventional 1:1 appointment typically lasts 10-15 minutes, a Group Consultations appointment is up to 90 minutes long, allowing participants to spend more time with their healthcare team. This enables the root causes (and even reversal) of disease to be explored and shared.

So at a time when we appear to be struggling to cope with the rise of long term conditions we have a solution, which is both effective, reflects the real world and is morale-boosting! Group Consultations represent a procedure within Lifestyle Medicine, which really works for both the clinician and the patient.

 

Virtual Group Consultations

Delivering continuity of care to patients during the covid-19 has been a major challenge for healthcare professionals.

Virtual Group Consultations are now proving to be one possible solution. The British Society of Lifestyle Medicine has put together a series of resources to help you plan and deliver virtual group consultations for patients with chronic conditions.

Find out more about virtual group consultations.

Virtual Group Consultations resources

Group consultations facilitator accreditation

We are now offering group consultation and virtual group consultation facilitators the opportunity to become accredited with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Becoming an accredited facilitator will automatically make you a BSLM associate member – giving you access to all BSLM member benefits including access to the resources section of our website.

Find out more about BSLM facilitator accreditation

Group consultations app

A new app is now available to support clinicians

The app contains useful guidance and resources to help practitioners to set up and deliver Group Consultations. It also includes learning and networking functions, as well as a resource hub aimed at sharing best practice tips and techniques for the delivery of successful group consultations. You can download the app from the following app stores …

Google Play Store

Apple Store