Filming of PR-buddy training videos
Written by Gill Gilworth on .
If this trial was for a drug, lab tests could be used to make sure everyone was getting the same dose of the same treatment. In the IMPROVE trial, it’s the PR-buddy training package we’ve put together that will ensure the patient volunteers at each centre are as effective as those in our feasibility study.
To this end, filming began today on a series of training videos. Three key videos take place at an important moment for the PR-buddy and patient relationship. They demonstrate how to provide support and communicate effectively about a range of common questions, concerns and stumbling blocks patients face in accessing PR.
Experienced PR-buddies from our patient advisory group took the roles of the patients. There was a lot to remember and getting used to an autocue was definitely not something you encounter everyday. In the end, filming was a success. Professional actors, including the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Mensah Bediako, portrayed the PR-buddies. The scripts we commissioned from Jodika Gilworth were well-received by performers too – we like to think we’ve avoided the robotic, unrealistic quality some training videos can have. We very much enjoyed working with Mensah. It was great to see him chatting to our patient advisers over lunch to help his understanding of what it is like to live with COPD prior to filming his parts of the videos.
As well as the videos, training for new PR-buddies will involve interactive elements, group discussions and opportunities to practice the ways to help patients that will be covered in their 3 days of training. The other training materials are being developed by a training development group from the research team including Arietta Spinou (Lecturer in Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy); Emma Godfrey (Senior Lecturer and Health Psychologist); and Kate Harris (Health Psychologist). These include a manual for the PR-staff ‘How to train your PR-buddies’ and a different manual for the PR-buddies to support their training.
