The evidence for the impact of SAGE & THYME training can be demonstrated at each level of Kirkpatrick's model for evaluating training:

1. Reaction of learners to the training (e.g. enjoyable, engaging and relevant)
2. Learning gained (e.g. acquire the intended knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence)
3. Behaviour change (e.g. use what they learned in their job)
4. Results (e.g. outcomes resulting from the training)

Talking to a simulated patient:

Participants were filmed talking to a simulated patient and an expert rated behaviour pre and post training (blinded to order):

• Significant increase in helpful behaviour after SAGE & THYME training

Use of SAGE & THYME in conversations (2 weeks and 2 months) - staff report:

• Structure helpful
• Increased confidence
• Gave control
• Feel satisfied about supporting patients
• Conversations more patient-focussed
• Left patients feeling satisfied and empowered
• Use with others (not just patients)
• Motivated to use elements

Research papers

Connolly M, Perryman J, McKenna Y, Orford J, Thomson L, Shuttleworth J, Cocksedge S. (2010).  SAGE & THYME: A model for training health and social care professionals in patient-focussed support. Patient Education and Counseling; 79: 87-93.

Connolly M, Thomas JM, Orford J, Schofield N, Whiteside S, Morris J, Heaven C. (2014).  The impact of the SAGE & THYME foundation level workshop on factors influencing communication skills in health care professionals.  Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions; 34 (1): 37-46.

Griffiths J, Wilson C, Ewing G, Connolly M, Grande G (2015).  Improving communication with palliative care cancer patients at home - a pilot study of SAGE & THYME communications skills model.  Eur J Oncol Nurs: DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2015.02.005

Reports and textbooks

The SAGE & THYME model and its training has been picked up by a number of textbooks, independent reports, articles and strategy documents:

Getting It Right - End of life care in advanced kidney disease

Communication skills in end stage respiratory disease

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Frontline Magazine

Department of Health: One chance to get it right

Macmillan report: How we can support and empower NHS staff to deliver a good experience of care to patients

The Royal Marsden Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures (9th edition, March 2015) - chapter 4 on communication.

York Teaching Hospital Staff Matters newsletter (March 2016)

Respiratory Nursing at a Glance - Wendy Preston and Carol Kelly (2017).  Wiley Blackwell, Chichester

Oxford Textbook of Communication in Oncology and Palliative Care (2017), Oxford University Press, Oxford -  chapter 24 on SAGE & THYME model

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust investigated whether staff could recall what was taught in the SAGE & THYME foundation level workshop a few months after receiving this communication skills training.  

They found that 3-6 months post-workshop, over 60% of staff reported remembering "a lot" of what was taught during the workshop and over 30% reported that the training had impacted on their practice "a lot".

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

In 2014, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust presented the findings of their evaluation on teaching the SAGE & THYME model to renal staff at the Trust's annual Nursing and Midwifery conference.

In 2015, Emma Waters conducted some research, commissioned by Dr Gary Latchford in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology to evaluate the SAGE & THYME Foundation Level workshop and determine whether participants use the training in their day-to-day practice using semi-structured interviews.  

All of the participants in the study said that the workshop had influenced their practice in some way.  

NHS Tayside

NHS Tayside has produced a report evaluating data collected from the questionnaire in the delegate pack completed at the end of the workshop, and also 6 months after the workshop (to determine the impact of the training at Kirkpatrick level 2).  

• In their follow-up data (response rate of 28%), they found that 95% reported SAGE & THYME to be of some help, although 27.3% had never used the model in practice – some reasons are given (e.g. not had the opportunity).  
• Those that had used the SAGE & THYME model (either partially or fully) in general found it easy to use.  
• Interestingly, those people who felt that they already had a lot of the skills taught, still found the workshop helpful/confirmation that they were doing the right thing.  
• Examples of how SAGE & THYME has been used in practice are given.  
• The factors that hinder the model’s use are what we would expect (e.g. lack of time/opportunity).

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust presented the findings of their evaluation with renal staff on 2 May 2014 at UK Kidney Week (jointly hosted by the British Renal Society and the Renal Association) in Glasgow

South Central Strategic Health Authority

South Central Strategic Health Authority (in collaboration with the University of Southampton, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust and Oakhaven Hospice) evaluated the SAGE & THYME Foundation Level workshop training for over 2,500 health and social care staff.  

The findings were presented at the International Pstcho-Oncology Society (IPOS) conference in Brisbane, Australia in November 2012.

The University of Northampton

The University of Northampton Institute of Health and Wellbeing has evaluated the SAGE & THYME foundation level workshop, as one component in a series of multi-professional and multi-agency training courses run, to ensure the delivery of high quality services to frail and older people in Northampton.  

• The Northamptonshire Local Education and Training Council (LETC) received funding from Health Education England to run and evaluate a suite of training courses (including SAGE & THYME) centred around: prevention and enabling self-care; geriatric assessment and personalised care planning; management of long term conditions; and end of life care.  
• The SAGE & THYME foundation level workshop was delivered by the Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.  
• The University’s report highlighted that the SAGE & THYME (S&T) workshop “engenders a sense that this was a well presented, easy to follow communication course which could be applied to practice easily”.  A summary of the main findings from the report that relate to SAGE & THYME can be downloaded below.

The University of Manchester

The University of Manchester conducted an evaluation on using the SAGE & THYME Foundation Level workshops to improve the psychological support provided by district nurses to patients in palliative home care.