Making every patient contact count is not about having an additional conversation, it is about changing the conversations already being had with the patient so that they are more effective and focused on helping the person to look after his or her health. The nurse has a responsibility to prepare and support the patient to be able to self-manage his or her health needs. Conversations orientated to health promotion may be planned as part of usual care such as during a health check, diabetic review or a domiciliary visit, or preparing a patient for discharge from hospital. A structured skilled conversation supporting behaviour change, which generally lasts between ten minutes and half an hour, is known as a ‘brief intervention’.