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Patient and Public Involvement

Patient and Public Involvement

Patients were the most important people in the health service. It didn`t always appear that way. Too many patients did feel talked at, rather than listened to. This had to change. NHS care had to be shaped around the convenience and concerns of patients. To bring this about, patients must had more say in their own treatment and more influence over the way the NHS worked.'
The NHS Plan

Mindful of the Government's drive for a responsive and reactive health service, and following requests from clients, HCSU had designed a workshop programme to help professional staff groups develop a strategy and plan for effective patient and public involvement.

At the end of the one-day workshop, participants would:

be informed about the structure and purpose of patient/public groups as defined by the Department of Health, and clear about the purpose and function of the various different bodies.

have discussed the various tools available, their advantages and disadvantages, when best to use them and the potential cost implications associated with different initiatives. Examples of good practice from a range of healthcare organisations will be given, as theyll as an introduction to the DoH toolkit on patient information.

have acquired knowledge and ideas about involving patients and the public in the delivery of healthcare services, including the role of the lay person in promoting partnership working.

have identified areas in their directorates where they can broaden the scope of patient engagement and make changes to improve the involvement of patients in their healthcare.

have considered how information gained from the organisation's complaints system can be maximised.

have begun to think about a strategy to pull these themes together and build useful and lasting partnerships with local healthcare providers, social services and the voluntary sector.