43. Evidence submitted by Herefordshire
County Council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (PPI 86)
1. What is the
purpose of patient and public (P+P) involvement?
— To gather P+P views and expertise
and then respond, in order to better mould services to actual
needs.
— To increase P+P involvement
and thence ownership in health services so that P+P genuinely
feel they can influence them and therefore be more satisfied with
them.
— To enable effective exchange
of ideas—including from providers to P+P—to increase
mutual understanding.
2. What form of P+P involvement is desirable,
practical and offers good value for money?
— Make best use of existing P+P
involvement—a number of committed and knowledgeable people
currently volunteer their time and energies, and these must be
nurtured.
— Broader involvement is desirable—to
include people from Herefordshire's "hard-to-reach"
populations such as young people, ethnic minorities (including
Travellers and migrant workers), people with disabilities (including
physical and learning).
— A small amount of extra funding—to
be routed through the Health Scrutiny Committee—would allow
effective and innovative methods of involvement, such as recruitment
of "peer" groups to research issues/preferences with
their fellows eg young people making a film about health issues
such as counselling or sexual health or substance abuse; or people
with disabilities researching care home provision as "dignity
champions"; or the use of participatory methodology such
as "appreciative enquiry" workshops with stakeholder
groups on particular health issues.
3. Why are existing systems for P+P involvement
being reformed after only three years?
— Because they were put together
in a rush, with little foresight. No-one should be surprised that
there have been disappointing outcomes. Some PPIFs—such
as our own PCT Forum—have performed well, but this is despite
the poor planning that went into designing them nationally.
4. How should LINks be designed
— LINks should be an effective
extension of the health scrutiny function. If there is not integration
between these, LINks will not be any more effective than current
PPIFs.
— LINks must work through the
local authority and the scrutiny committee.
— LINks should be empowered by
statute to visit NHS and independent health care premises, with
the usual provisos.
— LINks should have at least one
member from each designated group of service users and potential
service users eg young people, ethnic minorities, people with
disabilities, older people, etc.
Councillor Stuart Thomas
Chair, Herefordshire Health Overview and Scrutiny
Committee
January 2007
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