Annex B: Report on the Committee's web
forum
The Committee ran a web forum in two stages during
2007. The first stage began in May and was extended into June,
while the second ran in November and was extended by a week into
December.
The purpose of the web forum was to attempt to engage
directly with Service personnel, their families and others, and
to hear the views of those who would not normally submit evidence
to an inquiry by a select committee of Parliament. The forum was
advertised by press release and publicised to, among others, Service
welfare groups, HIVEs, health organisations and unofficial Service
internet sites.
The first stage addressed three main areas. These
were the care provided for Service personnel injured on operations,
the provision of healthcare for Service families at home and abroad,
and the ways in which the Ministry of Defence and the National
Health Service cooperate to deliver healthcare for the Armed Forces.
The second stage invited contributions on mental
health, Reserve personnel, cooperation between the MoD and the
NHS, and the progress of the inquiry up to that point.
The web forum was created by Parliamentary Information
Communication and Technology (PICT) in conjunction with an independent
consultant.
In order to contribute directly, interested parties
were required to create an account. At registration, a set of
basic terms and conditions were made available, as well as a clear
explanation of the forum's moderation policy. Once they had created
an account, they received a username and password that allowed
them to access and submit to the forum. Users were also able to
read the posts and discussions without logging in.
During the course of the forum, Committee staff,
with support from the Committee Office Scrutiny Unit, were responsible
for 'facilitation moderation'. The Chairman posted comments to
facilitate discussions, asking for additional comments on an issue
posted on the web pages, or introducing a new topic to move the
discussion along.
The web forum closed in December 2007, but contributions
can still be viewed at http://forums.parliament.uk/defence-medical.
| 
