Project summary
The Clydesdale Public Partnership Forum engages members of the public in decision making, along with representatives of the voluntary sector and carers, to about how to improve local health services.
Project Dates
Start Date: 01/04/2006
Ongoing
Location of project
Lanarkshire
Area of healthcare
Community care
Target groups
Carers, General Public, Voluntary Organisations
Guidelines followed
Informing, Engaging and Consulting the Public in Developing Health and Community Care Policies and Services
Partnership for Care: Scotland’s health white paper
Community Health Partnership Statutory Guidance
National Standards for Community Engagement
Public Partnership Forum Advice Notes
Approaches used
Action planning/ community appraisal, Focus groups, Participatory appraisal, Patient/ lay members of committees, Round table workshops
Aims and objectives
Ensure that the Community Health Partnership is able, through the Public Partnership Forum and other means, to inform local people about the range and location of services and information which the Community Health Partnership is responsible for
Engage local service users, carers and the public in discussion about how to improve health services
Support wider public involvement in planning and decision-making
What we did
At an initial Community Health Partnership event in March 2006 we adopted 4 of the Community Engagement Standards as a starting point for our workshops: involvement, support, sharing information and working together. Key themes were identified and fed back to participants before local Public Partnership Forum events.
The first Clydesdale local Public Partnership Forum event was held in June 2006. This was an open meeting attended by members of the public, voluntary sector and carers.
Delegates were asked their views on issues ranging from frequency of meetings to relationships with existing public involvement groups. The information was collated and fed back to all attendees plus those who had asked to be kept informed.
Training undertaken
Skills development training for members (such as chairing a meeting)
Evaluation
All participants were asked to fill in an evaluation questionnaire covering all aspects of the events ranging from access to comfort. The participatory appraisal approach and choice of issues discussed acted as a barometer of satisfaction and an identifier of need.
Plans for the future
Address needs of the Forum that have not yet been met
Support the Forum in developing its own clear role and remit
Support the Forum to help it achieve autonomy in addressing its business agenda
Help the Forum to organise 6-monthly public involvement meetings