Wessex voices event summary
Download (PDF 3.95 MB)Summary of report content
This is a summary report of the Wessex Voices event "Positivley engaging in NHS change: how best to involve people" in December 2016.
The five local Healthwatch organisations in Wessex (Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Southampton and Portsmouth) came together with NHS England Wessex in 2015 to form "Wessex Voices", an initiative that aims to make sure local people are involved in designing and commissioning health services.
This summary contains the key messages that came out of participants’ discussions about how people can be involved in NHS changes over the next 5-10 years:
- People need clarity about the purpose, nature and limits of influence of their involvement.
- These conversations should be open and honest.
- Involve people in things that are relevant and specific to them.
- Do it in ways that are tailored, exciting and use technology, particularly to reach younger people. Positive stories, role models and scenarios can show the potential of change.
- Involve existing networks but reach beyond the usual suspects.
- Involvement activities need resourcing and skilled people.
- People have a role to play by committing to be a critical friend, making sure the best interests of patients are considered and holding the NHS to account.
Headline feedback from the workshop included:
¬ Go to where the people are. Even try to each people in their homes
¬ Use existing GP and community engagement and communication networks but also move beyond the usual suspects
¬ Understand and accept where people are: be respectful, use plain language and be accessible. Do it on the people’s terms. Don’t do unto people
The report makes 5 recommendations to the NHS:
- To resource support and development for NHS colleagues to develop their skills to communicate and involve people in change
- To make the case for change by sharing potential future scenarios – using exciting, positive communications and human stories
- To consider and report on the quality of patient and public involvement in service changes based on the principles of clarity, honesty and relevance
- To review their existing community and voluntary sector contacts and dialogue with Councils for Voluntary Services and local Healthwatch, especially for those experiencing health inequalities
- To promote ways to hear about the NHS changes to these groups and how people have been involved in local and regional changes on an ongoing basis.