Connecting CCG patient and public involvement to changes in health and social care services in Hampshire and Isle of Wight

Wessex Voices (Healthwatch Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton) held an event in June 2017, to strengthen relationships between CCG Lay Members, local Healthwatch, NHS Communication and Engagement leads and the HIOW Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) office, in order to streamline and enhance PPI to help shape the sustainability and transformation of health services in HIOW. Participants had the opportunity to:

1. Understand each other’s roles more clearly in relation to PPI and the long-term strategic and local health service changes

2. Consider how successful current PPI mechanisms are in addressing the challenges facing changing health services

3. Create an action plan to enhance PPI to support strategic NHS service changes in HIOW

Twenty-seven people came to the event organised by Susanne Hasselmann, Chair of NHS Commissioners National CCG Lay Member Network / CCG Lay Member for South Eastern Hampshire CCG and Wessex Voices. Wessex Voices works with NHS England (Wessex) and local Healthwatch to support NHS colleagues to improve their PPI activities across the region.

Delegates said that the event had been a good use of their time. Just over half said that the aims of the event had been partially met. They reflected in comments that further work needs to be done and there is much ground to cover as discussions are at a very early stage. An action plan has been developed from the event and is set out on page 10. Relationships are beginning to be established. There was an opportunity to critique public and patient involvement to date in Hampshire and Isle of Wight.