The New Systems for Patient and Public Involvement in Health

The new systems for patient and public involvement in health

- a toolkit for NHS communicators

Purpose of the toolkit

This toolkit is for communications teams, patient and public involvement leads, complaints officers and PALS managers. It includes basic information that will help you communicate messages about patient and public involvement to staff and it can also be used to help you develop presentations and literature for other audiences as well.

This electronic toolkit comprises:

·  fact sheets on the components of the patient and public involvement system – it includes core messages and key information that will help you communicate about patient and public involvement

·  two power point presentations on patient and public involvement – they have been prepared as presentations for NHS staff but they could be adapted for external audiences. One of the presentations covers the basic facts about the new arrangements – speaking notes are not included but the factsheets could form the basis of speaking notes. The second presentation deals more with the rationale for patient and public involvement and suggested speaking notes are included. Neither presentation includes graphics or any colour – this is for you to adapt to what suits your trust

·  the DH press release which was issued on the 1st December to mark the launch of PPI Forums

·  PDF versions of the patient and public involvement poster and leaflet. These have been circulated to GP surgeries, NHS trusts and PCTs, community pharmacies and NHS dental practices. MP constituency surgeries, Citizens Advice Bureaux, Local Authorities, and voluntary organisations have also been asked to display the posters

·  a copy of the letter that was sent from Rosie Winterton accompanying the leaflet and poster

More information about any aspect of the toolkit is available from Anna McDevitt on 0207 210 5553 or email .

Core script

The system that enables and supports patients and the public to have a say about how health services are run is all now in place. On the 1st December , new Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Forums became operational – joining PALS and the new Independent Complaints Advocacy Services (ICAS) that are already in place. Community Health Councils (CHC) ceased to function on the 1st December. These new systemic changes build on the work we already do to consult the public about changes to services.

In order to ensure that patients, carers and the public are fully informed of where they should go for help and advice in the future, a poster and leaflet has been designed for wide distribution throughout the NHS and to other key organisations eg local authorities and Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Key messages

·  Delivering and designing health services around the needs of patients is key to the modernisation of the NHS and is integral to improving patients’ experiences of health services

·  Effective patient and public involvement is fundamental to an NHS based on choice, responsiveness and equity

·  The new system is comprehensive – there will be a PPI Forum – in addition to PALS - for every trust in England. And a national network of ICAS

·  PPI Forums, ICAS and PALS are underpinned by national standards ensuring consistency in every location

·  The new arrangements for patient and public involvement mean there will be greater support for patients , more independent monitoring of the NHS and greater involvement and consultation of the public than there has ever been before

·  Government investment in patient and public involvement has increased by over 50 per cent (£23m per annum has been invested in CHCs and this year £35.4m has been invested in the CPPIH)

·  Further information is available from www.doh.gov.uk/involvingpatients

Factsheet 1 The Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH)

Key facts

·  CPPIH was set up on 1st January 2003. It is a non-departmental public body – this means that it is independent of the Government

·  Its headquarters are in Birmingham and it has nine regional offices, one for each Government office area

·  The chair is Sharon Grant and there are ten Commissioners. The Chief Executive is Laura McMurtrie

·  It is responsible for making the appointments to PPI Forums and for ensuring that they are funded and supported

·  It will set and monitor the standards that PPI Forums will operate against

·  It will advise the Government and NHS about patient and public involvement and will make recommendations about how the system is working and patient and public more generally

·  If the CPPIH receives information from PPI Forums concerning the safety or welfare of patients, the CPPIH must refer this matter to an appropriate body eg CHI/CHAI or the National Patients Safety Agency

·  The CPPIH has placed contracts with 68 different not-for-profit organisations to support PPI Forums locally

·  Further information is available from www.cppih.org

Factsheet 2 Patient and Public Involvement Forums (PPI Forums)

Key facts

·  PPI Forums have been set up for every NHS trust and PCT in England

·  PPI Forums are made up of members of the public and people from voluntary organisations that represent patients and carers – their membership will reflect local communities

·  In addition PPI Forums set up for PCTs will also include members from any organisation that represents people on matters that affect their health and members of the NHS trust PPI Forums that are in their area

·  They will monitor and review local health services and make recommendations to trusts

·  PPI forums will consider matters that are important to local communities

·  Trusts are required to respond to these reports within 20 working days

·  PPI Forums set up for PCTs have additional responsibilities that include promoting and supporting public involvement in local consultation exercises and decision making processes

·  They also will help local NHS bodies carry out their duty to involve and consult the public, by for example helping run consultation exercises, identifying groups of people that need to be consulted

·  PPI Forums will be set up for NHS trusts applying for NHS Foundation Trust status and will be retained if that status is attained

·  Guidance for the NHS about its responsibilities in relation to PPI Forums will be available from www.doh.gov.uk/involvingpatients and the CPPIH is providing training and guidance to PPI Forums

·  Further information is available from www.cppih.org

Factsheet 3 Patient Advice and Liaison Services

Key facts

·  PALS have been set up by NHS trusts and PCTs to advise and support patients, their families and carers

·  PALS provide information on a wide range of health related matters and on local health and care services

·  PALS help to resolve problems and concerns quickly and speedily

·  PALS explain complaints procedures and put people in touch with agencies which can support them in making a formal complaint ie Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS)

·  PALS explain how people can get more involved in their own health care and the NHS locally eg about Patient and Public Involvement Forums and ICAS

·  PALS ensure that user feedback is used to improve services

·  PALS can be monitored by PPI Forums

·  PALS work to a set of core national standards. These have been incorporated into an evaluation framework to assist PALS in assessing the quality of their service and planning improvements

·  The PALS National Development Group is working with Strategic Health Authorities, the Department of Health and the Modernisation Agency to develop PALS nationally by strengthening PALS networks, improving communication systems and establishing a PALS national directory

·  Further information and a list of PALS contact details are available from: www.doh.gov.uk/patientadviceandliaisonservices

Factsheet 4 Independent Complaints Advocacy Services

Key facts

·  From the 1st September 2003 the Secretary of State has had a duty to arrange provision of independent support for people who want to complain about the NHS

·  ICAS is not an NHS service.

·  This support is currently being provided by 4 voluntary sector organisations – the Citizens Advice Bureaux, Carers Federation, POhWER and the South East Advocacy Project

·  Eventually responsibility for the provision (and possibly the commissioning) of this service will fall to PPI Forums set up for PCTs

·  The CPPIH is responsible for setting the standards and performance managing ICAS

·  Everyone making a formal complaint about the NHS should be told about ICAS and how to access it

·  ICAS offers free, impartial and confidential support to people wishing to make a complaint against the NHS. The form of that support ranges from guiding people through the complaints process, to attending meetings with the complainant or writing letters on their behalf

·  Support can be provided over the telephone or through face to face meetings

·  ICAS are able to assist people who face particular difficulties in making a complaint, whether because of communication, language or literacy difficulties, learning disabilities or mental health problems

·  Further information is available from www.icas-network.com

Factsheet 5 Duty on the NHS to involve and consult the public

Key facts

·  Since 1st January 2003 there has been a duty on NHS trusts, PCTs and StHAs to

involve and consult the public in service planning and operation, and in the

development of proposals for changes

·  This duty means consulting and involving in ongoing service planning, in the

development of proposals and in decisions about general service delivery. It

builds on work and processes already in train to consult local people about

local changes to services

·  Guidance called Strengthening Accountability supports this duty

·  PCT PPI Forums will work with NHS trusts and PCTs and StHAs about carrying out their duty to involve and consult the public and to monitor how they carry out this duty.

·  If PPI Forums have concerns about how the duty is being carried out they may refer the matter to the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee but only after it has tried to resolve the matter with the NHS trust/PCT /StHA

More information is available from www.doh.gov.uk/involvingpatients

Factsheet 6 Health Scrutiny by Overview and Scrutiny Committees

Key facts

·  Since January 2003, Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSCs) set up in local authorities with social services responsibilities (county councils, London Borough Councils and unitary authorities) have had the power to scrutinise health services

·  This contributes to their wider role in health improvement and reducing health inequalities for their area and its inhabitants

·  OSCs have taken on the role of scrutiny of the NHS – not just scrutiny of major changes but the ongoing operation and planning of services

·  OSCs are able to refer contested service changes to the SofS

·  OSCs are able to call NHS managers to give information about services and decisions

·  OSCs report their recommendations locally

·  OSCs have to be consulted by the NHS where there are to be major changes to health services.

More information is available from www.doh.gov.uk/involvingpatients