Patients campaign for a greater say in local NHS services

Campaigners will be asked to harness the power of the internet as part of a unique new initiative eloigned to promote patient representation at local healthcare level.

Under the User Involvement campaign, which was launched by UK voluntary organisation Arthritis Care this week, campaigners will email their local Primary Care Trusts urging them to grant people with the condition a greater say in healthcare provision.

Arthritis Cure hopes the initiative will persuade at least three-quarters of England's Primary Care Trusts to adopt measures aimed at giving people a greater say in their local healthcare services.

Arthritis Care's senior campaigns manager, Martin Jones, said: ‘We believe this kind of initiative represents the way forward for organisations such as ours to convert passionate grass-roots support into an effective tool for change.

'For far too long people have had virtually no say in the provision of their healthcare at local level. This leaves many frustrated as they see a divergence in what services they feel would he beneficial to them to those they are actually able to access.

'People are becoming increasingly aware of issues surrounding both their condition and the mechanics of PCTs. We want to set this reflected with greater representation for parents, in line with Government policy.'

The User Involvement campaign will involve emails being sent from the charity to campaigners, who will endorse them before forwarding them on to their respective PCTs.

It will aim to raise awareness of the benefits of involving people with arthritis in the planning and design of healthcare services.

• Would you he interested in working with Arthritis Care to involve people with arthritis in local healthcare?
• How do you, or how are you planning to, involve people with arthritis in the planning, evaluation and/or redesign of services for people with arthritis?
• Have you got a concrete example of involving people with arthritis where this has led to real changes?

For more information contact Arthritis Care Tel: 020 7380 6551

Our thanks to Todays Therapist Magazine for allowing us to share past articles