A survey found that members of the public wanted to know far more about the quality of healthcare providers, the treatments they were offered, and the healthcare options that were available to them.
Source: Survey of the UK public: Patients rights, Patients Association (020 8423 9111)
Links: Report | Patients Association press release
Date: 2005-Dec
A report examined innovative participatory methods for public policy decision-making and delivery.
Source: People & Participation: How to put citizens at the heart of decision-making, Involve (020 7632 0120)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Nov
An article examined whether, and how, involving service users could produce improvements in public services. User engagement was found to produce cost-effective benefits. The article made recommendations for strengthening the representativeness of user engagement, and raised questions about how to spread involvement on a wider scale.
Source: Liz Richardson, 'User engagement in public services: policy and implementation', Benefits, Volume 13 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Oct
An article explored the introduction of a new system of patient and public involvement in the National Health Service in England.
Source: Rob Baggott, 'A funny thing happened on the way to the forum? Reforming patient and public involvement in the NHS in England', Public Administration, Volume 83 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Sep
An article sought to develop a model for understanding what made public service users participate. It said that, although the question of participation required a combination of answers, it was a combination that could be predicted, planned for, and acted upon.
Source: Richard Simmons and Johnston Birchall, 'A joined-up approach to user participation in public services: strengthening the ?participation chain?', Social Policy and Administration, Volume 39 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Jun
A think-tank report said that locally elected governors of National Health Service foundation trusts were struggling to make them more accountable to their local communities.
Source: Richard Lewis, Governing Foundation Trusts: A new era for public accountability, King s Fund (020 7307 2591)
Links: Report (pdf) | King's Fund press release
Date: 2005-May
An article drew on the experience of working with service users and carers in one systematic review to examine the barriers to participation, and the components of effective involvement. It suggested that quality standards could be identified for service user and carer involvement in systematic reviews, which would benefit policy and practice development.
Source: Suzy Braye and Michael Preston-Shoot, 'Emerging from out of the shadows? Service user and carer involvement in systematic reviews', Evidence & Policy, Volume 1 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-May
Researchers found that local authorities were having a greater say in the way that local health services were run, through elected councillors sitting on overview and scrutiny committees.
Source: Health Under Scrutiny?, National Primary Care Research and Development Centre (0161 275 0611)
Links: Summary (pdf) | NPCRDC press release
Date: 2005-Apr
A report said that overview and scrutiny powers were being used by local councils to improve the health of local democracy and modernize council culture.
Source: Redefining Scrutiny: The experience of the London Scrutiny Learning Set, Shared Intelligence (020 7837 3090) and Centre for Public Scrutiny
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2005-Apr
A report said that local authorities were using their new health scrutiny powers to achieve real improvements in local health services.
Source: Health Scrutiny Works! A review of effective local authority scrutiny of health in its first two years, Democratic Health Network, available from Central Books (0845 458 9910)
Links: LGIU press release
Date: 2005-Apr
A report provided an introduction to democratic engagement in the National Health Service, patient and public involvement in health, and health scrutiny.
Source: Tackling the Democratic Deficit in Health: An introduction to the power of local authority health scrutiny, Centre for Public Scrutiny (020 7296 6595) and National Primary Care Research and Development Centre
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Mar
The government announced (following consultation) changes to the network of patient and public involvement forums which were established in the National Health Service in December 2003. Existing forums would be merged, so that there was one per primary care trust. Forums would also be given more support. The outgoing body for public and patient representation called the plan a 'far cry from the vision of independent citizen involvement in health decision making'. Local authorities called the new forum boundaries 'unrecognisable and inefficient', rendering the forums less accessible.
Source: Government Response to the Consultation Exercise about the Future Support Arrangements for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, Department of Health (08701 555455) | Press release 15 March 2005, Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (0845 120 7111) | Press release 16 March 2005, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Consultation responses (pdf) | DH press release | CPPIH press release | LGA press release
Date: 2005-Mar
A report provided a detailed overview of the origins and development of participatory budgeting - a mechanism of local government, which brings local communities closer to the decision-making process around the public budget.
Source: Jez Hall, Breathing Life into Democracy: The power of participatory budgeting, Oxfam GB (01865 313184) and Community Pride Initiative
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb
A report described the nature and impact of effective community engagement from the first confirmed 'Civic Pioneers'. Areas where Pioneers tended to be strong in engagement were regeneration and housing, New Deal programmes, youth initiatives, area working, and crime and safety. (Civic Pioneers are local councils committed to involving local people in decision-making processes on policy and implementation in public services.)
Source: Maire Gaffney, Civic Pioneers: Local people, local government, working together to make life better, Civil Renewal Unit/Home Office (020 7035 5305)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb