How Can Effective Patient Representation Enhance your Service Improvements?

Steve GrahamSteve Graham 11

How Can Effective Patient How Can Effective Patient Representation Enhance your Representation Enhance your

Service Improvements?Service Improvements?

Think not what you can do for us but what Think not what you can do for us but what we can do for youwe can do for you

(with Apologies to JFK)(with Apologies to JFK)


Who am I?Who am I?Steve Graham Steve Graham (ACMI)(ACMI)

Retired Oil industry Telecommunications & Network ConsultantRetired Oil industry Telecommunications & Network ConsultantCurrent ‘Hat’ Count includes, (but is not limited to):Current ‘Hat’ Count includes, (but is not limited to):

Patient Rep. SPCC (Phases I & II)Patient Rep. SPCC (Phases I & II)Member of Grampian Local Advisory Council of the Scottish Health Member of Grampian Local Advisory Council of the Scottish Health Council Council Member of Grampian Diabetes MCN & LDSAGMember of Grampian Diabetes MCN & LDSAGMember of Scottish Diabetes Group PFPI committee Member of Scottish Diabetes Group PFPI committee Participant on service redesign for Digital Retinal Screening and Participant on service redesign for Digital Retinal Screening and Grampian Podiatry ServicesGrampian Podiatry ServicesMember of Diabetes UK National & Scottish Advisory CouncilsMember of Diabetes UK National & Scottish Advisory CouncilsMember of Grampian Community Health ForumMember of Grampian Community Health ForumEvent Treasurer for Grampian Diabetes Education Day ConferencesEvent Treasurer for Grampian Diabetes Education Day ConferencesAnd in my spare time………And in my spare time………


As a Patient Representative, Who do you As a Patient Representative, Who do you think I represent?think I represent?

I do I do notnot speak on behalf of patients speak on behalf of patients

I have I have notnot been elected by patients been elected by patients

I have I have no no remit or resource to ensure patients’ remit or resource to ensure patients’ voices are heard and acted uponvoices are heard and acted upon

Therefore I can Therefore I can onlyonly represent represent myselfmyself


I am in fact a I am in fact a RepresentativeRepresentative Patient Patient

I can bring a patient’s viewpoint to the change I can bring a patient’s viewpoint to the change processprocessI can reflect the opinions voiced by other I can reflect the opinions voiced by other patients who may be unable or unwilling to do patients who may be unable or unwilling to do so themselvesso themselvesI can bring a broad range of personal I can bring a broad range of personal experience and service involvementexperience and service involvementI may bring a wider perspective on the health I may bring a wider perspective on the health serviceservice


When you meet a Patient Representative what do When you meet a Patient Representative what do youyou thinkthink you see?you see?

A Patient?A Patient?

A ProblemA Problem

An impediment to your success?An impediment to your success?

A token gesture?A token gesture?

(‘They’re all weird with impossible or impractical (‘They’re all weird with impossible or impractical ideas and expectations’ & personal agendas) – some ideas and expectations’ & personal agendas) – some are, and I have met a feware, and I have met a few

A ………… (fill in your own pre-conceived notion)A ………… (fill in your own pre-conceived notion)

Another drain on the biscuit tinAnother drain on the biscuit tin


When you meet a Patient Representative What When you meet a Patient Representative What shouldshould you you see?see?

NotNot the Patient!!! but: the Patient!!! but:Someone willing to get involved – How rare is that?Someone willing to get involved – How rare is that?A unique range of personal skills and experience such as:-A unique range of personal skills and experience such as:-

Practical, Professional, Technical, Administrative, Practical, Professional, Technical, Administrative, Commercial, Domestic etc.Commercial, Domestic etc.Personal Medical experience, Personal Insight, Personal Medical experience, Personal Insight, Personal Service experiencePersonal Service experienceOne probably experienced in the convolutions & One probably experienced in the convolutions & vagaries of Patient Pathsvagaries of Patient PathsA potential source of some home baking???A potential source of some home baking???In essence a In essence a free Consultantfree Consultant


Why Involve A Patient Representative?Why Involve A Patient Representative?

Best illustrated by the BardBest illustrated by the Bard

‘‘O wad some Power the giftie gie usO wad some Power the giftie gie us

To see oursels as ithers see us!To see oursels as ithers see us!

It wad frae mony a blunder free us,It wad frae mony a blunder free us,

An’ foolish notion:’An’ foolish notion:’To a louse. To a louse.

Seen on a ladies bonnet in churchSeen on a ladies bonnet in church

Robert BurnsRobert Burns


PFPI – Patient Focus and Public InvolvementPFPI – Patient Focus and Public Involvement

Patient FocusPatient FocusA service where people are treated as individuals, A service where people are treated as individuals, treated with respect and treated with respect and involved in decisions involved in decisions about their own careabout their own care

Public InvolvementPublic InvolvementA service that involves individuals, groups and A service that involves individuals, groups and communities communities in in improving the quality ofimproving the quality of carecare, , influencing priorities and planning servicesinfluencing priorities and planning services



Suggested ‘Ground Rules’ for Effective Patient Suggested ‘Ground Rules’ for Effective Patient Representative InvolvementRepresentative Involvement

Set out and agree:Set out and agree:Clear understanding of the PurposeClear understanding of the PurposeClear understanding of the RoleClear understanding of the RoleClear understanding of the DurationClear understanding of the DurationClear understanding of meeting rules e.g. avoid Clear understanding of meeting rules e.g. avoid personal agendas or hobby horsespersonal agendas or hobby horsesClear understanding of Exit StrategiesClear understanding of Exit StrategiesAcronyms and Jargon – agree process provide Acronyms and Jargon – agree process provide glossaryglossaryFeedback effectiveness and performance with Feedback effectiveness and performance with honesty and sensitivityhonesty and sensitivityConsider trainingConsider training


Every opinion is validEvery opinion is valid

Ensure that you know and follow your local Health Ensure that you know and follow your local Health board’s guidance and protocols for Public board’s guidance and protocols for Public Involvement.Involvement.

NOTE: There is no contractual requirement for PFPI NOTE: There is no contractual requirement for PFPI in the GMS contract. It is an opt in/out item. Attracts in the GMS contract. It is an opt in/out item. Attracts payment points for an annual patient survey and payment points for an annual patient survey and additional points for providing feedback.additional points for providing feedback.

The rest of the Health Services are subject to an The rest of the Health Services are subject to an annual Performance Assessment of their PFPIannual Performance Assessment of their PFPI


When to Involve Patient RepresentativesWhen to Involve Patient Representatives

Ideally as a normal part of running the serviceIdeally as a normal part of running the service

Certainly when designing and planning Certainly when designing and planning ‘Significant Service Change’ – Please ‘Significant Service Change’ – Please remember your ‘Significant’ may differ remember your ‘Significant’ may differ Significantly from your patients’ ‘Significant’Significantly from your patients’ ‘Significant’

Always be mindful of THE LAW OF Always be mindful of THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCIESUNINTENDED CONSEQUENCIES


Please Value Patient RepresentativesPlease Value Patient Representatives

We are unfortunately a scarce commodityWe are unfortunately a scarce commodity

We are more likely to get involved in other We are more likely to get involved in other aspects of the Health Service if our aspects of the Health Service if our experience with you is good and valuedexperience with you is good and valued

You have a responsibility to promote and You have a responsibility to promote and foster PFPIfoster PFPI


Questions to be Considered Questions to be Considered

Are patients representatives generally being used in your Are patients representatives generally being used in your practice / clinic?practice / clinic?If so are they involved your SPCC process?If so are they involved your SPCC process?If not why not?If not why not?What are the Barriers to their involvement?What are the Barriers to their involvement?Iif yes what are the benefits? Iif yes what are the benefits? How did you / would you recruit? How did you / would you recruit? What selection method / criteria. What selection method / criteria. Open or by invite. Why?Open or by invite. Why?Do you think there are specific aspects of SPCC that will Do you think there are specific aspects of SPCC that will benefit from PFPI at practice / clinic level. benefit from PFPI at practice / clinic level. At what stage(s) in the process?At what stage(s) in the process?


That’s all FolksThat’s all Folks

Thank YouThank You

Documents

How Can Effective Patient Representation Enhance your Service Improvements?