Patient Voice Committee Annual Report August 2016 Contents Membership p2 Duties Achievements Duty: Patient voice assurance to governing bodies Duty: Advising on involvement effectiveness Duty: Identifying and sharing best practice p3 p3 p3 Introduction Capturing and using the patient voice in making decisions about local health and care services is extremely important to the staff, members and governing bodies of NHS Chorley and South Ribble CCG and NHS Greater Preston CCG. Collectively, the CCGs are committed to listening and responding to our patients experiences of local healthcare services. Learning from and engaging with patients means we can plan, monitor and buy services that are high quality, safe and meet patient needs. Duty: Ensuring compliance with legislation Duty: Promoting the view and voices of patients Views on Committee effectiveness Looking forward p4 p4 p5 p6 With that in mind, the CCGs set up a formally constituted sub-group of the Governing Bodies named the Patient Voice Committee. This was established in May 2014 to allow the CCGs to work jointly together on the key themes and issues, and provide strategic leadership, assurance and scrutiny in these areas. During its first year of operation, our Engagement and Patient Experience Lead, Glenis Tansey, was named Patient Champion of the Year by the NHS North West Leadership Academy. There are a variety of different ways in which we engage with a range of stakeholders to make sure they have an opportunity to have their say. This in turn helps us to influence future health plans for communities. The CCGs have a structured engagement framework to ensure that patients, carers and members of the public have an opportunity to be involved, and that their feedback is part of our governance so it can inform service improvements. 1
The visual below shows how the Committee fits into the wider engagement framework that has been established within the CCGs. This report outlines what the Committee achieved in relation to its duties during the 2015/16 year. Membership The Committee membership during 2015/16 was as follows: Lay Member for Patient and Public Involvement Head of Strategy and Corporate Services Head of Communications and Engagement CCG Engagement Lead CCG Elective Care Lead CCG Urgent Care Lead CCG Primary Care Lead Healthwatch Lancashire representative 3 members from patient participation groups GP Manager for Primary Care Practice manager representative Patient Advisory Group Co-Chairs The Committee, which was scheduled to meet on a quarterly basis, is considered quorate if the following members are present: The Chair or Vice- Chair, at least one representative from the CCGs Corporate Services Team and two other Committee members. The Patient Voice Committee has been held four times during 2015/16 and has been quorate at all meetings. 2
Duties The Committee has five duties as outlined in its Terms of Reference, which are: 1. To provide assurance to the Governing Body on all matters concerning duties, obligations and responsibilities relating to the use of the patient voice in shaping local health services. 2. To review and advise on the effectiveness and influence of systems and processes in place that enable patients and the public to be involved in CCG business. 3. To identify and share good practice in involving and empowering patients, and also to challenge poor engagement practice. 4. To ensure compliance with section 242 (1b) of the National Health Service Act 2006, the Equality Act 2010 and other relevant legislation. 5. To promote the views and voices of patients and the public in the work of the CCGs. Achievements 1. Duty: Patient voice assurance to governing bodies a. Ensured that patient stories became an integral part of the CCGs Governing Body meetings. b. Led the development of a new method for tracking and reporting on a wide range of engagement activity: i. During the year, 11 engagement events and focus groups took place to help do everything from promote opportunities to get involved, to gathering patient views on service changes, improvements and marketing materials. ii. In addition, regular individual conversations took place and individuals were encouraged to get involved in local health services in a number of ways. iii. Service change and improvements were supported with a range of surveying and other engagement activities. c. Reported Patient Voice Committee activity regularly to the CCGs Governing Bodies 2. Duty: Advising on involvement effectiveness a. Provided strategic advice on a variety of communications and engagement plans and activities led by the CCGs. b. Received assurance on how the CCGs were engaging with its main commissioned providers on their involvement and engagement activities. c. Provided the leadership for a framework and advice to help support practices and local patient participation groups. d. Reviewed the communications, engagement and consultation plan for a new service transformation programme called Our Health, Our Care. e. Reviewed engagement plans for the development of clinical policies. 3. Duty: Identifying and sharing best practice a. Oversaw the establishment of closer operational links with Healthwatch Lancashire, including ensuring that Healthwatch were represented on the Committee and able to present information and updates on a regular basis. b. Ran a development session with Committee members to exchange ideas that could be taken forward. 3
4. Duty: Ensuring compliance with legislation a. Scrutinised the engagement framework and a range of plans and proposals to ensure that seldom heard voices were appropriately represented. b. Scrutinised general engagement activity and plans in line with the duty to involve agenda, and with reference to the latest patient involvement guidance. c. Had oversight on the Equality Delivery System process, by receiving updates and with some Committee members being involved in the process itself. 5. Duty: Promoting the views and voices of patients a. Oversight of the establishment and development of a Patient Advisory Group (PAG), a core group of patients representative of our local population that scrutinises materials and plans, and provides public opinion and direction on a range of areas: i. During the 2015/16 year, by looking at any gaps in proportional representation, the number of PAG members increased from 24 members to 34 members. b. Oversight of the establishment and development of the Young People s Health Advocates (YPHAs) after seeing a gap in the representation of young people: i. The group helps to identify health issues for young people, influence health service improvements, and promote ideas and innovation. ii. The YPHAs were established by working with the local youth councils, education settings and health interest groups. iii. Made up of 11 young people between the ages of 15 and 21. c. Oversight of a revamped and re-branded patient involvement network, a wider network of patients and the public, made up of people who want to regularly engage with us and contribute to decision-making: i. During the 2015/16 year the total number of members went from 460 to 534. 4
Views on Committee effectiveness A survey was undertaken to examine the Committee s effectiveness by gaining the views of Committee members. Eleven current and previous members were invited to take part, and six responded. Overall, the members that responded: Understand the Committee s duties, roles and responsibilities. Understand their role on the Committee. Understand how the Committee links into the overall governance structure of the CCGs. Feel that the Committee set itself clear objectives. Feel that they can contribute, influence, express their views and provide challenge. Feel that debate and discussion is allowed to flow. Feel that the Committee has the right balance of skills and experience amongst members. Feel satisfied with the level of feedback and progress reports given. Feel satisfied with the meeting frequency, structure, content, agenda and papers. Feel that they are clear about who is doing what. Feel that they are able to update colleagues and peers on the work of the Committee. Feel meetings are chaired effectively and time is provided for reflections. The survey outlined some areas of improvement for the Committee, including: Considering if there is enough time for members to prepare for each meeting. Considering if there is enough time in the meetings themselves to fully discuss all agenda items. Considering other avenues where Committee members may be able to influence. Enhancing clarity of the Committee s objectives for the 2016/17 year. Improving the understanding of members of the Patient Voice Committee s link into other CCG Committees, and also the Governing Bodies. 5
Looking forward The Committee has revised its Terms of Reference for 2016/17, and although the overall duties remain the same, some changes have been made in relation to the membership, and also its roles and responsibilities. Due to low attendance from appointed patient participation group representatives, these individuals have been invited to join the CCGs Patient Advisory Group instead. In addition, there has been a change in CCG officer membership to further develop links and ensure that feedback from patients is used to make service improvements. The Healthwatch Lancashire representative has become an attendee rather than a member in order to match the information giving role they hold on the Committee. The Committee will have an extra role and responsibility to also gather assurance on: The discharge of the customer care service, in line with the new customer care policy. The discharge of equality, diversity and inclusion activities, in line with the Equality Act 2010. Some key focus areas for the Committee going forward will include: The development of a specific young people s involvement network. The enhancement of technologies for communicating with the public and patients. The development of communications, engagement and consultation plans for the local in and out of hospital transformation and reconfiguration programme, Our Health Our Care. Monitoring the review that will be undertaken by the CCGs Commissioning Support Unit to support local patient participation groups. To accommodate these extra roles, responsibilities and focused projects, and to ensure that momentum on work continues, the Committee will be meeting bi-monthly during 2016/17. 6