Patients and clinicians driving service change in partnership: understanding the big picture

Since our regrettable late entry to the team (the service changes were already designed) I believe we are now active and significant players. Our concerns are addressed and acted upon and it feels like a genuinely shared enterprise. One tangible example of this is our considerable involvement in the production and design of patient information where our comments and feedback led to the final product. The local lay representative has recently visited patients who are being cared for by the Rapid Emergency Assessment and Communication Team (REACT) and there are plans for greater involvement, along with other local volunteers, in administering the patient experience questionnaire. It is a considerable advantage that, being in the age group at which the service is aimed, she is able to use shared experiences and an empathetic manner to listen actively to responses and seek amplification as appropriate.

Current patient involvement owes much to strong clinical leadership and attention to staff engagement. The literature on patient experience stresses the importance of culture; authentic engagement will only happen where there is congruence between what is said, particularly by those in leadership roles, and what actually happens. My experience to date demonstrates that what matters to patients matters to the REACT team.

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