PPI and self help groups

What does Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) mean for self help groups?

• Health services are increasingly asking for and more likely to act on feedback from groups and individuals, and to value group members' expertise.
  
  
• There are more chances to influence services directly and indirectly.
  
  
• Group members often see the gaps or poor communications between different parts of services - services should be more open to hearing about this.
  
  
• Groups may get lots of requests for members to join committees, take part in consultations, or speak to professionals and students: the group may need to think carefully about which are most relevant for the group.
  
  
• In some areas, there may be chances to be actively involved as partners in developing or running services, and in research projects.
  
  
• Some organisations offer to pay people or groups for some types of participation. At the very least, expenses should always be covered and the organisation should arrange what the participants require to be able to participate.
  
  
  

Patient and public involvement and engagement locally

Most NHS Trusts and organisations have general public involvement groups, and alongside this often have wider forms of consultation, and also involve people on specific issues. NHS Nottingham and NHS Nottinghamshire County (formerly Primary Care Trusts), Nottingham University Hospitals, and Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust all have active involvement groups. Groups associated with the former Primary Care Trusts are likely to evolve to work with the new local health consortia and with providers such as Nottingham CityCare Partnership.

Many local GP surgeries, and some cluster groups, have involvement groups, these are likely to become increasingly important with the growth of commissioning by GPs.

Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County LINks (Local Involvement Networks) are expected to become HealthWatch groups.


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Page updated: 4 October 2011