Patient involvement in education for enhanced quality of care

Government policies in the UK are promoting health care practitioners working in partnership with patients and clients as an important constituent of quality in health care delivery. However, for practitioners to work in this way requires experience of such partnerships in the educational preparation. The involvement of patients and clients (i.e. service users) and their carers in the curriculum has been encouraged and supported in England since the early 1990s. From 1998, the comprehensive involvement in all phases of programme provision has been a requirement, ensuring that service users have a real 'voice' in influencing the direction of programmes. Examples of good practice are provided, demonstrating a range of approaches in the different stages of the educational process. Issues to be considered for successful implementation are included. Benefits to education and patient/client care are identified on the basis of literature and recent experience. They are strongly associated with enhanced quality of care. The article argues for a need to continue to broaden implementation for the major benefits of influencing the attitudes and approaches of students, and empowering users, with the end result of enhancing the quality of care. A strategic approach is needed to make user involvement an effective and workable reality. The need for systematic evaluation of the outcomes and for publications is highlighted. The principle of service user involvement in educational preparation is deemed to be equally relevant in other countries.