Engaging patients, users and carers in integrated care

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Integrated Care Models
• Patient and Public Involvement

Background:

• Patient and public engagement is crucial for effective integrated care.
• Establishing meaningful involvement requires structured approaches.
• Previous models often faced challenges in integrating diverse stakeholder perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the establishment and functioning of a Patients, Users and Carers Committee within an integrated care pilot.
• To detail the process of recruiting and preparing patient representatives.
• To evaluate the impact of patient involvement on integrated care strategy and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Formation of a dedicated Patients, Users and Carers Committee.
• Recruitment and training of volunteer representatives.
• Integration of representatives into the Pilot's management board and committees.
• Facilitation of engagement and educational events.

Main Results:

• Successful integration of patient, user, and carer perspectives into strategy and policy development.
• Representatives acted as effective advocates, contributing to pilot success and award recognition.
• Challenges included communication across multiple groups and managing expectations regarding reform speed.

Conclusions:

• A structured Patients, Users and Carers Committee can effectively enable integrated care.
• Overcoming communication and expectation management challenges is vital for successful patient involvement.
• Patient and public involvement significantly enhances the development and success of integrated care initiatives.