Meet Patient Champions at showcase event

Bury’s patient champions will be meeting local people who share a passion to improve health and health services at a launch event this month. 

NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) Patient Cabinet will officially launch on the 17th October 2013 (1.30pm until 4pm, at Bury Town Hall in the Peel Room). 

The Patient Cabinet is made up of 13 patient representative members, together with a Chair, who seek to gather and feedback the views of local patients on issues relating to the planning and funding of health services. 

The Patient Cabinet aims to ensure that the views of local people are placed at the heart of the CCG’s work and that they have a chance to actively participate in consultations and service planning. 

At the event, Cabinet members will showcase examples of how they have positively influenced the work of the CCG for the benefit of patients.  They will also be encouraging local residents to ‘get involved’ in the work of the CCG!  

NHS Bury CCG plans and purchases health services on behalf of Bury patients. It is a new type of organisation, made up of local doctors, nurses and other clinicians.  The Patient Cabinet is a formal sub-committee of the CCG Board (Governing Body) and has a significant influence on how services are planned and delivered.  

Local people are encouraged to come along to the launch event where they will meet Patient Cabinet members and learn about how they aim to make a difference to health and services locally. 

David McCann, Patient Champion for NHS Bury CCG and Chair of the Patient Cabinet said: “Through the Patient Cabinet we aim to ensure meaningful involvement and engagement with local patients and communities, ensuring that patients have a chance to actively participate in how health services are organised and have their say.  Following a recruitment drive earlier in the year, we are delighted to have all 13 members in place, and the Cabinet is ready to showcase how in a relatively short space of time it has already made a significant difference through working with local communities and health care professionals.”

Dr. Kiran Patel, Chair and Clinical Lead for NHS Bury CCG added: “The patients’ voice is central to our work, it is pivotal that we listen to patients’ opinions, learn from their experiences and ensure that this feedback positively influences the way that services are planned and delivered.  Our Patient Cabinet has a key role to play in ensuring that local peoples’ views are represented in our decision making and this launch event will give our Cabinet a chance to showcase how they are and will continue to make a difference, and to encourage local people to get involved.  I hope local people will be able to come along to find out more.”

To book a place at the event, go to  http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/8531817897?utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=new_eventv2&utm_term=eventurl_text

ENDS

Issued: 8 October 2013.

FOR PRESS & MEDIA ENQUIRIES: contact Caroline Dearden, Communications and Engagement Manager on 0161 762 3106 or email buccg.communications@nhs.net