• Accessibility
• 
• 
• 

Patient and Public Involvement in Health (PPI) Forums

Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Forums are made up of volunteers from local communities who are enthusiastic about helping to influence the way healthcare is delivered. These Forums are completely independent of the NHS and there is a Forum for each Trust, e.g. Mental Health, Hospital, Primary Care Trust (PCT), throughout England. The aim of the PPI Forums is to be a critical friend who works closely with the healthcare Trust but represents the public’s and patients’ views. Forums develop their own work programme to monitor health services and ensure local health issues are considered.

It is important therefore that Forums engage with the public to find out what they think of their local health services. Additionally each Forum produces an Annual Report outlining their work over the past year and their plans for the future. They also have a signposting role when questions are asked or individual complaints are highlighted to the Forums which are outside of their work remit.

In summary members conduct their work by

• listening to the views of the public and patients
• gathering evidence about issues that come to their attention
• visiting wards and departments to monitor the environment in which patients are cared for and by talking to patients
• making recommendations for change to health service managers
• gathering information to educate and train themselves to understand how the NHS works and how different organisations affect our health.

Each PPI forum is supported by a Forum Support Organisation (FSO) which is also independent of the NHS. FSOs are required to comply with policies and regulations as specified in their contracts. They provide premises for and staff to support its PPI Forums. Funding is dependent on the number of PPI Forums they support.

The Carers Federation provides administrative and development support to PPI Forums in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and South Yorkshire. Specific responsibilities are to

• Help the Commission by supporting the recruitment and training of PPI Forums
• Help PPI Forums communicate with each other, the Commission and other external networks and organisations
• Arrange for information and guidance provided by the Commission to be available to the PPI Forums
• Help PPI Forums to monitor NHS services
• Help PPI Forums play an active role in health-related decision-making
• Provide administrative support to PPI Forums

For more information, contact Yvonne McKenzie y.mackenzie@carersfederation.co.uk