How can we actively involve our service users?
A comprehensive consultation strategy
Dyfed Powys police force seeks the views of the public, its own staff and
partners through a comprehensive consultation strategy. The strategy for
this large force includes a biannual external survey of 10,000 potential
users, internal survey of staff perceptions every two to three years and
consultation with six specific customer groups annually, including 999
callers, victims of assault and police counter visitors.
Strategy and Planning Officer Paul Morris said: We are looking at a range
of methods to find out how the public experiences our service. The
information helps the police authority set policing priorities, for example
they reacted to an increase in motorbike accidents in 2001-02 by setting a
new priority to reduce the number of road accidents resulting in death or
serious injury. We used a combination of enforcement and education, and in
the first six months of the year there has been a significant reduction in
accidents.'
The force uses other methods of consultation to reach groups who slip
through the traditional consultation net. 'In each of our divisions we
have focus groups of under-represented people, such as minority ethnic
communities and the gay community,' said Paul Morris. The focus groups
meet quarterly with local divisional staff and corporate services in a
community setting, away from police stations. 'They can flag their
experiences and issues, and tell us how we can adapt our police services to
the needs of those groups.'
The results of consultation are used to improve and modify services, one
example being the recent increased use of pro-active teams to target drug
dealers.
Want to know more? Contact: Paul Morris, Strategy and
Planning Officer
Tel. 01267 226638, Email: paul.morris@dyfed-powys.pnn.police.uk
The Patients' Participation Panel
Patients are pro-actively involved in the running of the Coventry practice
of Dr Kenyon and Partners. The Patients' Participation Panel is an
imaginative initiative that encourages patients to take part in decisions
concerning their care and the service offered by the practice.
The nine-strong panel meets every month with the surgery's business
manager and a doctor. It helps develop service standards for the practice
and supports the surgery with any problems. The panel has a direct effect
on services. For example, when the chiropody service at the surgery was
withdrawn, the panel wrote to the health authority in support of the
surgery's campaign to bring it back. As a result, the service was
reinstated.
The panel gives the surgery a patient's perspective on services.
'Working here you are very busy and you don't notice everything
that patients care about,' admits Business Manager Maureen Price.
'One of the things they brought up was a rocky paving slab in front of
our building, which could have been a risk to an elderly patient. We got it
fixed. The panel also highlighted the fact that there were no disabled
parking spaces in front of our other surgery. They lobbied the local
council and got us two disabled parking spaces.'
The practice also consults more widely, with an annual patient
questionnaire and by inviting responses on any planned changes. 'If we
are going to make any changes that affect patients, for example repeat
prescribing, we put up a big display and we send letters to all patients
who are affected,' says Maureen. 'At this surgery, we don't
just alter things and expect patients to fall in line with us.'
Want to know more? Contact: Maureen Price, Business
Manager
Tel. 02476 516925, Email: maureen.price@gp-m86015.wmids.nhs.uk
