What if face-to-face patient and public involvement was no longer an option? How does digital first engagement relate to the most regulated field of public participation in the world?
When it comes to engagement, involvement or consultation the UK’s National Health Service is probably the most highly regulated sector in the world. Indeed, there are Acts of Parliament for NHS England alone, making patient and public involvement in health and social care a statutory obligation, with reams of official NHS guidance detailing how this should be done. Similar requirements are also placed on the NHS in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Typically, this means that commissioners of health services and providers (e.g. hospital trusts) must involve people in proposals for changes to their local health services. This takes the form of informing, involving and consulting, with many people getting confused over which one they are actually doing (but that’s another matter for discussion).
continue to read NHS Duty to Involve and Digital First Engagement
