Patient and Public Involvement (PPI)

The NHS aims to put the patient at the centre of everything it does and this Trust is working to continue developing good patient and public and involvement (PPI) practice. The background to the NHS system for PPI is outlined below.

The legal background to PPI

The system of patient and public involvement was legislated for in the Health and Social Care Act 2001 and the NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002 and subsequently in the NHS Act 2006.  

Section 242 of the NHS Act 2006 - Involvement and Consultation

Section 242 places a legal duty on NHS trusts, Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities to make arrangements to involve and consult patients and the public in service planning and operation, and in the development of proposals for changes. This is a statutory duty, which means consulting and involving:

Please see the consultation section of the website for more details of our formal consultations.

PALS

NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts all have Patient Advice and Liaison (PALS) providing on the spot help and information about health services.

In addition they give advice about the NHS Complaints Procedure and the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS).

A stronger local voice (LINks)

A Local Involvement Network (LINk) has been set up in Norfolk to monitor and influence the provision of health and social care services. This means everything from GPs, dentists, domestic and day care to hospitals and residential care.

Made up of members of the public, local user groups and representatives from voluntary and community organisations, the LINk will ensure that the views of patients and members of the public are taken into account so that services improve. The LINk will do this by:

• giving NHS Trusts and Adult Social Services ongoing feedback on the quality and delivery of their services
• conveying the views of local people to health and social care decision-makers (commissioners) so that services cater for the needs of Norfolk residents
• helping government regulators, like the Healthcare Commission, access local information and LINk views
• informing local government Overview and Scrutiny Cmmittees about issues under LINk scrutiny.

We would like to invite individuals or representatives from voluntary, community and social care groups, to join or contact Norfolk Link to share your views about how services can be improved.

If you would like you to join any of the working groups or the LINk group, please contact us to discuss the possibility.

Norfolk LINk
83-87 Pottergate, Norwich NR2 1DZ
Tel: 01603 883860 (Monday to Friday)

Independent Complaints Advocacy Services (ICAS)

The Health and Social Care Act 2001 placed a duty on the Secretary of State for Health to make arrangements for advocacy services to be provided to people wishing to make a complaint about their NHS care.

ICAS can help you if you feel you have not had the service you expect from the NHS and want to complain. 

They can be contacted at:

POhWER, PO Box 14043, Birmingham B6 9BL

Tel:  0300 456 2370                                                              

Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSCs)

From January 2003, OSCs were set up in local councils with social services responsibilities (in our case Norfolk County Council) and they have the power to scrutinise health services. This contributes to their wider role in health improvement and reducing health inequalities for their areas.

OSCs: