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Patient Panel

Our Patient Panel is a small group of volunteers with a range of lived experiences of NNUH services. They represent patients, families and carers and are passionate about ensuring we provide the best care for every patient.

Patient Panel members work with staff to make sure that the Patient and Carer voice is heard at every level of the Trust to help improve services and patient experience. It was set up in 2019 and this short report gives an overview of some of their work.

Read their most recent 2023/24 Patient Panel Annual Review.

What we do

  • We work on behalf of all patients, carers, relatives and visitors in order to improve patient and carer experience in partnership with staff
  • We act as the “voice of the patient/carer” and a “critical friend” of NNUH
  • We contribute to the continuous improvement of quality and services delivered by the Trust ensuring that the views of service users are sought, co-ordinated, fed back and used.

Each member has a ‘portfolio’ of involvement activities depending on their lived experiences, professional knowledge and diverse backgrounds. The panel can be called up to support and work  with clinical and non-clinical staff across the Trust – whether on a Committee, Task & Finish Group or as part of a multi-disciplinary team undertaking audits or improvement projects. Examples include:

Care Assurance Audits

Panel members join clinical colleagues to take part in unannounced visits to wards and clinics. Their role in these Care Assurance Audits is key to providing a lay perspective on the environmental checks as well as talking to patients and visitors to find out about their experiences and hear their views on the quality of care.

Watch Patient Panel member Colin on a Care Assurance Audit:

Dementia Strategy Evidence Group

Ensuring the group listens to the patient and carer perspective so that patient/public advocacy is at the forefront of what is being carried out.

Hospital Infection Control Committee

Contributing to discussions regarding future care developments and improvements, offering an objective perspective on policies and monitoring. This engagement ensures that our services are designed to provide the best possible care for our patients.

If you are interested in joining our Patient Panel email Patient.Experience@nnuh.nhs.uk