Patient and public involvement

Patient Council

The Patient Council currently consists of 12 members with a wide career and patient experience background who have volunteered to represent the views and experiences of patients and their visitors to the Trust.

The council works closely with a range of staff, at all levels, to ensure that a good quality and responsive level of service is provided to all patients during their journey through the hospital service.

Council members also represent the patient’s views as members of a range of Trust committees and working groups including: governance committee, quality governance committee,  trust research and development, patient records committee, ULHT transfusion committee, directorate clinical governance, infection control and many more.

Council members are regularly involved in PEAT visits, productive ward projects, surveying patients to obtaining their views and visiting wards on a regular basis.

The results of the surveys are collated and used to provide anecdotal evidence on the patient’s perceived standard of the service being provided by the Trust and to suggest improvements where appropriate.

The council meets on a monthly basis, to discuss their ongoing activities together with future plans, and to provide an opportunity for the Trust to keep members updated and informed about operational issues and plans.

It is important to note that if patients or their visitors have any complaints, compliments or criticisms regarding any aspect of their experience, their first port of call are to the Customer Care Team who can be contacted on (01522) 573969 or email customer.care@ulh.nhs.uk

The council’s Chairman, Jean Burgess, said that they would welcome anyone prepared to get involved.

“We aim to be representative of all sections of the local community. Members will engage with the wider community for comment and opinion, review and discuss survey results and focus group feedback and monitor issues from complaints and compliments, amongst other tasks. We feedback the findings to senior management.”

The Trust appreciates the valuable support given by the council and that the improvements they recommend are a key factor for the future developments to improve the patient experience.