Would you like to join our Cancer Expert Reference Group?
What is the Expert Reference Group (ERG)?
An Expert Reference Group is a group of patients or their carers who have lived experience of cancer care and treatment who by coming together are able to share their insight and experiences with staff from across Lincolnshire cancer services to inform and advise those services.
The aim is to enable you to be involved in discussions about developments, improvements, service evaluations and redesigns relating to cancer care.
We established our Lincolnshire group a year ago and meeting every 3 months have had some really good discussions and our members have been able to give their thoughts and views and experiences on a number of topics.
Our group enables us to genuinely hear our patients and carers voices bringing lived experience to help us to be the best we can possibly be, listening and learning.
Our ERG members are ambassadors for our cancer services, helping us to ensure patients, the public and other relevant stakeholders are informed about the workings and strategic direction.
We are looking for new members. As a group member you will be able to:
- Listen to staff who design and deliver our services, make suggestions and contribute from your expert perspective as a patient who has experienced such care.
- Collectively influence and act as a representative group that can be called upon to contribute to debate and discussion about the local provision of health and care for people living with cancer.
- Bring your valuable and unique lived experience into a group of others so that together a varied and inclusive view can be sought.
How does it work?
Meetings are held every 3 months lasting 2 hours and are conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams. We are able to provide help and training on how to use Microsoft teams if this is new to you. During the meeting staff from across providers and services come and discuss a project, initiative, or a service evaluation or development they are working on; they will provide an overview and then we have a discussion about this so that your views as a group member can be considered and taken on board.
All our group members are required to have a DBS check and undergo training in relation to confidentiality and other key topics such as Safeguarding and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion. This training is standard across the NHS and completed by all staff regardless of their role. Full training support will be given. We also require all members to sign up as an Honorary Volunteer with ULHT to enable access to training & recruitment checks and any expenses reimbursements.
Are you interested? Would you like to find out more? If so, please email: [email protected]
We will then get in contact with you and discuss next steps.
Thank you for considering this and we hope to hear from you soon.