Research to Lead UK Public Health Consultation

Opinion Leader Research (OLR) has been recruited by the UK's Department of Health to conduct an unprecedented series of nationwide 'public engagement' events, which will shape future health and community care services.

The consultation process, called Your Health, Your Care, Your Say: Improving Community Health and Care Services, will cover all aspects of the care people need in the community and in their own homes.

OLR will run a series of interactive regional events, involving between 50 and 100 people each, followed by a national public engagement event. A 'toolkit' is also being developed to allow feedback from more local engagement events. In total, more than 100,000 people will be asked for their ideas about how health and social care services can meet the needs of people at different life stages, how individuals can become involved in shaping services, and how new technologies could help improve services. The events will begin in September, and the outcomes will feed into a government White Paper due to be published by the beginning of next year.

Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Health, says the project 'will genuinely involve patients, the public and staff in designing health and social care services in the future. This public engagement is beyond anything that the Government has done in the health field, and I want to ensure that as many different voices and opinions are heard.' She emphasises the need for the events to reach all sections of the community - young, old, people with long-standing medical conditions, and traditionally hard-to-reach ethnic minorities.

Opinion Leader Research, which has pioneered techniques including citizens' juries, citizens' forums, and collaborative workshops, is online at www.opinionleader.co.uk .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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