The Department of Health outlined in the NHS Plan, the necessity for a change in the culture of the NHS to ensure that patients, carers and the public are involved in the planning and delivery of local health services at all levels. This was further embodied in Section 11 of the Health & Social Care Act 2001. In the NHS plan this is referred to as Patient & Public Involvement (PPI) and relates to the participation of service users and carers and the wider general public in service related issues.

The Department of Health has set up the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, in order to ensure that people have a voice in local issues regarding healthcare. Their website can be found at www.cppih.org

Patient Forums
In November 2003, Community Health Councils will be abolished as part of the modernisation programme laid out by the NHS Plan. They will be replaced by 'Patient and Public Involvement Forums', which are being established at the present time and will be operational from 1st December 2003. It is proposed that the Forums will monitor and review the range and operation of services provided by the Trust from the perspective of a user. If you require further information about the development of Patient Forums you can visit the website at www.maketimeforhealth.org

Supporting Patient and Public Involvement within the Trust
At a Corporate level, the Trust has a Patient and Public Involvement Steering Group and has recently developed a Patient and Public Involvement Strategy. The Strategy has been produced following consultation with patients, clinicians and managers and was given formal approval by the Trust Board in March 2003. The Head of Operations / Chief Nurse*, has been given Executive responsibility for the implementation of the Strategy at the Hospital and can be contacted if you have any queries relating to Patient & Public Involvement or wish to receive a copy of the Strategy. As the Strategy has only recently been put in place, implementation and work relating to it, is ongoing. There will be regular reports made to the Trust Board to give updates on the progress of the involvement of patients, carers and the public in the work of the Trust.

At a corporate level, the Trust actively encourages public interest in its work, and the participation of patients and carers in a number of meetings that take place within the Trust. These include the Annual General Meeting and Bi-monthly Trust Board Meetings, which are open to any member of the public. Details of these meetings are advertised in the local press and available on the website at www.wirralhealth.org.uk. The minutes of the Trust Board Meetings are also available on the website.

Whilst the Trust's formal strategy on Patient and Public involvement has only recently been developed, our Directorates already involve patients and the public in discussion related to their services. If you would like more information about the involvement of patients and the public in a particular Directorate you can contact the relevant Directorate Manager, as identified in Part 3 of the Publication Scheme.

In line with the requirements of the NHS Plan, the Trust has developed a Patient Advisory and Liaison Service (PALS). The service exists in order to provide 'on-the-spot' assistance for patient problems or queries and to listen to any comments or complaints that patients or their families may have. Where possible we hope that this service helps to resolve issues that may cause concern or upset for patients. The Trust has a PALS Manager* and the service relies greatly upon the work of volunteers who offer their time to ensure that patients, carers and users of the Trust's services are given the opportunity to discuss their views about the Trust. In order to make the process of contacting the Trust with any issues simpler, a Freephone 'Hotline' has been set up and this is 0800 085 1547 and it is open Monday - Friday 9:30am - 4:30pm.

At Arrowe Park Hospital, there is access to independent advocacy services through the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB). The CAB offers free, confidential and impartial advice to patients and the public on a drop-in basis at their office in the main foyer. For more information on the service provided by the Citizens Advice Bureau you can visit their website at www.citizensadvice.org.uk.

The Trust has always ensured that all patients have equal access to quality healthcare by providing interpreters for patients who do not use English as their first language or have other special requirements. The Trust has recently signed up to receive the services of 'Language Line', a 24 hour interpretation service that provides a telephone link to an interpreter of whatever language is required, within 30 seconds. The Trust also operates a video interpreting service with the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), for any patient who is a sign language user, providing video consultations between the sign language user, interpreter and relevant clinician in an outpatient setting.

Wirral Hospital Trust produce a range of publications designed to keep the public informed about what is going on at the Hospital and to ensure that the local community feels involved in the day to day activity of the Trust. The Trust produces, 'Your Hospital' (twice yearly), a patient focused newsletter which gives information that will be of interest to the public. Copies of this magazine are freely available throughout the Hospital sites or can be obtained from the Publication Scheme Co-ordinator* and it is also available on the Trust's website at www.wirralhealth.org.uk. The Trust also produces the magazine 'Good Practice' (quarterly), which goes to local General Practitioners and includes information of relevance to them. Copies can also be obtained from the Publication Scheme Co-ordinator*. The Wirral Hospital website contains a large amount of information about the Trust and current issues.

Formal Consultation Documentation
There is no formal consultation within Wirral Hospital (NHS) Trust underway at the moment. We will use this section of the publication scheme to publish details on any formal consultation that occurs.