Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement

The Trust recognises that to create a patient centred organisation there has to be real involvement and engagement with service users, local people and groups so that they can genuinely influence decisions.

To ensure the Trust is patient focused we have a Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement strategy as well as a three- year delivery plan with associated objectives, measureable targets, and timescales to implement engagement activity and to make sure patients and the public are involved at all stages of service development and design.  Completion of this is monitored by the Trust Quality and Risk Assurance Committee.

A user group exists which is well embedded within the Trust. Trust User Group members (TUG) are a keen and enthusiastic group of volunteers who are willing to participate and support the Trust where ever they can, but also to be a critical friend when necessary.  They continue to work with their own Local Involvement Networks (LINks) to ensure issues from the community are brought back to the Trust and acted upon in a timely fashion. The group also has its own work plan and members sit on many of the Trust groups and committees, ensuring patient and public representation and involvement in integral at all levels of Trust activity.

Summaries of the Trust User Group members meetings are available on this site.

The Trust continues to maintain good relationships with LINks and local communities by attending local events and engaging with specific groups e.g. Community Conversation events in Suffolk and the Crucial Crew events for adults with learning disabilities. We also attend county shows and summer events to promote the work of the Trust and to give us opportunities to engage with members of the public.

The Trust is also currently applying for Foundation Trust status.  This will mean we will establish closer links with those that are most important to us – our patients, staff, volunteers and local communities. 

You can view the Patient and Public Involvement & Engagement (PPI&E) Annual Report (April 2010 – March 2011) here.

Recent PPI reports available below:

Tell us your story 2011 summary

Discovery interviews - April 2011 to March 2012

Summary Report on NHS Community Conversations 2011

PPIE Public Engagement Activity 2011-2012