WatCom Patient Network

Dated: 30-Jan-10

Having your say in local NHS Health Services

You will know what it is like to be a user of NHS services and your experience, and those of your family and friends, is important to ensure that these are good quality services and meet the needs of those who use them.

We are approaching you to see if you would be interested in using your experiences in the work of the practice based commissioning (PBC) group covering Watford and Three Rivers and known as WatCom PBC Ltd go to www.watcompbc.co.uk

What does that actually mean?

The 28 General Practices in Watford and Three Rivers collaborate as WatCom PBC Ltd (WatCom) to commission clinical services for the local population and they want to encourage patients to participate in this process during 2009/10.

WatCom works closely with the local Primary Care Trust to plan, monitor and deliver the best possible health care for you and everyone else who lives locally.  Listening to patients about what works well and what may need to change can help improve health services in the future.

There will be a number of ways that you can help – some examples include reading patient information prepared by doctors and nurses and making sure that it is ‘user-friendly’, taking part in discussions on a particular health services that you use, providing a common sense, public perspective in deciding how limited resources should be spent – the list is endless. You will have experienced services that work well and others that don’t and we want to learn from your perspective what makes a good NHS service.

Be assured - this is not about being an expert in a particular area – there are plenty of professional staff who have been trained to do  that but rather it is about bringing your particular patient/public views to bear because at the end of the day, services should meet you and your family’s needs. About becoming, if you like, an expert patient!

We want to invite you to be part of patient network. You can be a part of this network in a way that suits you – by receiving information by email or letter, attending events or getting involved in regular group discussions.  The important element of this network is to ensure that your experiences are taken into account within the new service.

It is easy to become part of this network just contact Heather Aylward, by returning the attached form using a freepost address to:

• Heather Aylward,  Freepost 145, Hertfordshire Primary Care Trusts, Charter House, Parkway, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL8 6BR,
• e-mail to heather.aylward@herts-pcts.nhs.uk, or call her on 07770584993.