Independent public involvement review
In February 2021, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) published Integration and Innovation: working together to improve health and social care for all, its white paper setting out legislative proposals for a Health and Care Bill.
West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership, an integrated care system, requested an independent external review of their involvement activities with the aim of assessing strategic readiness to adapt to the direction of travel outlined in the integrated care white paper.
Stand was appointed to seek input from Healthwatch, partnership communications and engagement leads, councillors, programme directors, VCSE, and public involvement practitioners, wider public, governors and non-executive directors by means of discussions and focus groups.
Firstly, Stand carried out a desk review of the Partnership’s existing communication and involvement plan, and the DHSC’s white paper to inform discussions within the involvement activity.
Stand organised three online focus groups in April and May 2021 targeting identified stakeholders for participation. For those who were unable to attend the events, we organised a wider discussion forum and an online survey to ensure their voices were still heard.
We analysed the outputs and produced a report setting out key recommendations based on issues and themes raised in the engagement activities which is informing the future design of the Integrated Care System’s involvement framework / plans.
Karen Coleman, associate director of communications and engagement, at West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership said:
“We are a learning, listening partnership, and as such we wanted to commission an independent review into our current involvement approach, so we could build on our strengths and further improve. Having the right support to do this was important. We have good relationships with all colleagues, partners and stakeholders, and we needed an organisation we could trust to deliver. We weren’t disappointed. Working with Stand met our expectations. They were timely, professional, approachable advisors from day one to publication of the report – a pleasure to work alongside.”
