NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships have a legal requirement to involve people in designing, developing and delivering the health care services provide for them.
Effective approaches for community engagement and participation are critical in ensuring our services are fit for purpose, fit for the future and support better outcomes for people using services, carers and local communities.
Community; refers to a group of people that share a common place (people in a geographical areas such as a village or neighbourhood), a common interest (people who share a particular interest or experience) or a common identity (perhaps demographic characteristics such as age,race) There are also individuals and groups with common needs.
Engagement; is a broad term that covers a whole range of activities that encourage and enable people to be involved in decisions about issues that affect them. This can range from encouraging communities to share their views on how their needs are best met and influence how service should be delivered, to giving communities the power to inform decisions and provide services.
Public Partner Volunteer – Lung Cancer Services Group
Members of the public are sought to join this group who have been/are patients or persons who have been affected by lung cancer. The purpose of the group is to improve the lung cancer pathway; working alongside our outstanding clinical teams. We're looking for people who want to use their skills to make a meaningful and impactful contribution to the lives of those affected by lung cancer.
The group will meet every fortnight, virtually –a Wednesday at 3pm – 4pm
Meetings will last approximately one hour. Members are asked to commit to their role in the group up to the end of June 2024.
We would ask that volunteers:
- be a resident within the NHS Fife Board area
- have lived experience of a lung cancer diagnosis (as patient, family member or carer)
- due to the online nature of meetings at the present time, volunteers would require the skill and technology to access meetings
- have good verbal and listening skills
- have a genuine and enthusiastic interest in the NHS and health and social care
If you would like to get involved, please note your interest to fife.participationandengagements@nhs.scot or telephone Theresa Rodigan on 01592 618254.
Public Partner Volunteer – Prostate Cancer Services Group
Members of the public are sought to join this group who have been/are patients or persons who have been affected by prostate cancer. The purpose of the group is to improve the prostate cancer pathway; working alongside our outstanding clinical teams. We're looking for people who want to use their skills to make a meaningful and impactful contribution to the lives of those affected by prostate cancer.
The group will meet monthly, on the first Thursday of every month from 15:00 to 16:00
Meetings will last approximately one hour. Members are asked to commit to their role in the group up to the end of June 2024.
We would ask that volunteers:
- be a resident within the NHS Fife Board area
- have lived experience of a prostate cancer diagnosis (as patient, family member or carer)
- due to the online nature of meetings at the present time, volunteers would require the skill and technology to access meetings
- have good verbal and listening skills
- have a genuine and enthusiastic interest in the NHS and health and social care
If you would like to get involved, please note your interest to fife.participationandengagements@nhs.scot or telephone Theresa Rodigan on 01592 618254
Public Partner Volunteer – Pharmacy Practices Committee
A Pharmacy Practices Committee considers applications for new Community Pharmacy Contracts. The Committee complies with the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations, and acts on behalf of NHS Fife Board. The Regulations determine the makeup of the Committee; 2 lay members are required for each hearing. Public representatives / service users / carers are being recruited to support the Committee in its work and offer an additional perspective which will be valued.
The Committee convene when a new application is received; agenda / papers / guidance will be issued at least two weeks before the meeting. Members would undertake a site visit prior to the meeting to familiarise themselves with the proposed pharmacy location.
We would ask that volunteers:
- resident within the NHS Fife Board area
- have the required skill and technology to access online meetings
- have good verbal and listening skills
- have a genuine and enthusiastic interest in the NHS and health and social care
If you would like to get involved, please note your interest to fife.participationandengagements@nhs.scot or telephone Theresa Rodigan on 01592 618254 by Friday 17 March 2023.
How to get involved - Join our Directory!
The Directory is a virtual group of patients, carers, members of the public, and community groups who have an interest in knowing about and improving local health and care services in Fife. Being a member of the Directory for health and care means you can receive up to date information about the health and care services that matter to you. You will also hear about ways you can give your views or time in different ways to help us put people and communities at the heart of your local NHS and social care services. This could mean reviewing patient focused literature, taking part in a one off discussion group or being a member of a forum or committee.
To join or find out more contact us at fife.participationandengagements@nhs.scot
Accessible Communication Group
An Accessible Communication Group is being established to support the coordination and creation of patient information and materials, as well as support the implementation of the Translation and Interpreting Policy and subsequent related polices.
The group is seeking two members of the public who have an interest / and or experience in designing, drafting or reviewing patient information and who has been / or is interested / involved in providing accessible communication
To find out more about this and how to note interest, read the letter below.
Fair Treatment Statement
No applicant will be unfairly discriminated against. We are particularly alert to eliminating discrimination on account of age, cultural/religious/political belief, disability, ethnicity, gender, race, relationship status, sexual orientation, and/or Trade Union membership or stewardship.
Your information
You are providing your personal details to NHS Fife as part of your role as a volunteer within the health board. The details you provide will be stored in an online secure database within the NHS network accessible to only the volunteering management team. Your personal details will not be shared with other organisations unless otherwise agreed. The information will be used to match volunteers with appropriate opportunities and to retain a record of volunteering activity for administration purposes. Anonymised reports will be created from the information and used to inform service developments at a local and national level. The information will be kept for six years from the point you cease volunteering.
You can request a copy of the information the board holds in relation to your volunteering status by making a ‘subject access request’ under the General Data Protection Regulations 2018.