A lot is happening within the patient partnership space throughout not only the HSE but also within the Department of Health and other healthcare agencies and organisations. The partnership landscape in the health service is changing as the HSE undergoes reform and transitions into the Health Regions. In this changing environment, the role of patient and service user partners and their input into planning, design, improvement and evaluation of health services is hugely important.
We would like to invite you to join the National Patient and Service User Forum. The role of the National Patient and Service User Forum is evolving and we have included some background information that may be of interest to you. Membership of the Forum is entirely voluntary and there is no obligation on you to join. If you are more interested in local issues, there will be opportunities to get involved at regional level, as the partnership structures get established in the Health Regions.
How is the Forum different to the Panel
· The Forum meets once a month usually online
· They have independently elected Co-Chairs
· They have Terms of Reference and a co-designed and established “Vision for Patient Partnership across our HSE” (both documents are attached)
Further information is available from
· https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/national-services/partnering-with-patients/national-patient-forum/
Next steps
· If you are interested in joining the Forum, please complete the attached membership form and email it back to by 4th December 2024. You will then be added to the Forum mailing list, and you will receive invites to the Forum monthly meetings (usually online, but sometimes in person in Dublin). You will also receive other communications about opportunities to partner with the HSE and other healthcare agencies on different pieces of work.
