Faculty of Health

The Department of Health's long-term strategy for development in public health extends from the individual to communities.  Sustainable improvements in the public health are anticipated to be possible if there is substantial public engagement (not just consultation).  However, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) notes that healthcare professionals are the biggest barrier to community involvement.  Public engagement in NHS decision making can be tokenistic and superficial without true partnership. For real involvement (and choice), communities need information and power.  There have been calls for healthcare professionals to re-examine their working culture and consider new ways of working. This module will allow health and social care professionals to develop the advanced leadership skills to engage with the public in a true partnership and encourage them to develop a shared vision of health and social care.

The module will allow the student to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to effectively engage patients and the public in healthcare decision making.

Graduate or equivalent health or social care professional, registered or eligible for registration and with access to patient or public services.

The module will be supported by study days with talks and workshops by speakers drawn from areas including patient and carer networks, charities, industry and the third sector. Following these 'taster' sessions, students will explore and investigate an area where they feel they can contribute. Through group work and individual study a project will be developed. The module does not intend to be prescriptive about what students will actually do but topics will be negotiated and approved in advance with the module leader. A seminar presentation will conclude the module in front of an invited audience.

Allocation Student Time

• 18 hours face to face study days with key note speakers drawn from some or all of expert patients, community leaders, carers, charities, private sector and third sector leaders.
• 30 hours in action learning sets to develop resources to support a novel community project
• 102 hours of individual student effort, including meetings with educational supervisor at the outset and as required by the student, practice based work, background reading and further scholarly activity as required to complete the project.

Assessment Methods

The student will identify a subject from their workplace suitable for a patient or public engagement project. The project will enable the demonstration of leadership and organisational skills and lead to enhanced public involvement.  Assessment will be by portfolio (guide length 2500 words) and a 10 minute presentation. A seminar will be arranged for a presentation of the project outcomes jointly by students and key members of the public involved.

Reflective Diary - Personal account of reflection and learning from the workshops and project, with identified learning and an action plan developed for the future. (Guide length 1500 words)

Module Session Dates:

7 October 2013, 16 October 2013, Presentation Date: 9 April 2014