Locally, the NHS is committed to putting patients and the public at the centre of our services, ensuring that they have a strong voice in shaping them and are well supported when they use them. We value your views and want to make sure that you have every chance to let us know what you think.

Ways to get involved..

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS is a quick way of resolving many of the day-to-day problems people can have with the NHS - it helps you get a speedy answer or a way to finding out what you need to know.
More about PALS»

Register as a member of your NHS Foundation Trust
This will give you the opportunity to comment on the Trust’s services and how they are being developed. You can vote to elect Governors or you could even stand for election yourself.
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust membership»
Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust membership»

Expert Patient Programme
Allows you to have a direct impact on your own health. This free six-session course is available to anybody who has any long-term health condition. It builds on skills you will have developed while you have been managing your illness and can also give you new skills.
Go to the National Expert Patients Programme website»

Public consultations
You could send comments on public consultations. These are designed to help find out what people want from health and social care provided in their community. Local consultations currently in progress:
Achieving Balanced Health»
Consultation on Future Mental Health Services in Sheffield (consultation now closed)»
Sheffield Children's NHS Trust Foundation Status Proposals (consultation now closed) - consultation response»

Patient Panels
If your local GP surgery has a Patient Panel you could ask about joining it. You will be invited to Panel meetings and have the chance to talk directly to staff that work at the surgery and help them to understand what you and the local community need from them.
More about GP Practices in Sheffield»

Patient and Public Involvement Forums (PPI Forums)
These work in every NHS trust and PCT area to get the views of local people about local health services and feeding these into trusts. Over 5000 people are currently members of forums.
Patient and Public Involvement Forums (PPI Forums)»

Patient Councils or User Groups
You could become involved with Patient Councils or User Groups such as Sheffield Cancer Services Advisory Service. You can request more information about these from PALS staff.
Go to STH Patient Council»

Trust Public Board meetings
These meetings can be informative and can also give you the chance to raise issues.
More about the local NHS»

Publications
Look out for newsletters and leaflets that give out information about activities relating to health in your area.
Local NHS publications»

There may well be other things you can do - join a Readers' Panel, where you can comment on and help produce information for patients; train to sit on interview panels for some NHS posts; or record your experiences of your NHS treatment and put them in suggestion boxes.

Whatever you decide to do, your contribution is important. It can help to shape the way the NHS works for you.

For more information about getting involved, just speak to the PALS Manager at the appropriate Trust.

Patient choice main page»