One of the most important objectives of a Managed Clinical Network is the involvement and inclusion and of patients and carers when considering the design or redesign of services, or simply to provide information for patients and carers.
Inclusion of local and national voluntary organisations, carers networks and relevant charities to ensure patient and carer perspective is also an integral part of the network’s priorities. Different charities are invited to sit on the network’s Steering Group and short life working groups as appropriate. Patient engagement is employed in the following ways:
Patient Chest Club
Patient Chest Club events and are designed to provide information for patients and carers who suffer from respiratory conditions, and are held in partnership with local peer support groups who decide the programme for the day. The events hare held on a rotational basis in different localities, allowing patients across Lanarkshire to access a range of information and advice from different organisations, e.g. voluntary organisations, local authorities, welfare benefits as well as NHS Lanarkshire. The events are informal and everyone is welcome to come along.
Patient Focus Groups
Patient Focus Groups are a way of getting patients and carers together on a one-off basis to consider a particular issue or topic. This method of patient engagement has been used in the past to consider Scottish Government documents, development of a self-management toolkit for respiratory patients.
Patient Champions
As it has proven extremely challenging to establish a formal Patient/Carer Sub-group for Respiratory, due to the nature of Respiratory illness, the Respiratory MCN has identified Patient Champions from the British Lung Foundation (BLF) Breathe Easy Groups to attend working groups and Committees, ensuring patient representation is included when considering service design/improvement, and that information is fed back to the different groups. In addition, the MCN office will maintain close working links with each Breathe Easy Group and provide annual presentations to keep them up to date on the work of the Network and to obtain their views.
Anyone wishing further information about Patient Chest Clubs or how they can become involved in the Respiratory MCN should contact the Network Co-ordinator on
01355 585186