Involving People in Healthcare Policy and Practice

Citation

(2007), "Involving People in Healthcare Policy and Practice", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 20 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2007.06220cae.001

Involving People in Healthcare Policy and Practice

Please note that unless expressly stated, these are not reviews of titles given. They are descriptions of the books, based on information provided by the publishers.

Involving People in Healthcare Policy and Practice

Susie GreenRadcliffOxfordISBN 1 85775 773 4

Keywords: Healthcare policy, Patient involvement, Change management

This book explores the link between the “corridors of power” where healthcare policy is made and the hospital, health centre or clinic where it is carried out. It encourages and empowers readers to make changes in the public’s involvement at a local level and explains how this impacts positively on organizational culture.

A user-friendly book written in a light and easy-to-read style, it combines theoretical arguments with tried and tested practical applications and features contributions from a wide range of experienced professionals.

This is essential reading for every member of the healthcare team. It will be of particular interest to patient and public involvement leads as well as patient advice and liaison service workers, healthcare policy makers and shapers, students and patient groups.

There are practical examples aplenty but they are located within a theoretical framework that hopefully, gives them coherence, consistency and a sense of direction. For me, practice that is not underpinned by theoretical knowledge is blind and mechanistic; it may enable one to tick the boxes but it does not facilitate reflection or developmental thinking. Good grounding gives confidence, courage, flexibility and the ability to face and welcome change but it takes time and thought, both of which may feel like obsolete luxuries in the present climate of instant communication, targets and “do it by yesterday”.

Contents include:

1. 1.

   Part 1:

   • •

     Theory and practice of policy implementation;

   • •

     Service user and carer policy, its origins and aims;

   • •

     A further look at factors influencing policy development; and

   • •

     “You will reach for the stars” – policy requirements.

2. 2.

   Part 2:

   • •

     The reality of policy implementation;

   • •

     Rethinking how we interpret service user and carer policy;

   • •

     Making policy happen;

   • •

     Telling it like it is;

   • •

     Getting on with the job;

   • •

     Heart of the Trust Scheme;

   • •

     Singing from the same hymn sheet – developing a strategy, structures and systems;

   • •

     And on to policies, protocols, procedures and people;

   • •

     The Human Resource.

3. 3.

   Part 3:

   • •

     Bringing it together – the “lived” experience;

   • •

     Going the extra mile;

   • •

     Donna’s Story;

   • •

     A rights based approach;

   • •

     A change of heart; and

   • •

     Political challenges for the lay representative.