Service User Group

At the Colman Hospital, one of our key objectives is to ensure that the people who use our specialist services (Colman Centre for Specialist Rehabilitation Services and Priscilla Bacon Centre for Specialist Palliative Care Services) are fully integrated into their development and delivery. We are looking for patients, carers and family members of patients to tell us how to continue to offer the very best possible care.

The Colman Hospital Service User Group is representative of the patients and families of the Colman Hospital and the specialist services on the site. This group determines what they believe service user involvement means and has clearly defined routes to feedback ideas and suggestions into the multi-disciplinary team. It is important that the service user group are able to define their own intentions for the group and the work that they believe the group should focus on. This ensures that the feedback and ideas, which are generated by the group, are genuine and ‘real’ service user input.

There is also a small interface group made up of health care staff and service user representatives who directly liase with the service user group, acting as a source of information sharing and help feedback the thoughts and suggestions of the Service user group. Ideas and suggestions from the service user group are taken seriously and will be responded to with commitment and drive to make them a reality if possible. However, the specialist services must also work within the boundaries of legislation, procedure and financial constraints.

The groups aims are to ensure that:

• Service users to feel they have real, effective and meaningful engagement with the services they access.
• Developments in service provision are grounded in the conclusions of service user led evidence-based research.
• A culture exists which promotes partnership with service users as an integral part of the services values and objectives.
• Service developments will meet service users’ actual needs rather than perceived needs.
• We offer improved health services for all our patient groups.
• Best practice is identified by our service users.
• Effective service user contribution helps to shape the future of the service.

If you feel you might be interested in getting involved in our Service User Group, please contact Maggie Green or Deborah Wooler via our contact us page.