Having your say about health and care services
You can help to improve our health services. You can volunteer to take part in groups or forums to make sure the views of patients, carers and the public are heard. Your feedback is used to improve health services in the North East of England.
NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NHS NENC ICB)
NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB is responsible for planning and delivering local health services. This new organisation formed on 1 July 2022 and replaced the former Clinical Commissioning Groups.
Newcastle Patient Public and Carer Engagement Forum
The ICB’s local involvement team supports this forum for patients, members of the public and voluntary organisations in Newcastle. It meets every three months to:
- hear from the ICB and other organisations on their work
- explore different NHS and Care themes and topics
- give patients and members of the public a voice, to help shape the work of the ICB and raise issues that are important to you
The forum is always keen to welcome new members and would love to hear from you.
Find out more about how to get involved with your local NHS.
If you need support to take part in the forum, please contact the team. They can arrange an interpreter for you (including BSL) or if you have hearing or speech difficulties, you can use Relay UK to help you communicate.
NHS Patient Forums, Community Forum and Governing Body meetings
These groups allow patients to share experiences of health and healthcare services and influence future decisions. You can find out about integrated care system development plans and give your views on their work to help improve health services by participating in regular sessions such as
- Patient Forums
- Community Forum
- Governing Body Meetings
Find out more about how to get involved with the Forums for the NHS NENC ICB
GP Practice
Each GP Practice should have a patient group. This may be a face to face group or a virtual group. Find out by asking your GP practice Manager
Involve North East
Involve North East is a charity that works to improve health and wellbeing through involving communities in decisions around health provision and giving people the chance to have their voices heard.
Involve North East work with and represent communities through Health Action Networks. Networks come together to discuss issues related to all aspects of health, whether it be identifying gaps in services, putting forward ideas for new GP services, or sharing views and thoughts.
To get involved, you could:
- join the Health Action Network and take part in its work; or
- bring your local health issues along to the meetings.
Healthwatch Newcastle
Healthwatch Newcastle helps people speak up about health and social care services in Newcastle, and can provide information about these services.
They help residents have their say in several ways. The Healthwatch Newcastle phone and email service offers free, confidential and independent information about local social care and health services. There is also an online ‘Feedback Centre’ where you can search for local services, as well as review and rate them using a star system.
Healthwatch also run a monthly online forum for anyone interested in health and social care services in Newcastle and Gateshead.
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has a members forum which is made up of people who represent their local community and reflect a variety of different views.
You may want to become a member if you are interested in finding out about the Hospitals Trust’s current and future proposals and want to contribute to some of the projects. You can comment through the How did we do link or to get involved, you could register and:
- attend events to see what goes on behind the scenes at the hospitals;
- receive information about the hospitals’ plans and developments via a members only website and newsletter;
- join specific projects and give your views on services;
- stand for election to the Members Council (the governing body for the Hospitals Trust); and
- vote for your representatives on the Members Council.
There is a new opportunity to influence services for patients and carers – Advising on Patient Experience. Contact 0191 213 9622 or 0191 223 1214.
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW)
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust provides a wide range of mental health, disability and substance misuse services.
To get involved, you could register and:
- receive regular information about the Trust
- give your views on the Trust’s future plans and your ideas to make things better for everyone who uses its services
- have your say on issues that interest you
- elect people to the Council of Governors (which represents the views of the members)
- stand for election to the Council of Governors
- join the regular patient reference group chaired by a lay member
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) provides support and information to patients, their families and carers, and helps to sort out any problems or concerns about NHS services and the care they receive from any health care service.
Patients Association
The Patients Association has a national telephone and email helpline for anyone trying to navigate health and care systems in the UK. The helpline service is free and confidential. They provide guidance and signposting on how to:
- access to treatments
- get a second opinion on your health condition or diagnosis
- make a complaint
- understand social care
- get your voice heard as a patient rights and responsibilities
- change your GP or dentist
- see your medical records
- speak to other organisations to help you if needed
Drug and Alcohol Service User and Carer support forums
The Newcastle Drug and Alcohol Service User and Carer Forums is for adults who are affected by drug and alcohol use and their carers. They run 2 forums. Contact them to take part in their forums:
Newcastle User Carer Forum is for people who support someone in Newcastle who uses drugs, alcohol or both. At the forum you can help to improve a treatment and recovery services in Newcastle. you can talk about your experiences and get your voice heard. You can chat to other carers and raise any issues that you have. The forum meets 4 times a year at different venues across the city.
The Newcastle Service User and Carer Forum is for service users, carers of people who are in and out of treatment and the recovery community. The forums are an opportunity to chat and to raise any issues that you may have. It also provides a supportive place for peer led activities, training, volunteer opportunities, advocacy, and mentoring. The forum meets every 2 weeks from 12pm until 2pm at ReCoCO: The Recovery College
The Stroke Research Patient and Carer Panel
The Stroke Research Patient and Carer Panel is a group for stroke patients, carers and those interested in stroke research co-ordinated by NIHR Clinical Research Network North East and North Cumbria and NHS North East & North Cumbria integrated care board
They welcome people who have had a stroke, are caring for a loved one who has had a stroke, work with stroke patients or are involved in stroke research to join the panel. They meet several times a year.
Connected Voice Haref
Connected Voice Haref is a network of organisations and individual practitioners focused on reducing health inequalities and maximising wellbeing and health for people living in black and minority ethnic communities.
Patient safety
There is an independent person for patients to contact with any concerns about NHS patient safety. You can contact the Patient Safety Commissioner for England to get your voice heard and have your feedback acted upon.
Research in health and care
Research improves the health and social care provided by the NHS and others. Advancing medicine to find new cures and better treatments for future generations. It also helps to improve diagnosis, prevention and quality of life for everyone. In some cases it can change lives, or even save lives.
Read more about how to get involved in health research.
Volunteer in Newcastle
Volunteering is where you offer your time and skills for free to a charity, organisation or an individual who is not a member of your family or a friend.
Volunteering can be a hugely rewarding experience. Not only will you be giving your time to doing something useful, you can meet new people, learn new skills and hopefully have fun as well.
Read more about how to volunteer in Newcastle.
How to make a complaint
If you’re not happy with the services that you have received you can read more on InformationNOW about how to make a complaint about:
You can find more tips about how to make a good complaint on InformationNOW
Advocacy: Help to get your voice heard
Advocacy is free, independent support to help you to get your voice heard. Advocacy services pair you up with an independent advocate who is on your side if you need support. They can:
- help you to find information
- talk things through with you to find out what you want
- support you to get your views across at appointments and meetings
- help you to understand your rights
Read more about advocacy support available in Newcastle
Last updated: October 2, 2024