Patient Involvement
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What do we mean by patient and public involvement?
Patient and public involvement refers to patients, service users, carers, families, people with lived experience of health conditions (who may or may not be current patients), patient advocacy organisations, and members of the public. We aim to work in partnership with representatives in the planning, designing dissemination and translation of clinical audit and research.1
The widely used definition of Patient and Public Involvement in research is: ‘--- research carried out ‘with’ or ‘by’ members of the public rather than ‘to’, ‘about’ or ‘for’ them’.2
1. Guide to Patient & Public Involvement in HSE research
2. Public & Patient involvement in Research (PPI) HSE Research & Development
Patient Advocacy Service
What is the Patient Advocacy Service?
The Patient Advocacy Service is an independent, free, and confidential service that provides information and support to individuals who wish to make a formal complaint through the relevant complaints policy regarding the care they have received in a Public Acute Hospital or Nursing Home. It also offers support to individuals in the aftermath of a Patient Safety Incident.
The service is entirely funded by the Department of Health, ensuring full independence from the HSE and all other service providers.
The Patient Advocacy Service assists individuals in lodging formal complaints about their experiences in a Public Acute Hospital or Nursing Home. It provides a phone line, an online contact form, and website resources to guide individuals through the complaint process.
The service helps individuals access information about the HSE complaints process, known as ‘Your Service, Your Say’ (for Public Acute Hospitals), as well as the complaints process for Nursing Homes. It offers guidance on what to include in a formal complaint and how to structure it. Additionally, the service supports individuals in exploring their options after receiving a response to their complaint.
Commissioned by the Department of Health, the Patient Advocacy Service has been developed by the National Advocacy Service.
If you need assistance making a formal complaint about the care you have experienced in a Public Acute Hospital or Nursing Home, check out the Step-by-Step Guide, read the Frequently Asked Questions, or online or by phone at 0818293003.