PATIENT EMPOWERMENT Patient Representative Programme Est Beaumont Hospital Presented by Angela Connolly

It Could be you! Feeling disempowered

Healthcare Professional Consumer Patient

Feeling vulnerable Not involved No dialogue Disempowered No Partnership No Voice in the System

Patient Representative Programme means Empowerment Learning from our customers Taking a proactive Role Providing a support & information service to our patients and staff Complaint Resolution Negotiation & Mediation Building trust

Our objectives To enable patients and families to obtain solutions to problems To work in partnership with our patients To initiate change through analysis of data To launch a Patient Representative policy To support and train staff in complaint resolution

Methodology Developed a Patient Representative Programme Secured the co-operation of management, staff & patients in order to implement same Implemented an official Hospital Complaints policy Installed a customised software package Agreed on a phased introduction Promoted the programme throughout all disciplines within the hospital To Success

Why Change ? Our customers had no trust in the system Reluctance by staff to deal with issues at local level No patient participation in working groups Patients /staff were disempowered

Natural Progression was the introduction of a Patient Consumer Panel Created a partnership of mutual trust and understanding between our patients & staff Gave a means to actively listen to and learn from our patients Enhanced dialogue Enables its members to act as a consultative body for senior management

Function of Patient Consumer Panel To provide a voice to our patients in the decision making process To introduce fresh thinking and possibilities for improvement To highlight issues of importance attached to user needs

Some changes attributed to Group Improvements in facilities in A&E Better registration for patients with disabilities Improved seating arrangements in some clinics Breaking bad news.

2004 Working in Partnership Patients involved in review of services Representation of patients on project groups Patient representation on Accreditation committees

Activity

R E S U L T S: Empowerment of patients and staff Introduction of training programmes for staff in conflict negotiation Improved information and support for patients and staff Reduction of official complaints Patient representation on committees Patients now have a voice in the decision making process

Complaint Resolution V Support ,397 cases 16% of activity = Complaint Resolution 84% of activity = Support/Information cases 46% of activity = Complaint Resolution 54% of activity = Support/Information

Feeling vulnerable Not involved No dialogue Disempowered No Partnership No Voice in the System

Empowerment allows our relationships to grow in strength