PATIENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT FORUM Working with but independent of SOUTHEND HOSPITAL ANNUAL REPORT 1 April March 2006

Achievements Outcome Impact 1. The Joint Infection Control and Cleanliness Group has undertaken 19 visits/revisits to wards at Southend Hospital during the year. Reports on the findings at these visits have been sent to the hospital for action. Improvements in patient environment and in the control of infection.

AchievementsOutcome Impact 2 Assisted to develop and implement a training program for Catering and Domestic staff at Southend Hospital Improvements in the Patient’s environment and in the control of infection

AchievementsOutcome Impact 3 Involvement in the Dignity and Respect Action Group and the South East Essex and Essex End of Life Care Programme Groups Raising the level of dignity and respect with which patients are treated.

Forum Activities Activities include: 1.Monitoring/Reviewing of NHS Services  Joint Infection Control & Cleanliness Work Group  Monitoring Patient Advice and Liaison Services  National Service Framework for Diabetes  End of Life Care Programme 2.Consultations/Working in partnership  Essex and Southend Overview and Scrutiny Committee

3.Working with the Hospital Trust  Forum members meet with the PPI lead at the hospital  A Forum representative attends Trust Board Meetings  Training courses for Domestic staff and promoting the importance of their work  Meetings with Chief Executive and Chairman  Members attend awareness days at the hospital  Members attend Hospital Users Group and Dignity and Respect Action Group.

4.Community Involvement and Promotion of PPI - meetings in public, presentations, advertisements, flyers and posters, Essex radio, newspaper articles and photographs. 5.Developing the Forum  Training  Promotion  Recruitment 6.Joint Forum activities  Members have attended Joint Forum meetings  Meetings organised by CPPIH to promote joint working

Meetings  3 meetings in public  9 informal meetings and  10 meetings of the Joint Infection Control and Cleanliness working group  19 Hospital inspection visits.

Future Directions Increased Membership – the strength of the Forum has increased to 11 Expanded work plan to include more JIC&C visits to wards Public questionnaire Greater representation and closer co-operation

The members of the Patient and Public Involvement Forum – Southend Hospital intend to use the remaining time available working to improve the experience of Hospital users. The transition to LINKS will offer further opportunities to those members who wish to continue working for the benefit of local people within a more broadly based network.