1. Developing qualitative feedback from the community we serve.
Tuesday 12 January 2010

2. Listening to the community.
Commitment to understanding the needs of the diversity of the community we serve. Active equality and diversity programme.
More listening in 2009 and now wanting to widen and deepen involvement – and develop effective two-way communication.

3. Listening to the community
The Trust listens:
Patient Council.
Chronic user groups and other patient communication.
Essex CC Participation Network Forum (PNF).
Essex CC Visual disability planning group.
Essex Pride organising committee.
Starting to engage with Mindful Employer, Learning Disability Partnership Board and others.
Have organised focus groups via Chelmsford CVS.
Staff/community events such as Diwali celebration.

4. Listening to the community
Need to build on the work so far.
Need to move from listening, to engaging and involving more fully.
Need to create active two-way flow of information to ensure the best service for all parts of the community.

5. Listening to the community
Want to build on established community forums and networks.
Need to understand what works best for participants.
We need to demonstrate that we listen to all parts of the community, act upon it and show that it has led to better outcomes. We will need to prove this.
And for MEHT this is not just about compliance

6. Questions. We need your help to answer these questions:
How can the Trust develop more effective two-way communications with patients/public/community?
What would effective two-way communication mean for the community (patients/public)?
How can we do this in a way that makes best use of existing forums, networks and organisations etc?
Would you like to continue to help us – and what’s the best way of doing that?

7. Anything to add? How useful has this afternoon been for you?
What worked well?
What could be done differently?

8. Contact us. . . Deirdre Miller, 01245 51 deirdre.miller@meht.nhs.uk
Gwyneth Wilson, Director of Nursing,
Thom Lafferty,
John McLellan, Interim equality and diversity adviser,