The patient care development programme: organisational development through user and staff involvement Available to Purchase

A number of approaches have been developed in recent years to try effectively to engage service users in the process of planning and delivering health‐care services. The consumerist methodology for the strategy described in this paper was designed to maximise staff involvement in capturing user views, in order to develop services at a district general hospital. This strategy – the Patient Care Development Programme (PCDP) – provides a framework for both staff and patient involvement in shaping and influencing the development of health‐care services. Uses the findings from applying the strategy to modify care packages, roles, skills, layouts, protocols and procedures, in response to both the “shortfalls” and the service strengths that the patient’s view uncovers. Discusses the results of an evaluation of the programme which has been replicated in another part of the UK. The PCDP now forms part of a clinical governance framework and is being used to develop multi‐agency integrated care pathways.