Power to the People: Why consultation is key for improved patient outcomes
August 5, 2019 | patient outcomes
Meningitis Research Foundation has been working with Say Communications to help boost our public consultation on a Roadmap to Defeat Meningitis. But with over 100 experts providing detailed information on the draft roadmap, why is a public consultation so vital for patient outcomes?
Meningitis Research Foundation has been working with Say Communications to help boost our public consultation on a Roadmap to Defeat Meningitis. But with over 100 experts providing detailed information on the draft roadmap, why is a public consultation so vital for patient outcomes?
It is our view that involving patients and the public at the start of any new health initiative can bring about a range of benefits:
Benefits for the health initiative
While the public respect expert decisions, many want to be consulted about their health. An Ipsos MORI poll for the King’s Fund found that while nearly a third of people said that decisions about treatments and services should be made solely by qualified health professionals, the majority (56 per cent) said that the public should be consulted first, with the final decisions being taken by someone qualified. Around 14 per cent said the public should be much more actively involved.
With such an appetite for involvement, failing to consult could result in a public and patient group that do not trust a service or feel that their voice has not been heard. Additionally, by involving people from the start, organisations can build relationships with powerful public advocates to help bring about change and have an impact. Healthwatch, an independent national champion for people who use health and social care services, noted in their annual report that their work gathering the views of 341,000 people over the course of a year had fed into service improvement nationally and demonstrated the impact that a strong public voice can have.
Benefits to the patient
There is also a range of evidence showing that public involvement in health initiatives can improve health outcomes. Services tend to be better designed and easier to access when patients or the public have been involved and those who engage are more likely to take a more active role in their own health if they have been involved from the outset.
A selection of NICE reviews published in 2015 showed the wide-reaching positive impact that public engagement with health can have, including:
- Improved health behaviours
- Improved clinical measures
- Higher health/social status
- Self-efficacy and patients believing they can reach their goals
- Improved knowledge or attitudes
Effective and efficient
In a 2014 paper published in Health Affairs, researchers examined four case studies which highlighted how patient engagement has the potential to improve health outcomes while reducing costs. The authors examined a mental health community in the United Kingdom; a screening program in the United Arab Emirates; a World Health Organization checklist for new mothers; and a hospital-based patient engagement initiative in the United States. The conclusion showed that a greater level of engagement from patients, families, providers, systems and policy makers could bring about more effective and appropriate healthcare using fewer resources.
Our roadmap
When it comes to developing a Roadmap to Defeat Meningitis, Meningitis Research Foundation is using the public consultation to gather vital views and generate new advocates that will help us to take action in the coming years. The evidence shows that public consultation isn’t just a good thing to do, it is essential to get the best results.
To learn more about Meningitis Research Foundation’s Roadmap to Defeat Meningitis, please visit: https://www.meningitis.org/our-strategy/what-we-do/action-and-support/meningitis-2030
Rob Dawson is Director of Communications, Advocacy and Support at Meningitis Research Foundation UK.
This content was provided by Say Communications
Company Details
Latest Content from Say Communications
The 7 truths behind successful Healthcare influencer engagement programmes
Pharma companies need to be engaging DOLs in the same way as Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). But how can companies ensure best practice DOL engagement? Here are Say’s recommended critical...
Say wins Communiqué Awards for corporate influencer campaign based on life hacks
SAY received the top recognition for the ‘Excellence in Corporate Communications’ and ‘Excellence in Engagement Through Social Media/Digital Channels – Under £50,000’ categories with our “Lift Up Your Everyday with...
The immunotherapy knowledge gap: keeping the patient at the heart of cancer treatment
Advances in cancer treatment are frequent, but how much do we actually understand about these new treatments?
Meeting the experts behind the story: How building a bicycle led to a revolution in respiratory health
Hear from Professor Wladyslaw Wygnanski, inventor of a revolutionary respiratory medical device called BiMOD.
How ‘Greenwashing’ accusations could delay the very changes its supporters demand
Are shouts of companies ‘greenwashing’ to provide a façade of environmental and ethical respectability causing more harm than good? Or should we call out practices that we believe are papering...
The power of influence in transforming women’s health
Over the past four years HRT prescriptions have doubled in the UK, the cause was turbo charged by the action of celebrities and influencers.
The doctor will text you now: Why healthcare providers cannot underestimate the importance of communicating change
Healthcare communication needs to switch from ‘transmit’ to ‘receive’, listening to what patients need and embracing the plethora of communication tools wholeheartedly.
Can tobacco companies really reinvent themselves as healthcare companies?
A surprising move by key player, Phillip Morris, has called attention to the start of a new era for the tobacco industry. But can tobacco companies reinvent themselves as healthcare...
Why you should feel optimistic about the future of healthcare
It has been a difficult year to remain hopeful for those working in the healthcare industry, but there are some reasons to remain optimistic.