Service User Involvement

There has been a growing effort on involving service users in shaping services. This development is based on a common-sense assumption, that services cannot meet the needs of service users, unless users’ views are incorporated into service design. UK government policy documents state that involving patients leads to ‘more responsive services and better outcomes of care’ (NHS Executive, 1999).

Service user involvement refers to the process of inclusion by those who are currently using or have used a service in the past, becoming involved in planning, developing and delivering that service. The different types of service user involvement include; collaboration, empowerment, client-centred approach, eco-systems approach, strength-based perspective

In the UK, there are government requirements for service-user involvement. There has been an increasing effort to support the empowerment of individual service users. The idea of a ‘partnership’ between the NHS, service users and the public was introduced by The Patient and Public Involvement in the New NHS (1999). It is stated that this partnership should be genuine rather than tokenistic and that people needed to be fully involved not only in decisions about their care, but with regard to service provision.

There are a number of reasons why service user involvement has become mandatory. One major reason is that, from experience, service users can share what works for them and what doesn’t as they are the people that are getting affected by the service the most. This is a chance given to them to reflect on what their needs are and what changes they would like to see which will help better the service

The third theme was ‘insisting on whole system approaches’ and making sure new ways of working were created to fit in with the contemporary society. The final theme was to ‘share power’. This theme is merely based on professionals allowing service users’ opinions and ideas to be valid by disassociating from their own perspective. From the research gathered by Emily Miles, it is approved that service user involvement is not only important in NHS, but also within all