How to get involved

There are various ways that you can be involved. The patient groups are listed below under Hospitals, Public Partnership Forum and Managed Clinical Networks. There are also working groups and committees that seek patients, carers and members of the public from time to time.

You can also register on our new participation database to receive information and get involved in health issues that you are interested in click here to go to the participation database. The database also allows you to register if you would be interested in volunteering.

Hospitals

To find out more about the work of our Patients Councils/Networks based in our hospitals and how you can become involved please contact the following:

• Family Council at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children
  • Contact Denise Claxton at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, 9 Sciennes Road, Edinburgh, EH9 1LF.
  • Email denise.claxton@luht.scot.nhs.uk or telephone 0131 536 0068.
• Patient Council St John’s Hospital
  • Contact Diane Loughlin at St John’s Hospital, Howden Road West, Howden, Livingston, West Lothian, EH54 6PP.
  • Email diane.loughlin@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk or telephone 01506 523000.
• Patient and Public Partnership Network(for Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Liberton Hospital Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion and the Royal Victoria Hospital)
  • Contact Pat Straw at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, Old Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh EH16 4SA.
  • Email pat.straw@luht.scot.nhs.uk or telephone 0131 242 3385.
• Royal Edinburgh Hospital Patients Council— independently run collective advocacy organisation for patients and former patients of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. Enabling patients to have their say about mental health services at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital the Patients Council provide a forum for common issues around mental health treatment and care. www.patientscouncilreh.org.uk    Telephone- 0131 537 6462 email: info@patientscouncilreh.org.uk

Public Partnership Forum (PPF)

Primary care and community services are based in Community Health Partnerships (CHPs). They are in the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian. In West Lothian it is called a Community Health and Care Partnership (CHCP).

To get involved in how services are delivered and planned in CHPs and the CHCP join the Public Partnership Forum (PPF) in your area.

Voluntary organisations, community groups as well as individuals can be members of the PPF. To find out more about the PPFs and how to become a member, please contact the following patient involvement workers in your area. Within Edinburgh there are two PPFs - North Edinburgh PPF and South Edinburgh PPF.

• North Edinburgh Public Partnership Forum – contact Lesley Baxter at lesley.baxter@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk or telephone 0131 537 9290. Click here for further information about the North Edinburgh PPF
• South Edinburgh Public Partnership Forum– contact Lesley Baxter as above.  Click here for further information about the South Edinburgh PPF
• East Lothian Public Partnership Forum– contact Meriel Deans at  meriel.deans@nhs.net or telephone 0131 536 8025. Click here for further information about the East Lothain PPF.
• Midlothian Public Partnership Forum– contact Catherine Evans at catherine.evans@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk  or telephone 01968 671365. Click here for further information about the Midlothian PPF.
• West Lothian Public Partnership Forum– contact Julie Cassidy at juliecassidy@nhs.net or telephone 01506 771883. Click here for further Information about the West Lothian PPF.

Managed Clinical Networks (MCN)

There are also Managed Clinical Networks (MCN) in Lothian which are listed below. A Managed Clinical Network is a network of a variety of health staff (including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, health visitors, physiotherapists and occupational therapists) and organisations from primary, secondary and regional health care working together to make sure that high quality clinically effective services are fairly distributed. Involving patients with experience of the particular illness is an important part of MCNs development. A number have patient groups, while some have patients on groups working with staff.

• Stroke Managed Clinical Network. To find out more and how you could be involved contact Morag Medwin at morag.medwin@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk or telephone 0131 537 9208. Click on the link to view the Stroke Managed Clinical Network.
• Diabetes Managed Clinical Network has a patient group, the Lothian Diabetes Representative Group. To find out more and how you could be involved contact Mary Scott at mary.m.scott@luht.scot.nhs.uk or telephone 0131 537 3074. Click on the link to view the Diabetes Managed Clinical Network.
• South East Scotland Cancer Network (SCAN) – is a regional network covering south - east Scotland. To find out more and how you could be involved contact Kate MacDonald at kate.macdonald@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk. For further information please go to Southeast Scotland Cancer Network (SCAN) website.
• Respiratory (COPD) Managed Clinical Network. To find out more and how you could be involved contact Jane Dalrymple at jane.dalrymple@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk or telephone 0131 465 5584. Click on the link to view the Respiratory (COPD) Managed Clinical Network website
• Managed Clinical Network for Child Sexual Abuse– is a regional network covering South East Scotland. To find out more, please contact annemarie.pitt@nhs.net or telephone 01506 775675
• MCNs across scotland– http://www.mcns.nhsscotland.com/

Other ways to be involved

We also ask people to complete questionnaires, attend focus groups or workshops to tell us what they think of a particular service. As a current or former patient or a carer you may be contacted directly by the service you have used for your views on your experience.

From time to time NHS Lothian has committees and working groups that have patients, carers or members of the public on them. If you are interested in finding out what opportunities may be available please contact Sarah Sinclair at NHS Lothian, Waverley Gate, 2-4 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EG.   Email sarah.sinclair@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk or telephone 0131 465 5660