Our work around health 
Much of the work we do focusses on supporting people's health and wellbeing and we look to support people in living as well as possible, for as long as possible.
An important part of this is making sure that people have the information that they need when they need it. This is where we come in. We work closely with our community. Part of doing this well comes from making sure that information reaches as many people as possible. It also needs to be clear and provided in different ways so that people aren't left out.
So how does this work?
We work in partnership with Nottingham and Nottinghamshire NHS helping them to engage with (talk to and listen to) patients.
The NHS understands that the best way of making sure that services work as well as possible for everyone is to make sure that they can access the right help at the right time. No system is perfect, but sometimes small changes can make all the difference. Talking, and equally important, listening to patients is a good step towards making sure that services work well for everyone.
We do this in lots of different ways to make sure that everyone's voice can be heard. This might mean any of the following:
Helping you to tell your story (good or bad) on how services have worked for you so that going forward lessons can be learned. Making sure that this information is passed on to the right people who have the power to change how services are delivered.
Working with GP's surgeries helping them to run Patient Participation Groups (PPGs). This is a way of making sure that the patient voice is represented in each surgery. Each GP surgery has to have a group of patients who come together to speak on behalf of all the patients in the practice. This can be in person or online and varies from surgery to surgery. These patients talk with staff at the surgery (usually the practice manager (the person who runs the practical side of the surgery from day-to-day) and one of more doctor and maybe other staff from the surgery. They do this to make sure that when services are delivered that patients in each practice have the chance to have their say in how this will work in their area. To find out more about Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) click HERE.
Making sure that information for patients is clear, timely and reaches as many people as possible. This will make sure that people can access the information they need in a way that works for them.
The reason why we work with the NHS on this is that they want to make sure that the information they give out is helpful and reaches as many people as possible. They can provide a great service, but if people don't know about it they won't use it. The NHS also recognises that we are all responsible for health and healthy communities develop when people work together.
If you would like to find out more about how to have your say please contact Srah Taylor at Ashfield Voluntary Action on 01623 555 551 or email s.taylor@ashfieldvoluntaryaction.org.uk
