VReflections on patient-NHS partnership working

I’ve been to a workshop today to talk about revolutionising (or do I mean achieving?) real patient-staff partnership working in the NHS. Oh it was so refreshing and energising to be in a room full of people who get it, and who work hard to do it.

I like this name – partnership. In fact let’s go a step further…equal partnership.

For who is the expert? The patient/carer or the doctor, nurse, manager, director?

Who knows most? Who has the right skills? Who has the loved experience? Who has felt what illness feels like?

Well of course no one is an expert and everyone is an expert.

And who has the power in these relationships?

And who wants to retain the power in these relationships?

Several people today talked about reminding themselves when they walk into a meeting with a doctor that it should be…