NHS USERS AND CARERS GROUP

13th September 2004

NHS USERS AND CARERS GROUP

The Faculty of Health at Edge Hill College of Higher Education is looking for people with experience of the NHS to provide a consultancy role to nurses, by participating in a Users and Carers Group.

Staff are set to gather feedback from NHS clients, patients and their relatives to shape the future training of nurses, with information to be incorporated into the curriculum to influence the delivery of nursing services.

The Users and Carers Group will meet biannually at Edge Hill?s Faculty of Health, situated at University Hospital, Aintree. The group will include nurse educators who are also trained nurses.

As a major training provider for the health and allied professionals, Edge Hill works closely with the NHS to train nurses, midwives and operating department practitioners throughout the region. The consultancy group will benefit NHS users and carers by placing them at the centre of health care delivery.

Alex Vjestica, Senior Lecturer at Edge Hill?s Faculty of Health, said: "The opportunity to hear at firsthand the experiences of patients and their relatives will have positive impact on the way that our nurses are trained. Patients and their relatives are an untapped resource in the NHS. Having users of the NHS in a consultancy role is an invaluable tool in planning nurse training."

Alex anticipates that some members of the Users and Carers Group will eventually be involved in teaching sessions, so that students can benefit from listening to patients and their relatives experiences.

For further information on the Users and Careers Group please contact Alex Vjestica on 0151 529 3114 or vjestica@edgehill.ac.uk.

An informal chat to discuss the aims of the Users and Carers group will take place at 1.30pm on 22nd September in Room C1 of the Edge Hill Faculty of Health at University Hospital Aintree. ENDS EDITOR?S NOTES: For further press information please contact: Roisin Rowley-Smith PR Manager Tel: 01695 584509 Fax: 01695 584355 E mail: rowlesr@edgehill.ac.uk or pressoffice@edgehill.ac.uk