Conference focuses on NHS consumers

Over 150 Medical practitioners and academics will come together on Friday 30 January 2004, for the 4th annual postgraduate conference organised by the University of Teesside’s School of Health & Social Care.

This year, the conference will be looking at ways to enhance the Government’s drive to involve patients and other consumers of the health service in the delivery of care.

Paul Keane, Director of the School of Health & Social Care, said: “Service-user involvement and engaging with the public are items right at the top of the Department of Health’s agenda and we feel it is very important that this year’s conference focuses on client-needs and expectations.

“To improve the delivery of service, we need to talk more to the consumers - be they older people concerned about social and residential care or parents of young children.”

Speakers at the conference on Friday 30 January include Fran McCabe, Department of Health, and Deborah Klee, from the Commission for Health Improvement, who will look at integrating services, particularly for older people.

Also speaking will be Dr Sam Taylor, a research fellow from Help the Aged, Patrick Hill, from the Department of Health’s Patient Expert Programme and Enid Levin, Practice Development Manager for the Social Care Institute for Excellence.

The conference is open to all interested by registering with Sarah Hamlett at the School of Health & Social Care’s Centuria Building, where the conference will be held, e-mail: s.hamlett@tees.ac.uk or phone 01642 384104.

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