Get Involved

“An important part of our work is with patients and the public to ensure that the services we plan and buy on their behalf are tailored to the needs of the population Berkshire West CCG serves.

We recognise that people want to get involved at different levels and in different ways. We understand that our patients and public lead busy lives and have a limited amount of time to get involved in decisions that perhaps don’t directly or immediately affect them. We therefore communicate with, and involve patients and the public in a variety of ways and use their feedback to help shape our commissioning plans and priorities.

Getting involved doesn’t necessarily mean attending meetings if you don't want to, we value your participation in a variety of ways. Sometimes we just want to ask you questions and so might contact you by email and ask you to respond to a survey or individual question. Occasionally we organise events and may ask for volunteers to come along and share their expertise or opinion.”

Wendy Bower, Berkshire West CCG Governing Body Lay Member for Patient and Public Engagement.

The CCG is committed to engaging with people from all our localities about changes and there are many different ways that you can be involved. For instance:

• You could join your GP Surgery’s Patient Participation Group (PPG). PPGs are based at most GP surgeries and meet on a regular basis to discuss services and how improvements can be made. More details can usually be found on your GP Surgery’s website or ask at reception.
• In Berkshire West there are three Healthwatch organisations: Reading, Wokingham and West Berkshire. Their job is to monitor the quality and people's experience of social care, health care and public health in the local area, and ensure that when people have views on their experience, that they are heard and responded to by the relevant organisation. Find out more here.
• There are opportunities to be involved as a member of the public or as a patient with the Royal Berkshire Foundation Trust such as:
  • Becoming a Member or Patient Leader
  • Joining the Register of Readers
• There are opportunities to be involved with Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust such as:
  
  • Becoming a Member or a Governor
  • Volunteer or Join HealthMakers
  • Joining our Patient Participation Groups or becoming a Patient Leader