Inaugural meeting of the Patient and Carer Partnership Board takes place

23 October 2024

We are delighted that the first meeting of the Trust’s Patient and Carer Partnership Board (PCPB) took place on Wednesday 16 October 2024.

A key element of the Velindre University NHS Trust’s Patient Engagement Strategy is the establishment of a Patient and Carer Partnership Board that works with the Trust to influence service provision and change ensuring the patient and carer’s lived experience is at the heart of all we do.

The Board will work in partnership with the Trust to ensure the patient and carer voice is integrated into its structures, decision making and planning processes. The Board consists of eight patients and carers all with lived experience of cancer services. Building on the success of the Patient Liaison Group (PLG), six new members have joined David and Jonathan as members of the PLG that will now form the PCPB.

Carl James, Interim Chief Executive of Velindre University NHS Trust said "The inaugural meeting of our Patient and Carer Partnership Board marks an important milestone in the implementation of our Patient Engagement Strategy. As an Executive Board we are committed to ensuring the patient and carer voice is integral to our culture and the way we work."

Over the next few months, the Board will work with the key executives, VCC Senior Leadership Team members and the Head of Patient Engagement to identify the key focus areas for 2025.

The PCPB will

• Inform, involve and collaborate with current and former patients and carers, the public, the third sector and other stakeholders to ensure that lived experience contributes and influences service provision.

• Identify opportunities to engage on service planning and change programmes, improving service provision etc.

• Ensure that the voices of our patient, carers and the public are heard.

David Cogan, Chair of Patient and Carer Partnership Board said “As Chair of the newly established Patient and Carer Partnership Board, myself and the members will be working in collaboration with the Trust to develop a programme of opportunities that we will focus on during 2025. This will include defining Trust and Velindre Cancer Centre committees and groups that would benefit from representation from someone with lived experience. The objective being that patients, carers and family members are "seen, heard and recognised" throughout the Trust.”