Opportunities to have your say
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It’s not too late to get involved in our upcoming work – if you live in or near Leeds, London, Oxford or Manchester, you’ll find there are various opportunities below for you to join us and share your experiences on a range of health matters.
Our membership survey is also still open, and you can take part and share your views if you’ve not already done so.
Your insight, experiences and views on the health and care system strengthen our work to improve patient care, so we hope to see you at one of the events below. All our latest events and focus groups can be found on the website here.
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Leeds, 6 September: being switched to new medicines
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Have you been switched from a ‘biological’ medication to a new ‘biosimilar’ drug? The Patients Association is hosting a workshop in Leeds on Friday 6 September to learn more about how people who are taking these new medicines can be better supported and to understand how their experiences could be improved. This is an exciting opportunity to shape new guidance directly with healthcare professionals, and this work will help patients to be better equipped to make decisions and will allow them greater control over their own health and wellbeing.
Biologic medications are usually liquids given via a drip or injection pen. They are often used to treat long-term conditions including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, but patients with diabetes and people with some forms of cancer may also be taking biologics. If you’ve recently been switched onto a new biosimilar medicine and live in or near Leeds, we’d love for you to join our workshop on 6 September. The session will run from 10am to 2pm, and your feedback will help to shape our work. Places are limited so please contact anna.shears@patients-association.com to reserve your place. Lunch and light refreshments will be provided, and we’re also offering high street vouchers to participants for giving their time.
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London, Thursday 5 September: private healthcare patients
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Have you opted for private treatment over NHS care in the past? Has your treatment been as an inpatient in a private hospital - funded by yourself, medical insurance, or an employment benefits package? We’re looking for people to join a focus group with in London on Thursday 5 September from 5.30 to 8.30pm to help develop a new resource for patients receiving private treatment.
If you have recently had private inpatient care or know someone who has, please get in touch by emailing Celia Turnbull at celia.turnbull@patients-association.com. Whether your experience was very good or one that could have been improved, we would like to hear from you. Light refreshments will be available on the day and reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed. We’re also offering a high street voucher to participants for giving their time. For more information, email Celia or call 020 8423 9111.
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Oxford, Friday 6 September: patients with knee problems sought to help create new guidance
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We’ve partnered with Oxford University to produce new patient information about the recommended treatment options for meniscal problems of the knee, and we’d like to hear from you if you currently have knee problems and are considering surgery, are waiting for a procedure or have recently had an operation. We’re looking for people to pilot a new approach to creating guidance that will inform and empower patients.
As well as working with Oxford University, the project is also supported by the NHS Getting It Right First Time programme and the British Association for Surgery of the Knee. Participants will need to be able to attend a meeting in Oxford on Friday 6 September from 10.30am to 3pm. Travel expenses will be reimbursed. If you are interested in taking part please contact Heather Eardley on heather.eardley@patients-association.com.
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Share your health and social care experiences with us
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Have you found recent consultations with your doctor helpful?
Whether your experience has been positive or one that could have been better, we’d like to hear more and see what we can do to help. Our partnership with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) means when you call our helpline or email us, it makes a real difference. To get in touch with our helpline team and share your thoughts of using GP services, call 020 8423 8999, email helpline@patients-association.com or visit our website.
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What our team is reading this week
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