The purpose of this study, led by Kingston and St George’s Director for the Centre for Public Engagement, Professor Mary Chambers, was to investigate the extent of service user involvement (SUI) in the design and delivery of pre-registration education and training programmes which they approve.

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) noted the trend in health and social care education towards greater SUI, and was required to make a decision on whether to have a standard of education and training which stipulates that involvement.

Thereafter, Professor Mary Chambers and Dr. Gary Hickey undertook research to identify the existing approaches and types of SUI, best practice criteria, and the challenges of implementing SUI in education and training. The study found a clear shift in movement away from a medical model of care with service users as passive recipients of services, towards a more empowered approached where service users are involved in decision making.

Every profession that responded to the survey indicated the involvement of service users in some way. Service users were involved in programme planning, the development of teaching tools/materials, formative feedback on the programme, role play in the classroom and module planning.

The research resulted in the HCPC introducing a standard that service users and carers must be involved in the programmes for the 16 professions they regulate. A meeting with service users and carers is now mandatory for all approval visits.

To read more of ‘Service user involvement in the design and delivery of education and training programmes leading to registration with the Health Professions Council’, click here.

5th May 2015