How does the College engage with patients and carers?
The RCPsych is proud to run one of the most extensive engagement workstreams with patients and carers of any medical royal college across the UK.
Through our unique Working Together model, which was launched in 2018, we work with 153 patient and carer representatives, who together fulfil 253 paid roles with the College.
Our patient and carer representatives take part in our hundreds of service visits to mental health services each year, to help advise on how to improve the standards and quality of patient care.
They also advise us on our quality improvement work, research and policy positions. In addition, they advise a range of College committees, including our governing Council body.
The Working Together model is based on the principles of co-production and ensures that patients and carers have a real voice in the work of the College.
Through the introduction of the model, the status of patients and carers was formalised as part-time ‘workers’ and they are paid a daily rate.
As worker positions, the patient and carer roles legally have to be opened up to a new round of recruitment on a regular basis – and we are now going through the process of advertising and recruiting for all the patient and carer roles over the next few months.
Therefore, members who work alongside patient and carer representatives may find that the representatives they work with will be going through a re-recruitment process shortly.
As a result of the Working Together model, patients and carers working with the College get much more support than in the past.
Therefore, all patient and carer representatives:
- Receive a full induction – and access to learning and development opportunities
- Receive a bi-monthly newsletter
- Receive copies of the RCPsych Insight magazine
- Take part in twice-yearly patients and carers conferences
- Are surveyed annually to find out their view of working with the College.
- Are given access to HR and other key information via an online portal, and
- Are given access to an Employee Assistance Programme.
The results of the last annual survey of patients and carers, carried out in 2022, were very positive, with:
- 89% of patient and carer representatives saying the College provides them with the support they need to do their job well
- 85% of patient and carer representatives would recommend the College as a place to work, and
- 82% of patient and carer representatives saying their work is valued by the people they work with at the College.
Return to our April 2023 update.