ABSTRACT
The creation of guidelines can be one of the more visible and valuable results of a community’s work, but further effort is essential if these products are to have a ‘social life’ and influence practices on the ground. One thing that often emerges from the conversations of a community of influence in the health sphere is the desire to document and share experience of good practice whether for fellow professionals or for patients and carers. In healthcare, guidelines, protocols, plans, strategies, policy papers and reports come out every day. The story started in earnest when Lorraine, as part of her job, was asked by Macmillan to conduct a literature review to explore the meaning of ‘patient-centred care’ from the perspective of people affected by cancer. Group members also added their own further thoughts to the document, and took early versions to other groups they were involved with in various localities around Britain.
