ABSTRACT
Introduction Partnerships often claim to be based on a shared commitment to improving services for users and carers, and many seek to involve service users in decision making or on official boards. As a result, this chapter focuses on a different type of partner ship working - a partnership not just between health and social care, but also with service users and carers. Moving beyond a discussion of involvement, the chapter looks at the example of a service user sitting on a board of an NHS and social care trust with the same rights and responsibilities as the other board members. This is undoubtedly an area that needs a strong focus if health and social care are to make radical improvements. Without drawing service users and carers into real and genuine partnerships, then improvements that matter to those in receipt of services can only be made on the basis of supposition. However this raises the question of whether a genuine partnership can actually be attained. Focusing on all the different perspectives within health and social care is enough of a thorny issue when contemplating collaborative working. So to engage with users and carers with the vision of sharing power and control really is a radical approach.
