ABSTRACT
Current Department of Health policy makes explicit commitments to building a health service that is responsive to the needs of patients, carers and the wider public. Key policy documents, including the White Paper The New NHS and A First Class Service, emphasise the importance of involving patients and the public across the range of NHS activities with the expectation that involvement should become integral to work in every part of the NHS. Patient involvement encompasses both individual involvement (for example, the central role of patients in decisions about their own health and care) and involvement at a more collective level (patient representatives, for example, actively contributing to NHS policy and planning decisions). Involving patients in clinical governance arrangements can serve different purposes. Patient experiences are considered to be a key component of clinical governance. Clinical governance involves a range of activities including clinical audit, research and development and the development and implementation of clinical guidelines.
