Successful Collective Advocacy Meetings

The Patients' Council hosts Collective Advocacy meetings across the hospital.  Below are listed elements which have proved to be useful in making them successful. 

Before meetings

Educating

It's important staff and patients know Collective Advocacy meetings are different from Individual Advocacy. For example:

• If a patient has issues or concerns with personal finances, this is Individual Advocacy; if a patient has concerns or issues with a ward petty cash system, this would be Collective Advocacy.
• Collective and Individual Advocacy work closely to identify and define issues.  Basically, if it affects more than a couple of patients, it is likely to be a Collective Advocacy issue.

Planning

• Collective Advocacy meetings are best planned months in advance, so staff are aware, and to make it easier for our volunteers who attend and host the meetings.
• The dates and times should work best for the ward, patients and volunteers.  A time when most patients are going to be about is best. 
•  We also try to avoid clashing with Individual Advocacy drop-ins, as this can be confusing.
•  Identified link workers from the wards are crucial.  On some wards this has been a combination of ward staff and OT's.  The link staff will remind patients and other staff during the run up and make sure the room and refreshments are available.
• A room that is unlikely to have a lot of traffic is best.  This means the meeting will avoid continuous interruptions and demonstrates the importance of the discussion. 
• Basic refreshments: juice, water, fruit and crisps, are provided by the ward.  The refreshments, meeting etc have to be presented as something specific to the Collective Advocacy meeting in a distinctive manner; otherwise, patients will eat and drink refreshments, then leave.
• Grouping tables together in the centre of the room has proved to be the best format.  This means we avoid talking to the back of patients' heads, and can make eye contact.
• The PC will send posters to the wards for display on notice boards.
•  Advocates will take advice and the lead from ward staff regarding anyone who is attending the meeting and has challenging behaviour.

During meetings

• Staff walk round the ward to ask and remind patients to attend the Collective Advocacy meeting.  Staff have to distinguish that it is Collective; otherwise, patients may think they have already 'had advocacy' and miss their opportunity for Collective Advocacy. Staff then make sure everyone who wants to attend is there, and leave, closing the door.
• Staff should be present in the ward but not in the meeting. The meetings are confidential, so patients can feel confident to bring up any issues.
• The meetings will run for one hour. Staff  pop in 10 minutes before the end to give a 'curtain call'
• If there are any patients who are too unwell to attend a collective meeting, or who would pose a risk if left alone and unsupervised / observed, then the collective advocacy workers and volunteers can speak to them one to one to collect any collective issues.
• Patients are not made to stay; they can leave at any time, but will be encouraged to use the opportunity to bring up collective issues.

After Meetings

 Benefits

•  Across the hospital staff and patients benefit from the Collective Advocacy meetings.  Staff often feed back how the PC has helped nip potential problems in the bud.
• The Patients' Council works in partnership with staff, wards and the hospital, and is not here to just complain or cause problems. 
• Patients feel empowered when seeing issues they raise responded to and addressed. It has been suggested this sense of empowerment and active involvement may contribute to patients' recovery.
     

Process

•  Issues are recorded in minutes and then sent to the ward for response. The ward response is then read out at the next meeting and copies placed on the ward's Patient notice board.
• It has been acknowledged the ward may not have a response to certain issues - that wards lack resources, or may not be in control of the decision making. 
• To address this, the Patients' Council will meet with groups (such as the Rehab Executive Group) to highlight these issues for consideration and action.

Successful Collective Advocacy Meetings

The Patients' Council hosts Collective Advocacy meetings across the hospital.  Below are listed elements which have proved to be useful in making them successful. 

Before meetings

Educating

It's important staff and patients know Collective Advocacy meetings are different from Individual Advocacy. For example:

• If a patient has issues or concerns with personal finances, this is Individual Advocacy; if a patient has concerns or issues with a ward petty cash system, this would be Collective Advocacy.
• Collective and Individual Advocacy work closely to identify and define issues.  Basically, if it affects more than a couple of patients, it is likely to be a Collective Advocacy issue.

Planning

• Collective Advocacy meetings are best planned months in advance, so staff are aware, and to make it easier for our volunteers who attend and host the meetings.
• The dates and times should work best for the ward, patients and volunteers.  A time when most patients are going to be about is best. 
•  We also try to avoid clashing with Individual Advocacy drop-ins, as this can be confusing.
•  Identified link workers from the wards are crucial.  On some wards this has been a combination of ward staff and OT's.  The link staff will remind patients and other staff during the run up and make sure the room and refreshments are available.
• A room that is unlikely to have a lot of traffic is best.  This means the meeting will avoid continuous interruptions and demonstrates the importance of the discussion. 
• Basic refreshments: juice, water, fruit and crisps, are provided by the ward.  The refreshments, meeting etc have to be presented as something specific to the Collective Advocacy meeting in a distinctive manner; otherwise, patients will eat and drink refreshments, then leave.
• Grouping tables together in the centre of the room has proved to be the best format.  This means we avoid talking to the back of patients' heads, and can make eye contact.
• The PC will send posters to the wards for display on notice boards.
•  Advocates will take advice and the lead from ward staff regarding anyone who is attending the meeting and has challenging behaviour.

During meetings

• Staff walk round the ward to ask and remind patients to attend the Collective Advocacy meeting.  Staff have to distinguish that it is Collective; otherwise, patients may think they have already 'had advocacy' and miss their opportunity for Collective Advocacy. Staff then make sure everyone who wants to attend is there, and leave, closing the door.
• Staff should be present in the ward but not in the meeting. The meetings are confidential, so patients can feel confident to bring up any issues.
• The meetings will run for one hour. Staff  pop in 10 minutes before the end to give a 'curtain call'
• If there are any patients who are too unwell to attend a collective meeting, or who would pose a risk if left alone and unsupervised / observed, then the collective advocacy workers and volunteers can speak to them one to one to collect any collective issues.
• Patients are not made to stay; they can leave at any time, but will be encouraged to use the opportunity to bring up collective issues.

After Meetings

 Benefits

•  Across the hospital staff and patients benefit from the Collective Advocacy meetings.  Staff often feed back how the PC has helped nip potential problems in the bud.
• The Patients' Council works in partnership with staff, wards and the hospital, and is not here to just complain or cause problems. 
• Patients feel empowered when seeing issues they raise responded to and addressed. It has been suggested this sense of empowerment and active involvement may contribute to patients' recovery.
     

Process

• Issues are recorded in minutes and then sent to the ward for response. The ward response is then read out at the next meeting and copies placed on the ward's Patient notice board.
• It has been acknowledged the ward may not have a response to certain issues - that wards lack resources, or may not be in control of the decision making. 
• To address this, the Patients' Council will meet with groups (such as the Rehab Executive Group) to highlight these issues for consideration and action.

Successful Collective Advocacy Meetings

The Patients' Council hosts Collective Advocacy meetings across the hospital.  Below are listed elements which have proved to be useful in making them successful. 

Before meetings

Educating

It's important staff and patients know Collective Advocacy meetings are different from Individual Advocacy. For example:

• If a patient has issues or concerns with personal finances, this is Individual Advocacy; if a patient has concerns or issues with a ward petty cash system, this would be Collective Advocacy.
• Collective and Individual Advocacy work closely to identify and define issues.  Basically, if it affects more than a couple of patients, it is likely to be a Collective Advocacy issue.

Planning

• Collective Advocacy meetings are best planned months in advance, so staff are aware, and to make it easier for our volunteers who attend and host the meetings.
• The dates and times should work best for the ward, patients and volunteers.  A time when most patients are going to be about is best. 
•  We also try to avoid clashing with Individual Advocacy drop-ins, as this can be confusing.
•  Identified link workers from the wards are crucial.  On some wards this has been a combination of ward staff and OT's.  The link staff will remind patients and other staff during the run up and make sure the room and refreshments are available.
• A room that is unlikely to have a lot of traffic is best.  This means the meeting will avoid continuous interruptions and demonstrates the importance of the discussion. 
• Basic refreshments: juice, water, fruit and crisps, are provided by the ward.  The refreshments, meeting etc have to be presented as something specific to the Collective Advocacy meeting in a distinctive manner; otherwise, patients will eat and drink refreshments, then leave.
• Grouping tables together in the centre of the room has proved to be the best format.  This means we avoid talking to the back of patients' heads, and can make eye contact.
• The PC will send posters to the wards for display on notice boards.
•  Advocates will take advice and the lead from ward staff regarding anyone who is attending the meeting and has challenging behaviour.

During meetings

• Staff walk round the ward to ask and remind patients to attend the Collective Advocacy meeting.  Staff have to distinguish that it is Collective; otherwise, patients may think they have already 'had advocacy' and miss their opportunity for Collective Advocacy. Staff then make sure everyone who wants to attend is there, and leave, closing the door.
• Staff should be present in the ward but not in the meeting. The meetings are confidential, so patients can feel confident to bring up any issues.
• The meetings will run for one hour. Staff  pop in 10 minutes before the end to give a 'curtain call'
• If there are any patients who are too unwell to attend a collective meeting, or who would pose a risk if left alone and unsupervised / observed, then the collective advocacy workers and volunteers can speak to them one to one to collect any collective issues.
• Patients are not made to stay; they can leave at any time, but will be encouraged to use the opportunity to bring up collective issues.

After Meetings

 Benefits

•  Across the hospital staff and patients benefit from the Collective Advocacy meetings.  Staff often feed back how the PC has helped nip potential problems in the bud.
• The Patients' Council works in partnership with staff, wards and the hospital, and is not here to just complain or cause problems. 
• Patients feel empowered when seeing issues they raise responded to and addressed. It has been suggested this sense of empowerment and active involvement may contribute to patients' recovery.
     

Process

•  Issues are recorded in minutes and then sent to the ward for response. The ward response is then read out at the next meeting and copies placed on the ward's Patient notice board.
• It has been acknowledged the ward may not have a response to certain issues - that wards lack resources, or may not be in control of the decision making. 
• To address this, the Patients' Council will meet with groups (such as the Rehab Executive Group) to highlight these issues for consideration and action.