How to increase staff involvement

The NHS has long been of the view that partnership working needs to be at the heart of delivering an improved service. An action plan to increase staff involvement in improving patient services, published by the Department of Health in April 2000, highlighted the need for an NHS Social Partnership Forum to implement NHS staff involvement. 

The IPA was contracted to undertake the annual review of the Social Partnership Forum in the NHS in April 2008. In discussion with the DH, NHS Employers and trade unions, it was agreed that the IPA review would address a number of key questions on the SPF, its future, and how it can be improved, as well as broader questions on how to further embed and extend partnership in the wider NHS.

To meet these objectives the review used a variety of research, including more than forty interviews with a wide range of participants and an in depth look at relevant literature and existing case studies. 

This final report analyses the current situation, looks at the vision for the future, and finally sets out the issues arising from the review and the actions to be taken to embed partnership working further at national, SHA and local level.

To download the full report click here.