Community and voluntary groups that offer vital platforms for patients and the public to engage with local health services have received a funding boost from the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (EMAHSN).

Fifteen not for profit groups and organisations across the region have been awarded £1,000 each – supporting them to start or continue vital work across the East Midlands including projects such as helping Asian communities in Northamptonshire to prevent and manage diabetes and supporting new parents in Derbyshire to access information and services.

All of these groups exist to make sure that the experiences of patients and members of the public are at the heart of future decisions about the planning and delivery of health services and research. Each group has its own specific focus on key health issues, ranging from primary care and long-term conditions to mental health and eating disorders.

EMAHSN first launched the fund in 2015 because it recognised that many groups operate on an entirely voluntary basis and find it difficult to cover even basic costs such as travel and members’ out-of-pocket expenses.

EMAHSN Chair, Martin Hindle formed part of the judging panel alongside the EMAHSN Patient Public Involvement (PPI) Senate. He said: “Even small amounts of funding can make a big difference to voluntary sector groups.

“The East Midlands benefits from a diverse network of hundreds of volunteers who commit their time to making sure that patients are listened to and that their experiences and ideas are fed back to local NHS organisations.

“These groups give a platform to so many people who otherwise may not feel able to contribute, including patients with disabilities or mobility issues and those from underrepresented communities. We recognise the valuable contribution of these individuals, groups and organisations and hope these grants will help them to thrive and grow.”

The East Midlands Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Senate is an independent group of patients and public with varied health service user experience. It supports health and social care organisations to embed patient and public involvement in their work, adding valuable insight for service planning.

Grants of £1,000 have been awarded to each of the following fifteen groups:

1. Asha Deep Project (Northamptonshire)
2. East Midlands Quality Checker and Guardian Improvement Programme (East Midlands)
3. First Steps Eating Disorder Charity (East Midlands)
4. NHS Lincolnshire Citizen Panel (Lincolnshire)
5. Chesterfield & Dronfield Patient Participation Group Primary Care Network Alliance (Derbyshire)
6. Derby Community Parent Programme Community Interest Company (Derbyshire)
7. The Derby West Indian Community Association Elders’ Forum (Derbyshire)
8. Carers Matters (Leicestershire and Rutland)
9. Black and Asian Baby Loss PPI and Research Collaboration (Leicestershire and Rutland)
10. Mosaic Fibromyalgia Patient Participation Group (Nottinghamshire)
11. Nottingham Osteoporosis Patient Support Group (Nottinghamshire)
12. Patient & Public Involvement at John Eastwood Hospice and Bassetlaw Hospice (Nottinghamshire)
13. Rushcliffe Assembly of PPGs to Innovate & Develop (RAPID) (Nottinghamshire)
14. Vanclaron Community Interest Company (Nottinghamshire)
15. Young Adults Pain – focus group to redesign service pathways based upon lived experience (Nottinghamshire)

Find out more about the winners on our dedicated webpage.

Media enquiries and interview requests:
Julie Warren This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.