An ERG is a group of patients or their carers who have lived experience of cancer care and treatment who by coming together are able to share their insight and experiences with staff from across Lincolnshire cancer services to inform and advise those services.
The aim is to enable you to be involved in discussions about developments, improvements, service evaluations and redesigns relating to cancer care.
We are looking for 20 patients to come together to form this Lincolnshire group and to be involved in discussions and designs around cancer care delivery, developments and improvements.
We want to hear our patients and carer voices, we want you to work with us to let your lived experience help us to be the best we can possibly be, we want to learn from your experiences.
Our ERG members will be ambassadors for our cancer services, helping us to ensure patients, the public and other relevant stakeholders are informed about the workings and strategic direction.
The ERG members will provide a diverse forum for influencing and contributing to discussions and helping services to plan and deliver the best possible care for our community.
As a group member you will be able to:
- Listen to staff who design and deliver our services, make suggestions and contribute from your expert perspective as a patient who has experienced such care.
- Collectively influence and act as a representative group that can be called upon to contribute to debate and discussion about the local provision of health and care for people living with cancer.
- Bring your valuable and unique lived experience into a group of others so that together a varied and inclusive view can be sought.
How does it work?
Meetings are to be held every month, lasting 2 hours and conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams. We are able to provide help and training on how to use Microsoft teams. We can agree at the first meeting how we wish, as a group to structure the agenda but typically are as follows:
- Welcome and introductions
- Approving minutes of previous meeting
- Review action log and any matters arising
- ERG presentations:
- There would then follow 2 or 3 discussions, led by staff from a service or team where they present a topic, issue, idea and the group then asks any questions, makes comments, give their views and thoughts – from their perspective as expert patients.
- Each session would typically last for about 30 minutes with just 10 minutes to present and the bulk of the time given to discussion.
All group members will be required to have a DBS check and undergo training in relation to confidentiality and other key topics such as Safeguarding and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion. This training is standard across the NHS and completed by all staff regardless of their role. Full training support will be given. We also require all members to sign up as an Honorary Volunteer with ULHT to enable access to training & recruitment checks and any expenses reimbursements.
This ERG is built upon the success of the ULHT Patient Panel which started in September 2020 and follows the principles of this group. Currently there are over 30 members of the panel and evaluation extremely positive.
‘I feel we can have honest, open discussions and learn about some important changes and have a chance to influence those changes. I feel a great sense of pride and satisfaction, that
I can be a part of our health service.’
We hope that this new Cancer Expert Reference Group will mirror the success of the Patient Panel and provide a valuable voice for cancer patients across Lincolnshire.
Would you like to find out more? If so, please email: lccg.lincscancer@nhs.net and tell us a little about yourself and why being a part of the ERG interests you.
We will then get in contact with you and discuss next steps.
Thank you for considering this and we hope to hear from you soon.
Published 28/02/2022