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Wessex Cancer Alliance: Patient and Public Involvement Steering Group and Network

NHS Wessex Cancer Alliance lead and inspire innovation and improvement in cancer care for all people in Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight. They have commissioned the Involving People team at Help & Care to engage volunteers with lived experience in the work of the Alliance.

Volunteers are an integral, valued part of our organisation. We support volunteers by being a friendly face to introduce you to volunteering and explain about the opportunities to get involved in the work of the Alliance. We will keep in touch to support you, answer your questions and help to make sure you are confident in what you are doing. We will support you to:

Make a difference to local cancer services
Be part of a supportive, friendly team and meet new people
Access training and development
Learn new skills and knowledge
Learn more about the NHS

In this video, Joanna, one of our Steering Group volunteers, explains how she uses her lived experience to influence change.

How can you get involved?

Join the Network

You’ll be invited to participate or share your experiences in a variety of cancer-related projects and activities. You can choose which opportunities you get involved in based on your availability and interest.

Anyone affected by cancer can join at any time, including patients, carers, family members and anyone else who is interested in participating. It’s for people from all parts of Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and for people of all ages and experiences, especially those with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Reader Panel

You will be asked for feedback on cancer related information produced for patients and caregivers to ensure it is clear and understandable. This includes clinic letters, web pages and other written material. There will usually be one new item per month to review, but you are not obligated to look at everything.

Involvement Steering Group

You will ensure that patient or caregiver experience is at the heart of the Alliance’s decision-making. We meet six times a year (in person and online). You can take part in other projects too.

Our Steering Group has a specific role to help shape the way we involve people and hold us to account if they think we are not doing a good enough job. You would have a place on the Wessex Cancer Alliance Board, where you can share your thinking and challenge us to do better. You are the key to ensuring that people’s views are at the heart of decision-making about our work.

Get Involved Newsletter

Receive our quarterly newsletter to find out more opportunities to get involved and to hear about changes as a result of people’s involvement.

Our leaflet

You can view our leaflet for the volunteer network here. If you’d like some copies to display or share, please email us below with your address and the number you’d like.

Want to know more?

Email: involvingpeople@helpandcare.org.uk

Phone: 0300 111 3303

Our impact

Each quarter, we publish a report talking about our work and impact. These are listed below along with our annual report. We will post on our social media each time a new one is added- do read these to keep up to date with our work.

If you have any questions, please email involvingpeople@helpandcare.org.uk and we would be delighted to talk with you.