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How to ensure Service Users are kept out

The NHS Centre for Involvement has arranged a major conference"

NHS Centre for Involvement in Health and Social Care

Involvement to Impact

28th - 29th November 2007
New Connaught Rooms, London, WC2B

This conference will explore how different methods of patient and public involvement are making a real difference to the delivery and creation of new and existing health services across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It will also provide you with platform to hear about:

* The impact of national developments in Patient and Public Involvement

* How NHS organisations can work with new involvement structures to improve commissioning

* How the new Local Involvement Networks (LINks) will help ensure that the needs and views of local communities are heard

* The impact of regulators on PPI and the achievements of the Centre in its first year


This is real progress - just what is needed to demonstrate the integrity of the Government's
Patient Centred
policy (the NHS Centre3 for Involvement is actually the much lauded PPI Centre for Excellence - a Government initiative). Just what is needed to further Service User and PPI Forum consultation on the implementation of LINks.

But hang on. What's this I read down here?

Full Rate
Central Government Departments, NPDBs and Commercial Organisations
Both Days: (including Gala Dinner) £600.00 + VAT (£705.00)
Day One: (excluding Dinner) £200.00 + VAT (£235.00)
Day Two: (excluding Dinner on Day One) £375.00 + VAT (£440.63)

Reduced Rate
Local Authorities, PCTs and Public Sector Organisations
Both Days: (including Gala Dinner) £450.00 + VAT (£528.75)
Day One: (excluding Dinner) £150.00 + VAT (£176.25)
Day Two: (excluding Dinner on Day One) (£323.13)


Wow. I wonder if I can get my mate - a keen Service User on benefits a special payment to get there - If I can get my flying Pegasus to catch those pigs up over there...........!!

Ruth Marsden of the National Association of Patients' Forums (she of the wonderfully inexhaustable work rate) wrote to Meredith Vivian, Head of Responsivenes and Accountability (please don't laugh) at the DoH saying
Hey, what's going on here?
Dear old Meredith replied:
Dear Ruth

I am not part of the NCI so cannot speak for it.

Have you approached the NCI about concessionary rates?

Regards

Meredith


So Ruth wrote to Jonathan Tritter, Head of the Centre for Involvement and he replied:
the concessionary rates for PPIF members and other members of voluntary organisations are:

Supported Rate
Voluntary Organisations, Trade Unions

Both Days: (including Gala Dinner) £300.00 + VAT (£352.50)

Day One: (excluding Dinner) £100.00 + VAT (£117.50)

Day Two: (excluding Dinner on Day One) £175.00 + VAT ( £205.63)

This is half the normal rate and very reasonable for a two day conference let alone one in central London.

I do hope to see you there.

Kind regards,

Jonathan


So all you Users interested in becoming part of LINks break open you piggy banks now.

Centre for Excellence? - Centre for Involvement?

Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?

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