Capturing user experience and engaging the public in the design, evaluation and monitoring of services are core drivers within the NHS Operating Framework and is one of the key competencies expected within World Class Commissioning. Engaging effectively with high priority and often hard to reach groups can be challenging, especially in the field of sexual and reproductive health.

 

Options UK has extensive experience of involving users and potential users in the design and evaluation of services. Using a range of innovative techniques (such as care pathway cards, personae development and using board games to explore decision making) as well as more standard techniques such as large scale surveys, one-to-one interviews, focus groups and suggestions boxes. Options UK have worked with a wide range of users in the review and evaluation of services and design of service options. We have worked with asylum seekers and refugees, sex workers (male and female), young people, people from a range of ethnic identities. In Gateshead and Wakefield we used a mixture of a large questionnaire survey, vox boxes, care pathway workshops, one-to-one interviews and other methods to engage users in the review of their needs in relation to existing services and design of service solutions.

Options UK can:

• Help you design a user engagement strategy
• Ensure you can demonstrate meaningful user engagement in all aspects of service design and evaluation as highlighted in a number of major strategies, including World Class Commissioning
• Help you engage with high priority and hard-to-reach groups in a meaningful way
• Design and implement a user engagement strategy and workplan