“Working in partnership to provide the best possible services to our patients and their carers.”

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB) is committed to working in partnership with patients, their carers and our community, placing them at the heart of all it does.

We aim to ensure that our organisation gains a better understanding of the priorities and concerns of those who use our services by involving them in our work, including policy and planning.

One way we gain the view of patients and carers is through our Patient and Carer Councils.

What is a patient and carer council?

There are three Patient and Carer Councils at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), made up of members of the public, patients, carers and staff representatives. One council focuses on our wards, another on outpatients and the third is our Young Persons’ Council which looks at the experience of young adults age 16-24 who are using our services.

Council members attend meetings, visit wards and departments and are involved at the planning stage of developments or changes in service delivery in our hospitals. They are also invited to take part in our annual PLACE assessments.

The Patient and Carer Councils are not intended to be a forum for the resolution of complaints. These must be referred to our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).

How often do the councils meet?

The councils generally meet every six weeks or bi-monthly.

What do I do if I would like to join a council or find out more?

You are welcome to attend one of the meetings to find out what happens and speak to council members before you make a decision to join. More information is available in the patient and carer councils leaflet, available from the 'Downloads' section below.

Patient and Carer Council members are volunteers and have to go through our volunteer recruitment process.

If you would like to join or just find out more, please contact Lorraine Bateman.

Tel: 0121 371 4957
Email: Lorraine.Bateman@uhb.nhs.uk