Service user involvement in practitioner education: movement politics and transformative change

This paper will attempt to both celebrate key developments and best practice involving the users of health and social care services in programmes of practitioner education in a UK context, and offer a critical appraisal of the extent to which such initiatives meet some of the more transformative objectives sought by service users activists for change. The approach is largely that of a discussion paper but we illustrate some of the themes relating to movement activism with selected data. These data relate to earlier research and two specially convened focus groups within the Comensus initiative at the University of Central Lancashire; itself constituted as piece of participatory action research. We conclude that universities represent paradoxical sites for the facilitation of debate and learning relevant to key issues of social justice and change. As such, they are places that can impede or support movement aims. Particular strategic responses might be more likely to engender progressive outcomes. These ought to include the presence of critically engaged academic staff operating within a scholarly culture that fosters forms of deliberative democratic decision making

Patient/service user involvement in medical education: A best evidence medical education (BEME) systematic review: BEME Guide No. 58

Background: The extent to which patients and service users are involved in medical education varies widely. There is a need for an up to date systematic review of the literature that examines what involvement (description), the potential outcome of such involvement (justification) and ‘why’ such involvement impacts students (clarification). Methods: Systematic searches of four databases were undertaken. Citations were screened and consensus reached for inclusion/exclusion of studies. Quality of study design and interventional presentation were assessed. Results: Of the 39 studies included in the review, 4 studies were encounter based, 17 sharing experiences, 16 with patients involved in teaching, 2 studies describing consumers as tutors, and none with involvement at the institutional level. Outcomes in terms of benefits to learners included increased empathy and understanding of illness as experienced by patients, improved communication with patients and a greater understanding of patient–center care. Educational quality assessment showed specific weaknesses in theoretical underpinning, curriculum outcomes, content or pedagogy. Conclusions: Patients can enrich medical education by allowing learners to explore patient-centered perspectives in holistic care. For educators this review highlights the lack of an underpinning conceptual basis for which to translate theory into practice

We aren’t all winners

The paper will discuss from a service user/carer perspective the possible implications and ramifications that ‘failing to fail’ students has on service users and carers. We will start by briefly contextualising the issue drawing on the work of Rutkowski (2007), Dudek et al. (2005), Duffy (2003) and Cleland et al. (2008) and other authors who have contributed to the topic. We expand the debate from the service user and carer perspective examining likely causes and determinants and then move on to discussing the possible impact of this practice on those who are cared for.This paper will provide debate and discussion from a unique perspective being written by those who have lived experience of care delivered by students and qualified practitioners from the nursing and social work professions