Friends and families and whole local areas will join in if they see meaningful activities and clear decisions evolve from that lived experience. There are huge barriers from professionals who fear loss of their control but health outcomes are something to be achieved in partnership, and everyone has a right to choose how to go about achieving their own health outcomes: doctor knows best or informed/supported choice & control? Bring it on!
Because that is what people want (at diagnosis and crisis stages) and it also acts as a vehicle to self-care and collective involvement, pulling lived experience into the system which is the most underused resource in the NHS.
A PPG by definition is likely support self-care. A developmental "pathway" for PPGs is needed to give a framework for the work which would need to be done. Structured local initiatives by services of the NHS and Public Heath Service could form part of the promotional work that PPG could offer. For example: 1 We have "event first aid" at many local gatherings - we COULD have community first aiders doing referral work for injured or ill residents. PPGs could help
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