Canvassing service users views in validation visits

Service user involvement is central to the approach taken by Manchester Supporting People Quality Team.  Both management and staff analysis and understanding of service delivery comes from a provider point of view, whereas service users are recipients of delivery and as such have a different perspective.  It is therefore vital to a rounded view of service delivery to gain an understanding of that perspective.

Providers know and understand their client group, and the Review Team wish to work in partnership with service managers to enter the relationship with service users at a level where those service users are most comfortable.  We will be as flexible as necessary in order to gain that entry level.  We have already undertaken many telephone and face-to-face meetings, gaining informative and positive feedback on service delivery.

Review assistants have attended regular residents’ meetings at weekends and evenings.  They have been able to speak with large numbers of service users in this manner, both in groups and on a one to one level.  We have attended coffee mornings and bingo afternoons. Review assistants have telephoned service users on mobile and landline numbers.  Service users are in their own environment during these interviews; feel comfortable and engage in the process.

A service user questionnaire is sent out to providers prior to the validation visit.  This has proved very successful, with many being returned in time for analysis to be fed into the visit.  Across the board service users say similar things – that they value the support they receive, but that they wish the service listened more, or asked for their views more often.

The Quality Assessment Framework requires service user involvement to be evidenced at level B and level A. Feedback gathered from service users during validation visits can only be useful to providers committed to the concept and practice of continual improvement.

Further information:

If providers wish to discuss service user involvement further, they can contact Sara Gilmartin, Service User Involvement Officer, on 0161 234 3605 or by email at s.gilmartin@manchester.gov.uk.

To download a copy of the service user questionnaire go to provider information.

More information for service users

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