Over 1,000 people have reportedly signed up to join the virtual citizen panel hosted by Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB, described as a “database of residents” who have volunteered to take part in regular research and engagement opportunities to help shape services.
The virtual citizen panel enables participants to take part in research events and groups, submit questionnaires and share their views online, with no commitment to take part and the ability to engage on the issues that feel most relevant to them.
Director of communications and engagement Neil Greaves commented that the panel brings “valuable insight which we can use in improving and commissioning services” and added that it sits alongside a regular programme of face-to-face engagement.
Also from the region
In July, we looked into the ‘state of the system’ report by Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB, which explores the progress made so far by the ICB in driving its vision of “developing a high-quality, community-centred health and care system by 2035”, as well as plans for the future.
Earlier in the year, HTN examined the draft research and innovation strategy from North East and North Cumbria ICS, which sets out seven principles including a focus on collaboration across the region to capitalise on assets, infrastructure and relationships “to unlock new technologies, accelerate clinical trials and develop new methodologies”.
And we also took a look at the 2024-2029 strategy from North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which outlines plans to “transform services through innovation” including making use of virtual technologies and utilising digital tools to support community hospitals.
On the Lancashire side, May saw us interview Natalie Hayes, chief nursing information officer at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, about the digital projects she has been involved in, trust priorities, and how they are tackling challenges.
HTN’s panels
On the topic of virtual panels, you can view our upcoming calendar of online events here – for each panel we are joined by health tech professionals from across the industry to discuss a range of topics from AI to innovation in primary care to empowering the workforce.
For each panel, our writing team shares a written summary of the key discussion points for you so that you don’t miss out even if you can’t make the live event. Recent topics have included the reality of AI in healthcare and how to manage bias; learnings from virtual wards and future directions in this space; and new models of care and pathway transformation.
