Public involvement and engagement before the pandemic
Health and social care service users and carers were involved and engaged in educational activities across the Faculty in a wide variety of ways before the pandemic . Some users and carers directly contributed to the teaching of students , for example to talk about and answer students ’ questions about their experiences of using health services , living with one or more health conditions , or taking or receiving medicines and other therapies and treatments . Patient volunteers and “ simulated patients ” ( i . e . people acting as patients ) were also involved in teaching and assessment of students throughout the Faculty , particularly students ’ clinical and communication skills . Some schools included users and carers in interviews with prospective students as a routine part of the student admissions process and some schools included users and carers at Open days to meet prospective students .
In addition , users and carers were involved in and contributed to the strategic planning of programmes and modules throughout the Faculty . Users and carers were members of stakeholder groups who were consulted about programme and module design and delivery . They were also actively included in groups tasked with undertaking routine reviews of programmes , or to prepare for programme accreditation by professional regulatory bodies .
This active involvement of users and carers in students ’ learning experience , in student admissions and in the strategic planning of educational delivery is an important part of the education and training of health and social care professionals in the Faculty . It ensures that students gain awareness and understanding of the lived experience of illness and care and what it feels like to be a patient , service user or carer in UK health and social services . It also ensures that users and carers ’ voices are heard in the design of health programmes in the Faculty , so that we work together as partners in the best interests of students and the local community . However , our established ways of working were severely challenged in March 2020 when the first national ‘ lockdown ’ began in response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
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