DOROTHY House Hospice Care is looking for people who have used their services to join a new virtual quality improvement panel, to help develop the care and support services they provide for patients living with life-limiting illness, their families and carers.

Working through Evolving Communities, a Wiltshire-based community interest research company, Dorothy House is inviting people to get involved now to help inform priorities in 2021. They want to hear from people who would like to join the panel and they will be gathering views from January to March 2020.

Dr Sara Nelson, head of research and insight at Evolving Communities, said: “Every year Dorothy House produces a quality improvement plan setting out its development priorities for the year ahead. They understand the value of listening to the people who use their services and they are now seeking views to inform their priorities for 2021. Previous priorities have included, for example, improving gym facilities and developing an online patient feedback system.

“Evolving Communities is setting up a virtual quality improvement panel for Dorothy House to make it easier for people to share their views from the comfort of their own home. "We want to hear from people who are currently using Dorothy House services and those who have used them previously, including patients, family members and carers. This is a great opportunity to help Dorothy House improve the quality of life for those living with a life-limiting illness.”

Dorothy House provides care and support for people in their own home, in the community, and through day services and residential care provided at the Hospice. They work across Bath & North East Somerset, parts of Wiltshire and Somerset.

Voluntary panel members will be able to share their views from the comfort of their own home by completing one or two online surveys and possibly a telephone interview each year.

Volunteers don’t need any qualifications, just personal experience of using any one of the services provided by Dorothy House.

If you can spare a little time to get involved, contact: www.evolvingcommunities.co.uk/vacancies phone: 01225 701888 email: research@evolvingcommunities.co.uk

People do not need to join the quality improvement panel to give their feedback; they can also complete the short online survey: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/DH-QIP/