We are currently recruiting a group of 1,000 local residents to join a People’s Panel.

The Panel will be broadly representative of the Gloucestershire population and include people who experience greater health inequalities compared to others in the county or elsewhere in England.

Members must be over the age of eighteen and either live, or access healthcare, in Gloucestershire.  Demographic information including age, gender and ethnicity will be collected and used to ensure the Panel reflects the demographic profile of Gloucestershire.

There are some very active people who are prepared, willing and able to take up the many opportunities available already to have their say. However, we think we can do more to ensure that we hear the voices of individuals who do not, or cannot, easily tell us what matters to them.  The Panel is an additional way for people to share their views.

Members will be asked to provide anonymous feedback which will be used to shape health and care services and support, at both a county and more local level. The types of subjects the Panel might be invited to comment on will range from experience of GP surgeries, healthy lifestyles, support and activities in your community to specialist hospital services.

The Panel has initially been part funded by NHS England and will operate for two years.  Support with establishing the Panel has been provided by NHSE and Picker.  We have appointed Phoenix MRC Limited, an independent market research and insight agency, to recruit members to our People’s Panel.  The agency is locally based, ISO accredited and a Market Research Society (MRS) Company Partner.

For more information, contact glicb.gig@nhs.net.