What is Comensus?
Service user and carer involvement has been given
prominence in health and social care services
because of two separate but inter-related
developments:
1. The growth of consumerism as a guiding
principle within public services i.e service users
seen to be customers not patients
2. The emergence of a number of service
user/carer movements campaigning for more
responsive services, a greater say in their own
care and greater acceptance by wider society
•
•
Increased service user satisfaction
Challenge to paternalism – Professionals no
longer seen as prevalent voice
• Service user participation contributes to
improved services that are user centred,
responsive, flexible, open to challenge and
accountable
• People are experts by their own experience and
have valuable insights
• In line with government policy
• Participation gives people an active role that is
essential to their recovery (possibly greater
concordance in treatment)
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1.
2.
3.
There have been growing policy drivers to
Involve service users in the care & support received
 In adult’s social care
 In children & young people’s social care
Involve service users/carers in educating student s
Key emerging themes in participation-service user/carer
participation/choice/control
High
Users have the authority to take decisions
Users have the authority to take some decisions
Users have an opportunity to influence decisions
User views are sought before making decisions
Decisions are publicised and explained before
implementation
Information is given about decisions made
Low
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Voice for change
Currently fashionable
Long history
Rights, entitlements and improving services
… changing society as a whole?
David Keddie – Stakeholder
Engagement Manager – Lancashire Care
NHS Foundation Trust
Lou Rawcliffe
Simone Tomlinson
Our Foundation Degree aims to give students
 the opportunity to log at least 100 hours real
 experience in a practice setting.
 When your agency provides a placement it
 enables students to:
 • Develop their skills in person-centred work
 • Place theory into practice experience to
 support service users and your professional
 staff
 • Become sector-ready employees
 All of our students are aged 18 plus and have enhanced clearance
 through CRB/DBS. At the start of their placement they will have
 completed practice-focused modules in Care, Communication
 Skills and Learning. All students will come with UCLan training and
 certificates in First Aid, Moving and Handling and Safeguarding.
100 hours experience in your agency will help change a learner into
a skilled practitioner.

COMENSUS
Harrington Building, Room 207
University of Central Lancashire
Preston
PR1 2HE
01772 893818
Lmalihi-shoja@uclan.ac.uk