Service User and Public Involvement (SUPI)

The School of Health and Social Work believes that the involvement of service users and carers is central to the development and quality of our courses. Service Users and Carers are a group of people who have experience of using health and social care services or have caring responsibility for those who have.

By working alongside those that have everyday experience of health care issues, our students are given a real opportunity to fully understand the needs and expectations of those they will be working with.

Service users and carers are frequently referred to as 'experts by experience' and this is exactly what they are. Why learn the theory without receiving advice from an expert!

In turn, involvement in the School's courses allows, service users and carers the opportunity to make a difference by, challenging and influencing the development of courses.

A short talking heads video produced by Service Users and Carers:

The SUPI Core group

The School's Service User and Public Involvement Core Group (SUPI) was established in October 2014 and aims to support and increase public involvement in the School of Health and Social Work. SUPI, together with members of teaching staff, are working together to ensure that the views and opinions of service users are represented as much as possible.

The SUPI core group comprises service user/public representatives, two members of the public involvement research group (PIRg), academic staff from the three departments and a senior management representative of the school. The group meets four times a year, and the meetings are chaired by the Professor of Public Involvement and Health and co-ordinated by the Public Involvement Officer.

Current involvement within the School

We have at least 60 service users or Experts by Experience (EbE) who are directly involved with the School's activities, their experiences vary from caring to living with health conditions to experiences of hospital treatment. The School also works closely with a number of charities for example Viewpoint Hertfordshire, Carers in Hertfordshire and two local schools. As an Expert by Experience, you can expect to be involved a variety of activities including:

Experts by Experience (EbE) – Being involved

Attending meetings relating to learning and teaching activities e.g. Programme validation meetings and learning session planning meetings
Attending and being actively involved in student admission interview panels
Attending and being actively involved as a panel member for a validation event
Co-delivery of learning and teaching activities with members of staff, including preparing and delivering a full range of learning materials and activities, and contributing to student assessment.
Contributing to learning and teaching sessions with students either in person or remotely, including the EbE telling their story and sharing their lived experience with students, followed by answering questions from students.

Expert by Experience (EbE) – Co-designing and co-producing learning and teaching activities and resources

Working in collaboration with members of staff, the EbE is involved in developing online and printed case studies, materials and presentations for co-produced delivery in learning and teaching session(s)
Contributing to programme development and reviewing of validation documents and curriculum content in collaboration with members of staff (expectation of time spent to be agreed in advance with the member of staff)

Feedback from students

'Perspectives are changing and as you learn about service users you learn about yourself as well. You grow with them.'

'Public involvement is an integral part of many of the School's health courses. Here are some of the views from our students.'

'Service user involvement … has made me practice with compassion.'

'Being able to discuss aspects and topics that are sometimes sensitive in practice or [having] no time allows the opportunity to gain a different perspective. Speaking to the service user in a casual manner rather than in practice allows a barrier to be removed.'

Make your health and social care experience count

If you are a service user or carer and would like to be involved in the education of future health and social work professionals please email Sonya Prime Public Involvement Officer.