Public involvement is an essential part of making sure that effective and efficient health and care services are delivered; by reaching, listening to, involving and empowering our people and communities, we can ensure that they are at the heart of decision making. The NHS in Lancashire and South Cumbria is committed to putting our population’s needs at the heart of all we do.

Our vision to put people at the centre is based on the understanding that engaged and involved residents make best use of services to support their health and wellbeing and this will help to drive down health inequalities in Lancashire and South Cumbria. This strategy document supplements a Lancashire and South Cumbria Health and Care Partnership publication which sets out a strategic partnership approach to public involvement and describes how this will be implemented by the NHS in Lancashire and South Cumbria. This document has been developed with wide engagement and involvement with partners, colleagues and public participation group members however this is still a developing area of work which will be constantly reviewed and iterated as greater involvement with local people develops and learning can be used to strengthen the ambitions of the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board.