National Voices
National Voices
A coalition of UK charities, which bills itself as the only organised and representative national voice of the broad public interest in health and social care. National Voices aims to improve the NHS and social care systems to be more responsive to people’s needs and preferences, and to do more to support independence and self-care.National Voices’ goals
Voice, choice and involvement
The NHS remains too paternalist and “top down”—NV wants a stronger patient, service user and public voice in designing and delivering services. NV champions the NHS Constitution, informed choice, shared decision makin, and more responsive services, listening and adapting in response to feedback and complaints.
Fairness and justice
NV wants services delivered according to need with improved access and better care. NV wants a better deal for those disadvantaged because of their condition, disability, location, age, ethnicity or setting of their care—e.g., care homes.
Safety and quality
NV wants a stronger culture of quality improvement and safety, and a focus on people’s experiences of care as a fundamental dimension of quality.
Right care, right time, right place
NV wants improved outcomes and a higher quality of life for patients, which would occur if primary and community services were consistently better, if there was better support for people with chronic conditions and their carers and if people were hospitalised less.
A seamless service
NV wants structural improvement and integration between primary, community and secondary settings in health and between health and social care. Many people find they are passed from one location or service to another, cannot get packages of care to meet all their needs and suffer lack of continuity of care. NV calls for more integrated design and delivery of services.
National Voices’ MO
Voicing and influencing
NV speaks on behalf of patients, service users, carers and the bodies that represent them. Members and staff represent the coalition on high-level forums. NV works with national decision makers in government, the NHS, regulators and care professions in England.
Brokering
NV is a conduit between national decision makers and its network of voluntary sector professionals, volunteers, service users and experts.
Serving NV members
NV engages members on cross-cutting themes and creates opportunities for members to influence decision makers.