Good engagement webinars
There is some incredible engagement happening across Lancashire and South Cumbria. Our series of webinars is a fantastic way to share best practices and learn from each other.
The first webinar, held in September 2024, focused on involving children and young people in health service engagement. You can access the materials for that using the link on the right.
The most recent webinar took place 31 January 2025 and focused on engagement with women about menopause. The webinar shared learning from engagement with women which has led to the development of menopause clinics and support in primary care in South Cumbria. Learning and insights were also shared about approaches to listening and engaging with women to understand the experiences of living with the menopause.
Involving women in the development of menopause services
In health service engagement, we often ask people and communities to share their experiences and opinions about our ideas and plans for the future of NHS services. Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), which fund, plan, and commission NHS services, have a legal duty to involve people and communities. Engagement and consultation are enshrined in law, specifically in Section 242 of the 2006 NHS Act and the constitution of ICBs.
Beyond the legal duty and requirements, it simply makes sense to listen to service users and the public. Their insights can help us develop services that are well-designed, effective, efficient, and meet people's needs.
Last year the ICB's public involvement and engagement advisory committee (PIEAC) reviewed its work and explored ways to better assure the Board about the organisation’s efforts in engagement, involvement, and co-production. One idea was to share and spread good practice with colleagues, the workforce, and partners across the health and care system.
How can engagement with people and communities result in improvements to health care and services?
At Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), we and our partners have been actively working to enhance the engagement of people and communities throughout our area. Engaging with women to understand their needs and experiences of the menopause makes sense when developing menopause services.
In this, the second of our engagement good practice webinars, we looked at how engagement with women about their experiences of the menopause has translated into support and services that work for them. Participants had the chance to really get into the detail behind the work being done, hearing from Menopause specialists, and the difference they have made as a result of engagement. As well as highlighting good practice in involvement, engagement and coproduction, this webinar, available on demand, is for anyone who is interested in finding out more about how menopause can impact women, their partners and families, in the community and the wider workforce. Healthwatch Blackpool shared their engagement with women to elicit their views and experiences of the menopause, and Dr Cath Munro and Dr Jen Horrocks, two South Cumbrian GPs describe how they engaged and involved women to develop what have become, well regarded GP menopause clinics.
You can watch the webinar featuring these excellent examples of engagement or, if you prefer, you can listen to an audio file instead.
Special thanks to Alex Lever, engagement lead for Healthwatch Blackpool, Dr Cath Munro, a GP and British Menopause Society accredited menopause specialist, and Dr Jen Horrocks, a GP who is passionate about women's health, particularly menopause care.