CDHN Launched the Toolkit on Engagement on 2nd September 2008. CDHN was delighted to welcome Mr. Paul Martin, Chief Social Services Officer, DHSSPS to launch the Toolkit.

Mr Martin said, “True and meaningful engagement allows the very people who use health and social care services to become the co-designers, co-planners and co-providers of services. It is a process that can, and should be used at very stage of the commissioning cycle…..the toolkit is an example of best practice in the field of community engagement. I hope that commissioners make full use of this toolkit and that we can see the benefits that a fully user centred health and social care services can bring to Northern Ireland.”

CDHN has produced this toolkit in order to provide guidance for commissioners on how to ensure that users, carers and communities get fully involved in the new devolved commissioning. The aim is to make sure that the engagement process is built on real partnerships, where users, carers and communities begin to have ‘citizen control’.

Barbary Cook, Director of CDHN said that though the Toolkit was one for health and social care commissioners CDHN believed it could be used across health and social care, including with Trusts and also in other sectors such as education, social development etc.

The toolkit is accompanied by a DVD of four engagement case-studies from across Northern Ireland. CDHN would like to thank everyone who took in the DVD for telling their stories so honestly and patiently!

CDHN is developing training to accompany the toolkit. If you require any further information about the toolkit please contact Barbary Cook on barbarycook@cdhn.org

Engagement Toolkit for Commissioners