A new committee of the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB) will meet for the first time on Monday 23 January, 2023 and you are invited to attend virtually.

The Patient and Communities Committee will provide NHS Norfolk and Waveney with assurance that it is delivering its functions in a way that meets the needs of our patients and communities across Norfolk and Waveney. This is based on engagement and feedback from local people and groups.

The Committee also specifically focusses on how NHS Norfolk and Waveney and the wider Integrated Care System is actively addressing and reducing health inequalities experienced by individuals and communities.

The Committee will provide regular assurance updates to the Board of NHS Norfolk and Waveney in relation to activities and items within its remit and also, scrutinise and work with services across the organisation to ensure that we are actively addressing health inequalities and supporting service improvement across the system to help people lead longer, healthier and happier lives.

The Committee also focusses on the work of key approaches, projects and programmes to help ensure we work with our people and communities to involve them, engage with them and work with them to build services that meet their needs.

These are part of our People and Communities approach for Norfolk and Waveney, an evolving document which is updated on a regular basis. This sets out our collective approach to communications and engagement across Norfolk and Waveney.

Key to the Patients and Communities Committee will be two Committee members with lived experience, providing vital input, feedback and challenge to support our work as an organisation and indeed, wider ICS.

The Committee will also receive insight, make sure it is gathered appropriately, monitor progress to ensure that change is happening. It will also constantly refer back to the ‘so what’ question – what does this mean for our people and communities.

The first meeting of the Patient and Communities Committee will take place on Microsoft Teams on Monday 23 January 2023, between 3 – 5pm. You can find meeting papers and details for how to join here.

The Terms of Reference for the Patients and Communities Committee will be discussed at the first meeting on 23 January 2023. Once these are finalised, a final copy will be uploaded to the website. The Committee will take place every two months.

Outside of the Patients and Communities Committee, please visit our engagement hub to find out how you can get involved and have your say in a wide range of projects and programmes. Your views are important to us.