• Welcome!

    This site has been designed to support Patient and Public Voice (PPV) partners and NHS England staff working with them. It includes online learning courses covering a range of topics.

    The courses have been developed by a team from WSA Community Consultants and Just Ideas based on briefs from NHS England’s Public Particiaption team.

    PPV partners and NHS England staff have also been involved in co-designing some of these courses.


    These two documents are useful references that can be read alongside all of the courses. Click on a link to open either document in a new tab.

    NHS logo Just Ideas logo  WSA logo

Available courses

  • what commissioning means and how it works within the NHS 
  • how to work together with people and communities in commissioning processes and decisions
  • how to get involved at a personal patient and public voice level 
  • the roles and motivations of PPV partners
  • best practice in selecting and supporting PPV partners
  • how staff and PPVs can work best together
  • the different sorts of information and data that drive the NHS and the appropriate use of that information
  • information governance and its role in engagement activities
  • how data collection and presentation supports PPV partners and their work 
  • communicating effectively within your role and especially when communicating at a distance
  • getting your message across in face-to-face and online meetings
  • using appropriate strategies to persuade and influence others
  • understanding Carers and their contribution as expert partners to the NHS
  • relevant policy, legislation and Carers rights
  • engaging and involving Carers in designing support services

  • the nature of social media and how individuals and organisations have used it for effective public engagement
  • how social media and social networking can be used to gather information and engage with patients and communities
  • using social media in your own role