Psychology - Every Voice Matters

four circles with star heart, people and arrow icons inside

Working together to shape psychology services in our hospitals.

Patient Experience Group

We are Every Voice Matters (also known as EVM). We are a friendly, enthusiastic and open-minded group of current and former psychology patients who want to make a difference in the psychology department – and in wider areas too.

About our service

What do we do?

We aim to make positive changes with the Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust (Pinderfields, Pontefract and Dewsbury and District Hospitals).

We do this by sharing our views, ideas and opinions based on our own experiences within the psychology department and wider hospital. We share this information with staff members, wards and managers to make progress. We have has a great deal of success in making changes to improve patients’ experiences of the psychology department and beyond!

What sorts of projects do EVM work on?

EVM work on a variety of ideas brought to them both by patients and from psychology staff members.

Here are some examples of our achievements to date:

  • Redesigning workbooks used in psychology groups to make them easier to understand (shown below)
  • Sitting on interview panels for new members of staff
  • Organising a conference day which was attended by NHS staff from across the region
  • Organising a letter-writing campaign to local MPs to ask them to support an initiative to improve brain injury rehabilitation services
  • Highlighting wider issues with relevant managers and departments e.g. reducing smoking outside of the hospital entrances.

What would I have to do if I joined EVM?

We discuss any ongoing issues in the Psychology department and attendees are free to raise any new ideas or concerns. We meet to make joint decisions about how to progress. You are not required to join every meeting and you can take part as much or as little as you wish. If you don’t want to attend meetings but you do have an idea for a change or improvement you wish to share, please do contact us with your idea and we can address it on your behalf.

EVM is supported by the Psychology department so you can find out more by speaking to your clinician at your next Psychology appointment, or by telephone or email.

Tel: 01924 816032

Email: midyorks.clinicalpsychologyEB@nhs.net

We can also put you in contact with a current EVM member who is happy to meet with you to tell you more. We look forward to hearing from you.