Involving patients in care and research

There has been much recent interest in involving patients as participants in research and evaluation of care. 'User involvement' refers to the meaningful participation and consultation of service users (the patients, clients and carers of palliative care) in planning, evaluation and education from their own, unique perspective (Monroe and Olivier, 2003). Involvement is seen as a loose umbrella term for any area where consumers are brought into the decision-making process. Consultation demonstrates a more explicit intention to obtain user views, whereas participation is a more active process, drawing on a wider definition of the term as ‘partnership’