A tool to improve patient and public engagement in commissioning sexual and reproductive health and HIV services.

To cite: Lorenc A, Robinson N. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care 2015;41:8–12. BACKGROUND Patient and public engagement (PPE) consists of involving, consulting and listening to patients and the public, to make services responsive to patients’ needs and improve clinical outcomes and patient experience. PPE has a central role in the UK National Health Service (NHS), at every level, from planning to delivery, including commissioning. NHS England state that “engaging and involving communities in the planning, design and delivery of health and care services can lead to more joined-up, co-ordinated and efficient services that are more responsive to local community needs”. The 2012 Health and Social Care Act made PPE a legal duty for health care commissioners. PPE supports NHS and government agendas to improve quality through new ideas and increasing patient empowerment, and can also reduce costs by providing and implementing services that patients want and will use, resulting in the reduction of unnecessary services. PPE can improve the patient experience, add value to services and support good governance, and co-production with patients can improve services 4 and clinical outcomes. A recent report entitled ‘Changing Care, Improving Quality’, developed by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, NHS Confederation and National Voices, discusses the need for ‘reconfiguration’ of NHS services and puts forward a case for patient engagement: