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There are many ways to get involved with our hospitals, from fundraising and volunteering to becoming a member of our trust, or even just sharing your feedback with our teams or as part of our patient involvement programme.
We’re committed to working in partnership with the public, the local community and every patient to make sure the services our hospitals provide are suited to our patients' needs.
We believe strongly in our patients getting involved in how we do this and value the support you give us.
Patient and public involvement means 'with' or 'by' the patient and public, not 'to', 'about' or 'for' them.
We’re committed to working in partnership with patients, the public and local communities to ensure our services are both relevant and responsive to local needs.
Providing an excellent experience for our patients, carers, other service users and staff is central to the trust's governing objectives. That’s why we’re keen to further involve patients, the public and wider stakeholder communities to help develop our services.
We strive to have patients and carers involved in making decisions about the commissioning, planning, design and reconfiguration of health services (either as design partners or through consultation).
This is known as patient/carer involvement, where staff and patients are brought together in partnership to explore findings and work in small groups to identify and implement changes that will improve the care pathway.
In April 2023, the Royal Free London Involvement Register was launched to ensure we have patient and carer voices available to help with involvement activities across our hospitals.
By signing up to our register, you’ll be informed about opportunities to get involved with the design and improvement of our services.
You’ll be emailed ah-hoc opportunities as they arise and can choose what you’d like to get involved with. There’s no obligation to get involved with every project.
Examples of tasks you may be asked to get involved with include:
- attending focus group meetings to share experiences and have group discussions
- reviewing patient information
- helping us decide how to spend a grant
- reviewing a new patient survey
- sharing ideas on future changes you feel would be beneficial
Ultimately, your involvement will ensure patient and carer voices influence the way we work.
Read about joining the Involvement Register (PDF)
Complete this form to join the Involvement Register
For more information or if you’re having trouble accessing the application form, you can email us.
Each of our three hospitals has a patient voices group of patients and carers who meet online monthly to help us to understand the experiences of people who use our services and are involved in work to improve them.
Each group is run by the patient experience team for that hospital.
Whilst the tasks you ‘d be asked to help with are like those that our Involvement Register members take part in, the patient voices groups require an ongoing commitment of attending at least six out of the 12 meetings a year.
Please note that you’re welcome to join one of these groups and join the Involvement Register if you so wish.
Barnet Patient Voices Group
The Barnet Patient Voices Group is run by the Barnet Hospital patient experience team.
It’s been in existence since April 2022 and meets each month for 90 minutes.
If you’re interested in finding out more, please read our role description, and if you'd like to apply to join our group, please fill in the application form.
Email the Barnet patient experience team if you’d like to find out more.
Chase Farm Patient Voices Group
The Chase Farm group launched in April 2023 and is recruiting members.
If you’re interested in finding out more, email the Chase Farm patient experience team.
The Royal Free Patient Voices Group
The Royal Free Hospital group started in 2018 and meets on the last Friday of each month.
If you’re interested in finding out more, email the Royal Free Hospital patient experience team.
The National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) defines public involvement in research as research being carried out ‘with’ or ‘by’ members of the public rather than ‘to’, ‘about’ or ‘for’ them. It is an active partnership between patients, carers and members of the public with researchers that influences and shapes research.
Involving patients and the public in research at the Royal Free London is pivotal to our vision of achieving the best access, experience and outcomes for our patients and staff, and for our research to make a major impact in improving the care of our local populations and beyond. In 2023 we launched a research involvement and inclusion group that can help us with the following types of activities:
- being a joint grant holder or co-applicant on a research project
- identifying research priorities
- being members of a project advisory or steering group
- commenting on and developing patient information leaflets or other research materials
- undertaking interviews with research participants
- carrying out research as user and/or carer researchers
If you are interested in joining our group or more widely in getting involved with research studies, contact rf-tr.
Fundraise for the Royal Free London
The Royal Free Charity is our strategic partner, funding research, equipment and projects that impact positively on our staff wellbeing and our patients’ experience of care.
By supporting the Royal Free Charity you’re helping to make a real difference for our patients, staff and researchers across the trust and all our hospitals.
If you’d like to give back to the hospital for the care that you, a friend or family member has received or you’d like to support ongoing research into treatments for a specific condition or disease, you can make a donation to the charity or fundraise for them.
Thinking of volunteering at the Royal Free London?
Volunteering is a unique experience and can make a difference to many people’s lives, as well as your own.
The Royal Free Charity runs a volunteer programme for our hospitals, with 300 volunteers and 14 pet therapy dogs making a direct and meaningful contribution to organisational efficiency, innovation and patient outcomes.
Volunteers can help us in any of our hospitals — Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, and the Royal Free Hospital — or at two of our satellite sites — Finchley Memorial Hospital and the Neurological Rehabilitation Centre at Edgware Community Hospital.
There are 20 distinct volunteer roles ranging from the practical to the pastoral, from the everyday to the innovative.
Volunteers come from a variety of social, cultural and religious backgrounds and have many different reasons for giving us their time, energy and skills.
Together, they help to improve patient experience and support NHS staff in making our hospitals a more welcoming place.
If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer at one of our hospitals, visit the Royal Free Charity website for details.
Evidence shows that supporting patients to be actively involved in their own care, treatment and support can improve outcomes and experience for patients.
We recognise the need to support patients to:
- manage their own health and make informed decisions about their care and treatment
- improve their health and give them the best opportunity to lead the life that they want
To learn more about self-care, visit the NHS England website.
