Evaluation of the soundboardgroups in the Networks Palliative Care in Limburg, The Netherlands.

Since 2001 user representatives from soundboard groups in the Networks Palliative Care are safeguarding the common interests of people in the palliative stage. User participation in the Networks Palliative Care is applied very practical, through the participation of user representatives in the soundboard groups. There are six in Limburg (NL), one soundboard group for each Network Palliative Care. Huis voor de Zorg Limburg supports the NPC's and their soundboard groups. Soundboard groups are much used as a method of user participation. But never before has been evaluated how effective this method is, and to what extent the support from Huis voor de Zorg contributes to the participation of user representatives. In this project we evaluate the effectivity of soundboard groups as a method of user participation. Furthermore we evaluate the support of Huis voor de Zorg. We develop a model for other parts of The Netherlands who also work with soundbordgroups. But not only for Networks Palliative Care but also for different environments.

The purpose is to evaluate the effectivity of participation experienced by representators of palliative care-users in the six Networks Palliative Care on matters of content and decision making process of the Networks. And to make improvement suggestions for the soundboardgroups.

First phase: 12 interviews and 2 dialoguegroups with mebers of the soundboardgroups.

Second phase: 7 interviews and 1 dialoguegroup with members of the Networks Palliative Care and the advisor Huis voor de Zorg .

Interviews, Dialoguegroups, recommended practises and Improvement suggestions for the soundboardgroups.