In order to support the implementation of Section 5 of Our National Health, Involving People, a small team has been set up within the Health Planning and Quality Division of the Scottish Executive. The team will also support the implementation of Patient Focus and Public Involvement, published in December 2001.

The Designed to Involve initiative, which now forms part of the Involving People team, was funded by the Health Department in October 1999 for two years with the main aim of encouraging and developing public and patient involvement in Primary Care. Funding from the Primary Care Development Fund gave support to 87 different initiatives across Scotland, 64 of these based in Local Health Care Cooperatives. A summary of the lessons learned, and illustrations of good practice will be available soon, bringing together all the strands of Patient Focus and Public Involvement.

All of the teams' work is carried out following the best practice principles of involvement: honesty, inclusiveness, openness, good communication, responsiveness and, most importantly, accessibility and equality. For example, all meetings and educational seminars are held in accessible venues, as approved by disabled people.