Advice from Polyfon's lived experience panel
Service user and family involvement is a democratic right. It is also a core value in music therapy theory and practice, and is therefore reflected in Polyfon's strategy and action plan.
To support meaningful involvement, Polyfon's lived experience panel recommends:
- Communicate well in advance. Allow enough time for reflection and ensure that expectations are discussed and agreed upon. This should include clarification of financial compensation.
- Obtain informed consent. Participation should be based on formal and informed consent.
- Make withdrawal possible at any time. Participants should have a clear right to withdraw at any stage.
- Use accessible language. Researchers and other professionals should present information in a way that is easy to understand and keep documentation to a manageable level.
Information and resources
Service user and family involvement as a right
Participation and access to information are legal rights. Here you will find information about the legal and policy framework for service user and family involvement.
Relevant courses
Several organisations offer training in participation and involvement.
- Take the e-learning course Training for service user representatives at system level (Helse Vest)
- Take the e-learning course ABC of service user involvement (Kompetansebroen, Akershus University Hospital)
- Register for the course Service user involvement in research (KBT)
- Read about the course Patient and public involvement in medical and health research (University of Bergen)
Further reading
- Read about service user and family involvement (National Centre for Mental Health Practice)
- Read about service user involvement in research (National Centre for Experiential Expertise in Mental Health)
- Read about methods and approaches for service user involvement (KBT)
- Read Service user involvement in research: too little, too late (Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association)
- Read Participation is more than heartache (KORUS)
- Read She regrets sharing her story from the stage (National Centre for Experiential Expertise in Mental Health)
Organisations
These organisations work with lived experience expertise and involvement.
Guidelines for compensation
Polyfon follows Helse Bergen's guidelines for compensating service user representatives. The rate is NOK 355 per hour.
Read the guidelines for compensation of service user representatives (PDF).
When participating in projects, meetings, events and similar activities, service user and family representatives are entitled to:
- Compensation for attending agreed meetings, both online and in person.
- Compensation for agreed and specific preparation activities.
- Reimbursement of travel expenses.
If you have any questions, please contact the administrative coordinator for Polyfon at polyfon@uib.no.