About Us
 

The Scottish Executive (now Government) enacted  legislation in 2004 which provided for the establishment of  Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) by Health Boards. One of the obligations on CHPs was to maintain effective and formal dialogue with their local communities through the development of a local public partnership forum (PPF).

In 2005 two Community Health Partnerships (North Edinburgh CHP and South Edinburgh CHP) were established, although they amalgamated to become a single Edinburgh CHP on 1 April 2007. Each CHP established a PPF and when the CHPs amalgamated it was decided that the two PPFs would remain separate entities.

In mid 2006 South Edinburgh CHP began work on forming a South Edinburgh PPF (SEPPF), and subsequently a small number of people with an interest in health or community matters met occasionally to discuss topics of general interest. They also elected two representatives to the CHP.

Further members joined and attended meetings, but in the view of the CHP, the group was not functioning as they wished, and at its meeting in December 2007 the Edinburgh Community Health Partnership voted to suspend the SEPPF and undertake a review. The CHP subsequently voted to dissolve the SEPPF in June 2008.

As the CHP had not been supporting the work of the SEPPF for a few months before it was suspended some of its members decided to get together and continue the work they had already begun in commenting on and helping to improve NHS services.  While they were very willing to take part in the review of the SEPPF (indeed two members were invited to do this), it was clear that this was likely to take some time, and they wished to continue their work in the meantime.

At the invitation of one of the members the group met, and continues to meet, in her front room, as this venue turned out to be reasonably convenient for members. The group has been friendly and informal, but has worked hard.  With the agreement of members, the roles of Chair and Minute Secretary are taken alternately by two members.  The attendance at meetings  is usually around 10-12 people, a similar number who were attending the old SEPPF  When members are unable to attend meetings they contribute to discussions by email.

In January 2008 it was agreed that since the South Edinburgh Public Partnership Forum had been suspended, the group should adopt the name ‘South Edinburgh Public and Patient Forum’.  This kept the same initials, but introduced the word ‘Patient’, indicating that the group’s agenda was health-related.  There was thus an element of continuity, but at the same time making it clear that this was a new group, and that it was concerned with matters of health. A website was set up for the group and the initials SEPPF continued to be used.

At a later date it was recognized that if the same initials were used as those of the South Edinburgh Public Partnership Forum (also SEPPF) there could be confusion, especially if the SEPPF was re-constituted, and that it would be advisable to change the name of the group.  The name South Edinburgh Health Forum (SEHF) was agreed and ratified in October 2008.

The group are at present looking to expand their membership and remit.

The SEPPF has still not been re-constituted.