Citizens Health Reference Group

The Citizens Health Reference Group is made up of volunteers who provide feedback, advice and guidance from a public perspective on the work of the ICB.

Volunteers are sought from all over Lancashire and South Cumbria and it is our intention that membership should be as representative as possible of the region's population, both in terms of geographical location and in terms of individual backgrounds.

The areas supported by the Citizens Health Reference Group are varied and wide-ranging, from the transformation of urgent and emergency care services to access to dental services and oral health, and from supporting the development of consultation approaches to supporting procurement processes.

Recruitment to the Group takes place annually and is currently open. It will close on Monday 13 April 2026.

What happens after I complete the form?

We will collate details of everyone who wishes to join and then invite you to an orientation session, where we will introduce you to our team and explain more about how you can get support improving health and care services in your area.

How much time will I need to contribute?

We host full group meetings once every quarter (every three months) where we invite all members to come together and provide updates and hear comments from members. In addition to this, there are opportunities for you to support individual specific workstreams. The time members dedicate to the Citizens Health Reference Group and its activities varies and everything you do is on an entirely voluntary basis.

Where do you meet?

The Citizens Health Reference Group usually meets at the ICB headquarters at County Hall in Preston. However a great deal of work is carried out virtually using Microsoft Teams and many meetings take place using this programme.

I work during the day, can I still contribute?

Currently we host quarterly meetings twice, once face to face and once virtually using Microsoft Teams. The Microsoft Teams meeting takes place at 6pm in the days following the face-to-face meeting, so is accessible for those who work during the day or have other commitments that make meeting during the day difficult.