As you are aware the EHS along with its associated national chapters are continually working together to promote the highest standards of hernia surgery resulting in the best possible patient care.
In recent years it has become increasingly important that the patient’s voice is heard and for surgeons to understand that for patients who live with hernia, it is about more than surgery, it is the whole hernia journey that matters with an expectation that surgeons understand their needs from diagnosis through to recovery.
The EHS recently took the bold step of creating a Patient Advisory Committee in a bid to better understand these needs and they fully support the Facebook Group Hernia Patient Support Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/262467366015030 which is run by Jackie Bullock, current chair of the Patient Advisory Committee.
This support group has over 4000 members from various countries around the world and offers valuable support and information to patients at all stages of their hernia journey. This support group differs from others as there is surgical support for those questions that only medical experts should answer and the surgeons who are members find it a valuable experience as they are able to learn about what patients experience.
We would like to ask you to promote the Facebook Hernia Patient Support Group on your web page and invite you to join us to better understand the needs of patients in your country as the group is also a valuable learning resource for the surgeons who are members.
We would also like to invite you to have a patient representative of your chapter on our EHS Patient Advisory Committee for us to better understand hernia care throughout the European Union. It is important that the voices of patients everywhere are heard and understood.
