Meeting with the patient organisations
In December 2020, Region Jönköping County invited to a digital information meeting about NorthTick, a project in the North Sea Region Programme that involves ticks and tick-borne infections. Invited to the meeting were, among others, several Swedish patient organisations who had signed the "Letters of support". One of the project's assignments is to communicate knowledge about the project and to improve public service delivery based on a ‘One Health Perspective’. At the meeting the purpose of the project and the results produced so far were presented.
The dialogue with the participants was constructive and fruitful.
- It is always useful and rewarding with questions and views from lay people. The project has a fixed framework that we need to relate to, but at the meeting several good ideas were presented that we can bring with us into future projects. We will continue to have contact with the group, and they will also be invited to meetings and conferences in the future, says Ulla Hansson Green, communication manager for NorthTick.
- The main target group for NorthTick is the inhabitants of the North Sea Region (around 60 million people). Therefore, a consructive and continuous dialogue with our stakeholders is central. Patients' preference is key in this context, says Per-Eric Lindgren, professor and project leader.
Anna J Henningsson, associate professor and active partner in the project, informed about her work on tick research at the Division of Laboratory Medicine at Jönköping County Council, the partner that also leads the NorthTick project. Anna says that she thought it was very valuable to be part of the meeting.
Footnote: "Letters of support" is a letter of recommendation that stakeholders write in connection with the grant application to prove the project's eligibility.