Earlier this month the Italian Ministry of Health has issued guidelines that will allow patients to have a stronger voice at many levels of healthcare decisions. 

Patients associations will be involved in consulting, setting the agenda of the Ministry, co-planning, supporting implementation, generating evidence, as well as providing patients’ experience in the monitoring, evaluation and re-examination of measures.

Patients associations have welcomed the possibility to have a more formal and active role in the decisional processes that have an impact on healthcare: this may be a first step towards an a-political public participation in healthcare decisions.