We asked an independent expert, Johnny Runge from King’s College London, to review how the panels are working. He attended events, spoke with Bank staff and participants, looked at feedback, and reviewed notes and summaries from previous panels.
Review findings
The review found that the panels are valuable for the Bank. People who attend say they trust us more and have a better understanding of what we do. While it is not always easy to see exactly how feedback affects policy, the insights help us understand what life is like for people across the country.
The programme is already working well, so most of the suggestions are about getting things to run more smoothly rather than making drastic changes. For example, the review suggests improving how we share and collect feedback and providing more training for facilitators. The panels are also more diverse than people might expect, and participants bring a wide range of perspectives.
Key recommendations
1. Get more people involved
- reach out to underrepresented groups and make it easier for them to join
- use ‘panel ambassadors’ to help spread the word
- make it clearer what participants can gain from attending
2. Improve events
- mix up who sits together so a wider range of views are heard
- give facilitators better training so everyone feels comfortable and included
- break down big topics into smaller questions to make it easier to join in
- share background information before events, especially for technical subjects
- make Q&A sessions more welcoming and accessible
3. After the event
- standardise how we take notes so all views are captured fairly
- make sure staff share their thoughts and feedback
- use clearer language when reporting what happened
- tell people how their feedback is being used
4. Making a difference at the Bank
- communicate more clearly about what has changed after the panels
- involve more Bank teams in the panels
5. Making a difference for the public
- keep in touch after events
- share what we learned in creative ways
- make sure insights are publicly accessible
What has changed since the review?
The Bank has already started making improvements based on these recommendations. These include:
- reaching out to more organisations, such as colleges, food banks, housing groups, libraries, and GP surgeries to get a broader range of people involved
- incentives are now clearly mentioned in invitations and promotional materials
- we are testing new ways of organisgintables at eventsfacilitators receive more in-depth training
- topics and information sent to participants before and after events are clearer and more focused
- Q&A sessions now include written question cards so everyone can have their say
- venues and presentation materials are more accessible
- notes from facilitators are now standardised, and summaries include links to resources and show what has changed
- more Bank teams are involved in the panels
Next steps
The Bank plans to:
- keep expanding outreach and partnerships across the UK
- keep improving facilitator training and try new event formats
- communicate more clearly about how panel insights are making a difference
- find new and creative ways to share what we have learned with the public
Thank you for being part of the Citizens’ Panels. Your feedback is important, and the Bank is working to make sure it is heard and that we act on it. If you have ideas or suggestions, please keep sharing them by emailing outreach@bankofengland.co.uk.