At the request of the Our Voice programme, Shared Future were commissioned to produce a literature review of Citizen Jury style processes in 2017.

This document takes a snapshot of relevant literature to discuss the features of citizens juries, and other types of public engagement processes, their potential use (both in Scotland, England and internationally) and the Scottish policy context for running such a deliberative process.  The review also considers some of the critique of citizens juries and mini-publics and in particular the ability of citizens juries to be inclusive and to impact upon decision-making processes.

This review formed part of a body of work considering if a Citizens Jury would support the process of Realising Realistic Medicine. In response to challenges of Scotland’s public health record, changing demography and the economic environment in 2011 the Scottish Government set out its strategic vision for achieving sustainable quality in healthcare services across Scotland. Whilst fundamentally inward facing, it pointed to the need to ensure health delivery moved from being reactive to anticipatory, and of the “need to develop a shared understanding with the people of Scotland” of what they should expect from, and their responsibilities as partners in the Scottish health service.

The follow up 2019 Realistic Medicine: Our Voice Citizens’ Jury is also available here.