Hundreds respond to help Healthwatch set priorities

More than 365 residents responded to the Healthwatch ten-week survey asking for help to set work plan priorities for improving local health and social care services in the next twelve months. Further information and comments were gathered by volunteers through a mental health survey and at various outreach events throughout the borough since January.

On 21 March2017 Healthwatch England National Director, Imelda Redmond CBE and Healthwatch Redbridge Chair, Vanda Thomas, announced the outcome of the survey. Residents highlighted the main priorities as:

1. Ensuring people have access to the right health and care services they need to stay well

2. Supporting people using health and social care services to have a voice

3. Accessing appropriate local mental health services

Imelda Redmond CBE, Healthwatch England National Director said:

“I’m very impressed with team at Healthwatch Redbridge. They’ve worked incredibly hard this year to ensure the voice of local people has been heard and has contributed to local health and care service improvement. They have continued to commit time and effort to ensure people are given information in a way they can understand and to enable involvement from all.”

Vanda Thomas, Healthwatch Redbridge Chair said:

“We are delighted with the response. We gathered over 1,000 individual comments and responses and that shows how important local healthcare is.” “We will use the results to agree a business plan, putting the aspects of health and social care that residents say are important, at the heart of what we do.” “Our work would not be possible without the help and support of volunteers. We value the involvement from local people who give up their time to help us improve local health and social care services. We couldn’t do it without them.”

The presentation from the event can be downloaded from the attachment below.