HealthWatch

The government’s vision for HealthWatch is that it will be the independent consumer champion for the public - locally and nationally - to promote better outcomes in health for all and in social care for adults.  HealthWatch will be representative of diverse communities.  It will provide intelligence - including evidence from people’s views and experiences - to influence the policy, planning, commissioning and delivery of health and social care services.

Locally, it will also provide information and advice to help people access and make choices about services as well as access independent complaints advocacy to support people if they need help to complain about NHS funded services.  HealthWatch will have credibility and public trust through being responsive and acting on concerns when things go wrong, and operating effectively and efficiently.

HealthWatch consists of HealthWatch England and Local HealthWatches across the country. Local HealthWatches will be statutory organisations that will be funded through and remain accountable to local authorities.  In respect to HealthWatch Worcestershire, this will be the County Council.  Local HealthWatch will have a direct relationship and ongoing dialogue with HealthWatch England for advice and support, and will be able to raise serious concerns with the Care Quality Commission.

For more national information please see: CQC Website

HealthWatch Worcestershire

Our Vision

We have a strong compelling vision with simple goals that patients, service users, carers, staff and other stakeholders can relate to and feel ownership of.

Our vision is to ensure high quality and choice of health, social care and wellbeing services  for the benefit of all across Worcestershire.

Our Goals

HealthWatch Worcestershire’s strategy and direction can be summarised under eight key goals

• To champion the collective views and experiences of patients, service users, carers, and the wider community
• To influence the policy, planning, commissioning and delivery of health and social care by Worcestershire County Council, Clinical Commissioning Groups, NHS Trusts & other providers.
• To signpost and advise patients, service users, carers and the wider community to help them to access appropriate services.
• To be representative of the diverse communities across Worcestershire including reaching out to communities where health and access to services are poorest.
• To work closely with HealthWatch England and the Care Quality Commission in holding commissioners and providers to account.
• To establish positive working relationships with a wide range of organisations and groups across Worcestershire.
• To be recognised as one of the best local HealthWatches in the country.
• To have credibility and public trust through being responsive if problems arise and acting on concerns when things go wrong.

For more information on HealthWatch Worcestershire please see: Operating Model and Implementation Paper  (PDF 69 KB)