Our workplan for 2024
April 2024 – March 2025
Healthwatch Halton will champion the interests of people who use health and social care services and ensure that they have an opportunity to speak out about their concerns and health and social care priorities.
We will ensure that the views of the public and people are considered by those who commission and provide services.
Priority Issues up to March 2025:
- Primary Care
- October 2024 - Check our report looking at the Pharmacy First service - Read the report
- Follow up work on previous projects (initially Maternity)
Community Engagement
In addition to public outreach sessions, our staff and volunteers will visit a range of community groups and events to seek patient and public opinions and views. We will ensure our visits reach across all Halton’s communities and look to gain the confidences of specific groups that we know are out there and difficult to engage with. We will also seek out the experiences and views of people who in the past have been in the minority in intelligence gathering, for example people with learning disabilities and or autism, people who have mental health, people who are blind, people who are deaf etc.
Target: Face to Face - Undertake 150+ outreach activities from April 2024 to March 2025.
Public Feedback
We will continue to encourage the public to feedback their experiences of using local health and social care services. This feedback will form part of our regular reports to the Healthwatch Advisory Board and be used to identify any themes and trends in local services.
This feedback will also form part of reports provided to stakeholders and commissioners.
Aim: To collect the experiences of 1200 people between April 2024 and March 2025.
Reporting
Healthwatch Halton will continue to carry out independent reviews on the provision of various health and social care services.
We will look at how we can best keep the public informed of changes brought about due to our work and the feedback.
Reports will be published based on the feedback we receive from the public. These will be sent to the relevant Boards, Commissioners and Monitoring Officers.
Aim: To publish intelligence/insight reports on a quarterly basis.
Enter and View programme
The programme has been and will be determined by intelligence received and follow up actions from previous Enter and View visits.
The focus on the Enter and View Programme for 2024 will be to look at the quality of the services from a resident and family (care homes) or patient/service user (other health & care services) point of view.
Aim: Carry out at least six Enter and View visits by March 2025.
Promotion
We will ensure our services are widely available and promoted in a range of formats. Our website and social media accounts will provide updates on engagement topics and enable networking with other organisations.
Aim: To see an increase in engagement numbers through social media. Ensure that the website is updated regularly with relevant topics and issues.
Strategic Influencing
Healthwatch Halton is represented on a wide range of strategic Boards that oversee health and social care including Halton Health and Wellbeing Board and the Health Policy Performance Board. Our remit is to work with these partnerships to ensure the voice of the public and patients are heard, and to provide advice, guidance and assurance on how to achieve this.
Aim: Healthwatch will be a strong public voice in strategic decision making.
Healthwatch Independent Strategic Advisory Board (HISAB)
Develop a well-balanced HISAB with a complimentary skill set and culture that allows collaborative working to make effective decisions and agree which decisions are implemented.
Aim: To grow the number of board members by three and ensure the HISAB receives any necessary training and support to fulfil its role during the year.
Volunteers
Volunteers play an essential role in the delivery of Healthwatch Halton. They add value and support us to achieve our mission and strategic objectives. By having an effective volunteer programme Healthwatch Halton can provide opportunities for social inclusion, skills and confidence development and possible routes into employment.
Aim: We are keen to make best use of our volunteer base this year and will look to review the effectiveness of the current volunteer programme.
Additional funded projects
Healthwatch Halton will continue to look at opportunities to take on additional funded project or pieces of work that are aligned with our mission.
Aim: To generate additional income to help sustain the current contract delivery and enhance the delivery offer.