Healthwatch Shropshire played a vital role during the past year in keeping the public updated about the Covid 19 pandemic and the constant changes during the early days and weeks of the vaccination programme. Its recently-published Annual Report 2020-21, highlights the charity’s successes as the team continued to listen to people’s experiences of health and social care services during this challenging time and shared the information with decision-makers.
During the year, Healthwatch Shropshire published 11 reports, based on information gathered through surveys and online focus groups, that included 139 findings and 40 recommendations for improvement.
The reports covered a range of issues including the impact of lockdown on access to services and general wellbeing; families’ experiences of end of life and palliative care of a loved one; and mothers’ experiences of mental health services during pregnancy and the first year of a child’s life. The Annual Report highlights the positive difference the information made in helping providers to improve services, including the Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust that based the development of its new model for Maternal Mental Health hubs on information provided by Healthwatch Shropshire.
Work has also been carried out on social prescribing for 16-25 year olds, hospital discharge during the pandemic, and a digital audit of care homes websites.
Vanessa Barrett, Chair of Healthwatch Shropshire, said: “I am very proud of Healthwatch Shropshire during 2020-21. In common with every other organisation, we had to make radical changes to the way we work, but our small team rose to the challenge enthusiastically.”
Lynn Cawley, Chief Officer of Healthwatch Shropshire, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who is helping us put people at the heart of health and social care, including members of the public who shared their stories with us; our amazing staff and volunteers; local voluntary organisations that have contributed to our work; and the providers for listening to the public voice.”
The full report can be found at: https://www.healthwatchshropshire.co.uk/news-and-reports
To find out more about the work of Healthwatch Shropshire and volunteering opportunities contact: 01743 237884 enquiries@healthwatchshropshire.co.uk www.healthwatchshropshire.co.uk
Healthwatch Shropshire is the independent consumer champion for health and social care in Shropshire. It gathers the views and experiences of patients, service users, carers, and the general public about services including hospitals, GPs, mental health services, community health services, pharmacists, opticians, residential care and children’s services. It also has statutory powers that it can use to influence service provision by encouraging improvements.