PRESS RELEASE: Your Local Health And Social Care Champion Is Shortlisted For Work Showcasing Innovation And Collaboration In A Major National Awards Scheme

• Your local health and social care champion is shortlisted for work showcasing innovation and collaboration in a major national awards scheme

Healthwatch Bexley, Healthwatch Bromley, Healthwatch Greenwich, Healthwatch Lambeth, Healthwatch Lewisham and Healthwatch Southwark have been nominated for a prestigious national award for creating a new job role across all six Healthwatch, ensuring patient feedback is shared with our Integrated Care System while allowing each Healthwatch to continue working on local priorities.

This new role has allowed input of people’s voice from across the diverse communities local Healthwatch work with across Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark into the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the Our Healthier south east London Integrated Care System. This approach ensures a broad set of views from our communities contribute to ICS decision making processes and a range of work programmes.

Healthwatch Bexley, Healthwatch Bromley, Healthwatch Greenwich, Healthwatch Lambeth, Healthwatch Lewisham and Healthwatch Southwark were shortlisted under the ‘Working with your Integrated Care System’ category in the Healthwatch Awards 2021, which are run by Healthwatch England.

This annual event celebrates the difference Healthwatch’s 4,000 plus staff and volunteers across England have made over the past year.

Healthwatch Bromley is one of only 30 local Healthwatch out of a total of 152 across England to be in the running for one of the awards.

We will find out whether our award bid has been successful during Healthwatch Week, which runs from Tuesday 9 November 2021.

Folake Segun, Director South East London Healthwatch said:

“This nomination is for the entire staff and volunteer family of Healthwatch in South East London. Over the last year, we have worked together to support more people than ever and to make sure their views reached the right decision-makers.  We could not have done this work without the collaboration of our partners, thank you. Being nominated has inspired everyone involved.”

Sir Robert Francis QC, Chair of Healthwatch England, said:

“This year once again the standard of entries for the Healthwatch Week awards was extremely high. Your local Healthwatch has been shortlisted because of excellent work which has really benefited your community.

“I am extremely proud of the inspiring dedication shown by our staff and volunteers to making a real difference for your community, whether that be by reaching out to those whose views are not being heard, helping people find the support they need or making sure NHS and social care services act on the improvements that you want to see.”

Across south east London Healthwatch staff and volunteers have been supporting their local community more than ever through the coronavirus pandemic by:

• Finding out what people like about health and social care support, and what could be improved
• Helping people find the information they need about services in their area and,
• Encouraging those in charge of NHS and social care services to make the changes that communities would like to see.

www.healthwatchbexley.co.uk,  www.healthwatchbromley.co.uk,

www.healthwatchgreenwich.co.uk,  www.healthwatchlambeth.org.uk

www.healthwatchlewisham.co.uk,  www.healthwatchsouthwark.org

More information about the Healthwatch Week Awards shortlist can be found here on the Healthwatch England website.

For more information about Healthwatch and how our teams continue to support people throughout the pandemic, click here for your local Healthwatch:

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Healthwatch:

Healthwatch is your local health and social care champion. We make sure NHS leaders and other decision-makers hear your voice and use your feedback to improve care.

How we can help you 

If you’ve recently visited your GP, or local hospital, or used any health and care services in Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham, or Southwark we want to hear from you. Whether you’ve had a good or bad experience, we can use your feedback to improve services for everyone and we have the power to make NHS leaders and other care providers listen to what you have to say. We’re completely independent and impartial and anything you say is confidential. We also offer information and advice to help you to get the support you need. Our service is free, simple to use and can make a real difference to people.