Healthwatch is the new consumer champion for health and social care in England. It gives children, young people and adults a powerful voice – making sure their views and experiences are heard by those who run, plan and regulate health and social care services.
By making sure the views and experiences of all people who use services are gathered, analysed and acted upon, Healthwatch can help make services better now and in the future.
Healthwatch actively seeks views from all sections of the community, especially from those who sometimes struggle to be heard and not just from those who shout the loudest. It also encourages health and social care providers, regulators and planners to hear directly from people themselves.
There are 152 local Healthwatch organisations. Healthwatch County Durham is focussed on promoting high quality health and social care throughout the communities of County Durham. As well as ensuring that consumers’ views are represented locally, Healthwatch County Durham also feeds views and information to Healthwatch England, which provides a national voice on key issues.
Healthwatch County Durham allows local people to influence the health and social care services they receive now, and to help plan what is needed for the future.
It does this by: providing information, advice and support about local health and social care services.
gathering the views and experiences of local people on the way services are delivered.
having the power to ‘enter and view’ to see at first hand how a particular service is delivered
influencing the planning of future services using the evidence it has collected.
Opportunities exist for volunteers to become involved with Healthwatch. Please ask for details if you’re interested.
Tel. 01325 375960
Textline: 07738 994067
Advice/information:
0808 801 0384
Email:
info@healthwatchcounty durham.co.uk
Website:
www.healthwatchcounty durham.co.uk