Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen will make a positive contribution to the successful local achievement of outcomes set out in national frameworks for the NHS, primary care, adult social care and public health. Particular attention will be paid to:

  • Improved patient and user experience.
  • Improved communication.
  • Improved satisfaction with health in local area.
  • Greater patient and public involvement in health and social care.
  • Strong relationship with commissioners, the Health &Wellbeing Board and the Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee
  • Improved access to services.
  • Improved people’s understanding of their rights (consumer champion) and taking a human rights-based approach to championing their rights
  • High public Awareness/Profile of Healthwatch.
  • Good image/trust of Healthwatch with the public.

Special Delivery Functions

  • Gathering views and understanding the experiences of patients and the public.
  • Making people’s views known.
  • Promoting and supporting the involvement of people in the commissioning and provision of local care services and how they are scrutinized.
  • Function Four: Recommending investigation or special review of services via Healthwatch England or directly to the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
  • Providing advice and information (signposting) about access to services and support for making informed choices.
  • Making the views and experiences of people known to Healthwatch England (and to other local Healthwatch organisations) and providing a steer to help it carry out its role as national champion.
  • NHS Complaints Advocacy

Health and Well-being Strategy

The workplan has been aligned against the three main strands in Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Health & Well-being Strategy.

  • Start well
  • Live well
  • Age well
  • All Ages

Youth Healthwatch engagement across the year with a focus on:-

  • Mental health
  • Supporting Public Health in the development of the Child Poverty strategy
  • Delivering Level 2 Royal Society of Public Health Young Health Champions accreditation in schools and youth settings
ou8b0912_41192651552_o

  • Engage with people to understand their experiences of accessing support for substance misuse, covering all age groups and with a focus on vulnerable/seldom heard groups
  • Understand how adults with learning disabilities can best be supported through the use of hospital passports, annual health checks and pilot programmes such as the red bag scheme and Bubble app to engage with health services as independently as possible and manage their own health better.
20200304---enfield-annual-conference-1w4a2223_49623497091_o

  • Understand residents’ experiences of support in the community for dementia, particularly in the early stages – both individuals and families/carers.
  • Carry out monthly Enter and View visits into residential care homes and working closely with the Council’s Quality Assurance team to support a multi-disciplinary team approach to action planning for homes
20200304---enfield-annual-conference-1w4a2203_49623499686_o

  • Carry out Enter and View visits into GP practices and pharmacies
  • Carry out Information and signposting – in community venues and via telephone and email
  • Support the Public Participation Panel at ELHT and lived experience roles within the Pennine Health Equity Alliance
  • Maximise volunteering opportunities with Healthwatch BwD
20200304---enfield-annual-conference-1w4a2211_49622982553_o