Three Testimonials for the Work of Healthwatch Halton
These Testimonials show how people’s views have helped make a difference to the care and support people in Halton receive through improved facilities at local hospitals.
Thanks to people speaking up, there are now improved facilities for patients and visitors to Warrington Hospital and Whiston Hospital As part of their Enter & View programme, Healthwatch Halton worked with their neighbouring local Healthwatch in Knowsley, St Helens and Warrington to carry out visits to 12 wards across Whiston Hospital and Warrington Hospital. They asked patients and visitors what they liked about the hospitals and what they thought could be improved.
At Whiston Hospital, they heard from people about the difficulties getting around the hospital if they had limited mobility, as there only seemed to be a small number of wheelchairs available for use.
They raised this issue with the Hospital through a report to the Hospital’s Patient Experience Council, who agreed to carry out an audit of available wheelchairs, following which 50 new wheelchairs for patient and visitor use were ordered.
During the Warrington Hospital visit, they heard from parents of children on the paediatric ward that the facilities for parents and children were limited and not always suitable. These issues were highlighted in the report recommendations sent to the Trust.
“We appreciate the support from Healthwatch Halton this year in raising the profile of the important work that is undertaken encouraging both staff and patients to fully appreciate the importance of engaging and sharing feedback. Healthwatch staff and volunteers visiting Whiston Hospital for the Enter & View visits.”
John Goodenough - Deputy Chief Nurse Warrington & Halton Hospitals NHS FT
Healthwatch Halton testimonials about the impact of the engagement work they undertook for the long term plan.
“The engagement process Healthwatch undertook in relation to the response of the NHS Long Term Plan was imperative to helping formulate the One Halton Plan. The results of that survey reiterated the importance of NHS, Social Care and Voluntary Sector working collaboratively together to offer integrated support services. It also highlighted our need for further improvements to Mental health, technology and reducing inequalities across the borough.”
Sophie Bartsch - One Halton Programme Manager
“What shines through is the passion that our local Healthwatch representatives, and those who participated in the workshops and survey have for health and care in general and the NHS in particular. To be able to tap into this, and the ideas that people are brimming with, and the understandable concerns they still have, gives us an invaluable, comprehensive insight into how, together, we can continue to improve health and care in Cheshire & Merseyside over the next five years and beyond.”
Neil Skitt Head of Communications, Cheshire & Merseyside Health and Care Partnership.