Healthwatch Newcastle and Healthwatch Gateshead are excited to announce their participation in this year’s Northern Pride event “Pride in the City”, set to take place across the city in Newcastle on 20thJuly.
The team will be at the Civic Centre in the Health and Wellbeing Zone and this event marks a significant opportunity for them to engage with the community, listen to their experiences, and gather valuable feedback on local health and social care services.
Healthwatch Newcastle and Healthwatch Gateshead are independent organisations dedicated to ensuring that the voice of the public is heard in the delivery and design of local health and social care services. They provide a platform for people to share their experiences and influence the development of services to better meet their needs.
Their stall at Pride in the City will be a hub of activity and information. Lewis Brown, who is coordinating the stall this year, is particularly excited to introduce a new interactive activity—a paper chain that aims to connect people’s wishes and suggestions for better health and social care, which will then after the event be given to the commissioners of services in Newcastle and Gateshead.
“The making of a paper chain is all about encouraging attendees to write down their wishes, suggestions, and ideas for improving health and social care services on paper links. These links will be connected to form a long chain, symbolising the connection between the community and how one view can have more of an influence on service commissioners. It’s a visual and tangible way to show how individual voices can come together to influence positive change,” said Lewis.
Healthwatch Newcastle and Healthwatch Gateshead are committed to promoting inclusivity and diversity in healthcare. Their participation in Pride in the City is part of their ongoing efforts to ensure that everyone’s voices are heard including those of LGBTQIA+ individuals and those views considered in the planning and delivery of health and social care services. They are dedicated to creating a supportive environment where everyone feels empowered to share their experiences and opinions.
Yvonne Probert, CEO of Tell Us North (CIC), an organisation specialising in community engagement, research, evaluation, and assessment in the fields of health, well-being, and social care, also oversees Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle. “We invite all Pride in the City attendees to come to see us at our stall in the Health and Wellbeing Zone, meet our dedicated team, and contribute to the paper chain activity. Your feedback is invaluable, and we are eager to listen and learn from your experiences to help shape the future of health and social care in Newcastle and Gateshead,” she said.
For more information about Healthwatch Newcastle and Healthwatch Gateshead, visit www.healthwatchnewcastle.org.uk and www.healthwatchgateshead.co.uk.
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Photo: Avish Johnson, Lewis Brown and Yvonne Probert from Healthwatch Newcastle and Healthwatch Gateshead with the paper chains