• Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

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Healthwatch Newcastle praised for work on care in the city

Healthwatch Newcastle has won a highly commended status that celebrates the difference local Healthwatch have made to health and social care in the past year.

The annual Healthwatch Network Awards recognise the ways in which Healthwatch across England have helped make people’s views of health and social care services heard over the past 12 months.

Chosen from over 150 entries, the organisation has been praised for its work on home care services in Newcastle (engagement in service improvement category). As a result of its research, six of Healthwatch Newcastle’s report recommendations were incorporated into Newcastle City Council’s service specification for the new home care contract.

Steph Edusei, Chief Executive at Healthwatch Newcastle, said:

“We’re delighted that so many of the recommendations arising from our home care research were incorporated into the new home care contracts. The council recognises the need for continuity of care and there will now be a small named team per client, which is especially important for people with dementia. We’re also pleased to see that medicine management will follow the latest NICE guidance in order to address concerns that some service users told us they had about safety.”

Healthwatch Newcastle (HWN) is one of 152 local Healthwatch organisations established throughout England under the provisions of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. It has a dual role to champion the rights of users of publicly funded health and social care services for both adults and children, and to hold the system to account for how well it engages with the public.

HWN collects feedback on services from people of all ages and from all communities through a network of voluntary and community sector organisations; during events, drop-in sessions and listening events at a range of venues across the city; online through a feedback centre; via social media; and from callers to the ‘Just ask’ helpline. As part of the remit to gather views, it also has the power to ‘enter and view’ services and conduct announced and unannounced visits.

By Emily