A health professional with a passion for improving the quality of health and care services in Newcastle has been appointed to a new trail blazing watchdog role
Steph Edusei from New Hartley is the first Chief Executive of Healthwatch Newcastle (HWN), an independent, not for profit champion for social care and health services.
The busy mum has previously held a number of key professional roles within the health sector over the past 19 years including Strategic Head of Corporate Affairs with NHS Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group, Assistant Director of Operations with North East Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust and Directorate Manager at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Based in Higham Place, Newcastle, Healthwatch Newcastle’s dual remit covers all publicly funded health and social care services for both adults and children. Firstly, the organisation works hard to champion the rights of those using the social care and health systems and secondly it acts as a watchdog to ensure that the social care and health systems correctly engage with the public.
One of Steph’s first roles is to get the right people in place to act as Healthwatch Board members.
“I’ve always been a team player and firmly believe in working in partnership with others. I feel that it’s important to bring in people with expertise in different aspects of the social care and health sector, whether it’s someone who has experienced care or a former social care or health professional, their personal experience is vitally important. From my perspective, I also need us to be accountable and ensure that we get the very best people available to help lead Healthwatch Newcastle into the future. I’m therefore seeking committed volunteers to act as Board members (including a Vice Chair) to lead and develop the organisation. It’s an ideal way for someone to make their mark on a worthwhile organisation. “
One of the board’s and Steph’s key tasks will be to make the public aware of Healthwatch Newcastle’s “Just Ask” helpline. (0808 178 9282)
The free phone number is available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm for anyone needing social care or health support or advice for services used in the Newcastle area. While it is not a health diagnostic helpline, people can find out important things such as where to find NHS dentists or doctors, how to ensure patients are receiving the very best care possible and ways to register any concerns or complaints about social care and health in the City.
Steph is looking forward to her latest challenge and is confident that Healthwatch Newcastle will be an important voice for those people receiving treatment, being looked after by social care or simply anyone with something to say about health care in Newcastle.
“My aim is to make Newcastle the best place in the UK to receive care and treatment but I need the help of my team and the public to achieve that. I’m looking forward to working with the new Board members and with commissioners and providers of social care and health services, patients/service users and the general public. “