Championing health and social care in

West BerkshireKey Messages for Clinical

Commissioning groups

West Berkshire

Local HealthwatchConstructive input is a valuable addition to the commissioningprocess

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Your views on local services

Local Healthwatch Positioning Local Healthwatch constructive input is a valuable addition to the commissioning process.

Local voices improving local health and care

The ambition of local Healthwatch is… The best health and care services, shaped by local needs and experiences

The principles that drive us are… Championing equality Representation, evidence, and accountability

Local Healthwatch shares with Healthwatch England its ambition to achieve the best health and care services that are shaped by local needs and experiences

The way we go about all our work is… Open, flexible, approachable Practical and dynamic ‘From the ground-up’

Local Healthwatch will work towards this ambition in their area, championing fairness and equal access and treatment, making sure they are at all times representative of the whole community and local needs, rooted in the evidence of local experiences and accountable, ultimately, to local people

Every voice counts Local influence for local impact

Every voice counts when it comes to shaping the future of health and social care, and when it comes to improving it for today. Everything that local Healthwatch does will bring the voice and influence of local people to the development and delivery of local services. Children, young people and adults need to feel that their local Healthwatch belongs to and reflects them and their local community. It needs to feel approachable, practical and dynamic and to act on behalf of local people

Healthwatch will give children, young people and adults a powerful voice locally and nationally. Local Healthwatch will work to help people get the best out of their local health and social care services. Whether it’s improving them today or helping to shape them for tomorrow. Local Healthwatch is all about local voices being able to influence the delivery and design of local services. Not just people who use them, but anyone who might need to in the future

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Healthwatch brings you evidence from patients and service users to help you improve health and care outcomes

What is going on in the world that makes what we do important?

Health and social care services need to work collaboratively to deliver personalised and affordable services

From now on, commissioning will be a collaborative process

Budgets will be constrained

Individuals will use personal budgets for health and social care

Individuals will expect to have greater choice over the services they use

The population is ageing, and its health and care needs are changing

Why do we feel that this is important?

We all want to improve local health and care services: work-ing in partnership is the best way to achieve results

Commissioners face real challenges:

Budgets are reduced

The population is ageing, and needs more carePeople are often unaware how best to access services or use them inappropriately

Healthwatch will support commissioningdecisions based on sound evidence of users’ experiences and needs

Healthwatch will enable you to listen to your service users’ views

Unless we act now, we may see services

declining in quality

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How are we solving these problems?

We give children, young people and adults a constructive and independent voice to speak out about health and social care issues

By engaging with Healthwatch, you engage with your local community

We are independent

We’ll supply you with sound, authenticinformation from the people who use your services

We’re constructive: we back up our information and concerns with advice based on experience and knowledge

We’re transparent in the way we operate.

There’s no hidden agenda when we raise a concern

How do we want people to respond?

Local Healthwatch constructive input is a valuable addition to the commissioning process

Our information is based on sound research into the experiences of children, young people and adults who use your services

Our contribution to your discussions will enable you to make better decisions

These are great challenges - we’ll work inpartnership to make sure services are better for everyone

By engaging with us you can demonstrate that you are working in partnership with your community

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Every VoiceCounts

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Family Resource Centre UK have been commissioned by West Berkshire Council to deliver Healthwatch West Berkshire . This independent service aims to give a voice to people of West Berkshire, to have real impact on health services and care.

Email us at:contact@healthwatchwestberkshire.co.uk

Freephone: 0800 977 4371

Phone: 0118 969 5137

Postal Address:Healthwatch West Berkshire,Broadway House,4-8 The Broadway,Newbury,Berkshire,RG14 1BA

Family Resource Centre UK. A Charity Registered in England and Wales No. 1078331. A Company Limited by Guarantee No. 3841084.