HEALTHWATCH BARKING DAGENHAM WINS PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL AWARD

 Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham has won a prestigious national award for joining forces with its neighboring Healthwatch to provide fast, regular and comprehensive insight about people’s experiences of care with local service leaders.  

Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham was one of eight local Healthwatch who jointly won the ‘Working with your integrated care system’ category in the Healthwatch Awards 2021, which were run by Healthwatch England on Thursday 11^th November.

This virtual event celebrated the difference Healthwatch’s 4,300 staff and volunteers made over the past year and Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham was one of only a handful of local Healthwatch to win an award out of a total of 152 across England.

Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham worked together with seven partner Healthwatch* to provide North East London Health and Care Partnership with timely and valuable feedback which will help it develop services that meet the needs of its diverse population.

Commenting on the award, Acting Healthwatch Manager, Manisha Modhvadia said: “We are proud to have won this award along with other Healthwatch Colleagues. I would like to say a big thank you to all the residents who shared their views and contributed to making a difference to health and care services in the borough. Your voices make a big difference. I would also like to encourage everyone living in the borough to keep sharing your experiences, we want to hear about what’s working well and what needs to improve.

Other Healthwatch Awards winners from around the country include:

• Healthwatch Reading for highlighting the issues asylum seekers experienced when trying to access healthcare during the pandemic.
• Healthwatch Essex which launched a campaign in response to reports of people with sensory impairments being verbally abused for inadvertently contravening lockdown measures, such as blind people breaching the two-metre rule. 
• Healthwatch Islington for its volunteer ‘digital champions’ who worked to improve the skills of people who were unfamiliar with or without access to the internet so they could still access vital services during the pandemic.

Sir Robert Francis QC, Chair of Healthwatch England, said:

“The last 16 months have been a time of unprecedented challenge as we all grappled with the impact of COVID-19, yet Healthwatch across England all rose to meet that challenge magnificently and went the extra mile to look after their local communities in a moment of crisis.

“The Healthwatch Awards have been a fantastic chance to showcase how Healthwatch makes such a difference to people’s lives and Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham’s ’s tireless work for its community during the pandemic is a perfect example of this. I would like to congratulate Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham team for their achievements and dedication to the local people they serve.”

Sir Robert added: “The awards also serve to highlight how, by sharing your experience with Healthwatch or giving up your time to volunteer, you can make a real difference to your community.”

The award was presented during Healthwatch Week – a virtual conference celebrating the vital work of Healthwatch, which featured high-profile speakers including NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard and historian and BAFTA award-winning TV presenter Professor David Olusoga.

There is a local Healthwatch in each of the 152 local authority areas in England. They supported over two million people to have their say on care or get the advice they need in 2020/21.

More information about Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham and how its team continue to support people throughout the pandemic can be found on its website here. https://www.healthwatchbarkinganddagenham.co.uk/
 

NOTES TO EDITORS

*Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham, Healthwatch City of London, Healthwatch Hackney, Healthwatch Havering, Healthwatch Newham, Healthwatch Redbridge, Healthwatch Tower Hamlets and Healthwatch Waltham Forest

About Healthwatch:

Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham is your local health and social care champion. From Riverside to Marks Gate and everywhere in between, we make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers hear your voice and use your feedback to improve care.

How we can help you

If you’ve recently visited your GP, or local hospital, or used any health and care services in Barking and Dagenham we want to hear from you. Whether you’ve had a good or bad experience, we can use your feedback to improve services for everyone and we have the power to make NHS leaders and other care providers listen to what you have to say. We’re completely independent and impartial and anything you say is confidential. We also offer information and advice to help you to get the support you need. Our service is free, simple to use and can make a real difference to people in Barking and Dagenham and beyond.