Thousands of people shared their health and care experiences to help shape future care and support, new figures show.
Healthwatch Norfolk, which represents the voice of patients and tells decision-makers what services they need, :
Gathered almost 5300 pieces of feedback.
Helped around 200 people with advice and information around accessing care and finding additional support.
Published 40 reports highlighting improvements and changes people wanted to see in the last financial year.
It also played a leading role in helping to ensure the Norwich Walk-In Centre and Vulnerable Adults Service continued to offer care to those who needed it and ensured the views of carers were at the centre of a new charter setting out the support they will have.
This is outlined in the organisation’s annual report which you can read at https://healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk/reports/healthwatch-norfolk-annual-report-2024-25/
Healthwatch Norfolk’s future
The key points were outlined at the organisation’s AGM which happened weeks after its future was cast into doubt after a Government review of health services.
Alex Stewart, its chief executive, said: “The future of Healthwatch Norfolk remains uncertain but we are determined to continue ensuring the views of patients are heard while we continue to operate and continue working to improve the care and support people receive in the county.
“Along with our colleagues nationwide, we have also written to the Government to ask how people can give independent feedback in the future as we know people are concerned about tackling health and social care concerns with the people looking after them as they worry it will affect their care.”
During the Healthwatch Norfolk AGM, key highlights of the organisations work were revealed. These included:
A voice for the vulnerable
Healthwatch Norfolk lobbied for the Norwich Walk-In Centre and Vulnerable Adults Service, which provides care to patients who have no fixed abode, to continue.
In parallel with this, it gathered feedback from patients in person across Norfolk about the service and although the lobbying contributed to a U-turn on plans to either close or alter the services, we published a report to help demonstrate their importance which can used as evidence for communities if there are future attempts to remove the services.
Ensured the rights of carers are clear and a priority in both health and care. We worked with a team of carers of those with SMI (Serious Mental Illness) who are directly feeding into a new Carers Charter run by Norfolk’s mental health trust.
We also collaborated with other organisations on an All Age Carers Strategy which helps out sets out carers rights and the support they need.
Highlighted concerns with health and police leaders from the Norfolk community around the Right Care Right Person system of providing acute mental health care and will continue to monitor feedback on this for the remainder of Healthwatch Norfolk’s existence.
The power of patient feedback
Some GP practices have introduced additional training and changes to signing-in systems for LGBTQIA+ patients. This followed feedback we gathered which showed around half of the people we spoke to were concerned being part of the LGBTQIA+ community affected their care. We are going to be gathering further feedback over Pride season in Norfolk to measure progress.
Gathered feedback from over 80 people around end-of-life care in Norfolk through a partnership with Marie Curie Cancer Care. Those experiences are forming part of regional changes to the way this care will be offered to patients in the future.
New signage and volunteer guides are in place at the Community Diagnostic Centre at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston after receiving patient feedback around difficulties of navigating the new building.
Found out why under-25s and over-65s are not using the NHS App or other digital ways of accessing health care, and that feedback is used to work on future ways to encourage people to use the app.
Began a programme of regular care home visits across Norfolk to ensure residents and their families can share their experiences confidentially and independently.
This has led to changes including one home using pagers rather than buzzers for residents to alert staff which means a quieter sleep for residents, through to another allowing people who are able to serve their own breakfast to preserve their independence.
Talked to 4000 Year Six students at schools across Norfolk to find out their health and care views and empowering them to understand and challenge for better services.
Strengthened our links with the Polish community across Norfolk through receiving general feedback and they also fed directly into work around improving the support over-65s get from Norfolk Social Services.
The importance of independence
Continued to highlight the concerns about poor access to NHS dental care, presented senior figures in the NHS in Norfolk with new research demonstrating the scale of the issues, and worked with NHS leaders and providers to ensure improvements in providing more emergency NHS appointments.
Set up a Youth Council at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn to give 16- to 25-year-olds a voice. This has already looked at support for patients who may be victims of domestic violence and is working with the hospital around a buddying system to help support younger members of staff.
Signposting to services
We helped around 200 people with advice, support, and information on a range of different subjects. This included:
Accessing emergency NHS dental appointments.
How to complain about NHS care and the process of formally registering concerns.
How to find and register with a GP.
Finding support groups and help for partners and relatives who were seriously ill.
Finding a recently bereaved man a place to spend Christmas Day as he was on his own.
Reaction
Healthwatch Norfolk Chief Executive Alex Stewart said: “Our team have been doing a lot of work to talk to people from a range of communities. We remain hands-on and are committed to working with people face-to-face whether it is talking to carers about their experiences or telling young people in West Norfolk about the benefits of joining the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Youth Council.
“Although our future remains unclear, we are determined to continue doing our work for the remainder of Healthwatch Norfolk’s life and our priority remains the people of the county.
“Over the past year, we have worked hard to ensure carers are more at the core of decision-making and understanding about the support they receive.
“Dentistry remained a big concern and while NHS capacity remains a problem in the county, improvements have been made around the provision of emergency appointments although we are under no illusions there is still work to do.
“The value of the Norwich Walk-In Centre and Vulnerable Adults Service was demonstrated through the huge amount of feedback we received when there were proposals to alter both services.
“Even though our work and lobbying from across the county meant there was a U-turn on the proposals, we have published a full report to make it really clear to local, regional, and national decision-makers how important these services are to Norfolk.
“What was particularly impactful were the many people helped by the Vulnerable Adults Service who shared their moving and emotional stories face-to-face with our team sharing the support they have had, with some saying they would not be alive without it.
“And many more people have been able to have their feedback shared directly with decision-makers through us whether they are Year Six pupils taking part in the Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service’s Crucial Crew, recently bereaved relatives sharing their views of end-of-life care, or Norfolk’s Polish population.
“Going forward, this is our major worry. When we are gone, who will represent the vulnerable or offer an independent voice for those concerned about their care?
“Over and over again, we hear from people they do not trust the authorities to do anything about their concerns or even push them down the list, so they find it harder to get help if they complain and are seen as rocking the boat.
“While our future looks uncertain, we hope the people of Norfolk will ask their local councillors and MPs to find out who is going to represent the vulnerable and be an independent voice in helping to improve and shape care in the future.
“Taking this work in-house leaves the impression that the NHS and social care will be ‘marking its own homework’ with both accountability and improvement looking to be less of a priority without any independent eyes holding people to account.”
You can watch our AGM below:
There is a subtitled version of the AGM video below:
