Healthwatch will be the new consumer champion for publicly funded health and social care. It will exist in two distinct forms:
- Local Healthwatch, at a local level and;
- Healthwatch England, at a national level
Locally, Healthwatch Shropshire will be in place from April 2013.
What will Local Healthwatch do?
Local Healthwatch goes to the heart of the government’s ambition for a health and care service that is centred around patients and users. Healthwatch Shropshire will gather people’s (whether current users of services or not) views on, and experiences of, the health and social care system, and will have real influence with those who commission and provide services about what users, carers and citizens need and want from them. Healthwatch Shropshire will also be there to support individuals by providing information and advice about access to services and choice, for example signposting them to relevant services.
What have people said about Local Healthwatch in Shropshire?
Shropshire Council has consulted local people about the issues they feel that Healthwatch Shropshire should take into account to reflect what is important to them. The findings from that consultation are attached to this page, along with other background documents explaining more about Healthwatch.