Every Voice Matters – Healthwatch England Annual Report

The 152 local Healthwatch organisations across England engaged over 380,000 people to find out their views about health and social care, and helped to signpost a further 220,000 people to the right place for their needs. Healthwatch Sheffield contributed significantly to these totals having spoken to nearly 4000 people at 80 events.

Collectively they also visited more than 3,500 local hospitals, GP surgeries and care homes to find out if they are working for people, and published over 1,450 reports about what people want and need from health and care.

At Healthwatch Sheffield, we carried out 15 enter and view visits and published 6 reports, the largest of which were on People’s Experience of A&E in Sheffield and on Adult Social Care.

Healthwatch England says this demonstrates a substantial public appetite for involvement in shaping health and social care services. Local Healthwatch organisations help to bring people and professionals together to put these views at the heart of changes to the NHS, resulting in services beginning to respond to local people

With big changes ahead, Healthwatch is committed to helping people voice what they expect from future health and care services and supporting those in charge of NHS reforms to act on these views. Healthwatch Sheffield is a part of this and will be carrying out consultations on the proposed changes.