Goodbye and thank you. From Michelle, Project Coordinator
I have really enjoyed my time at Healthwatch, working with our lovely staff team, Board and fantastic volunteer team. I have seen Healthwatch build its reputation in the city and having earned much respect from stakeholders and the public.
Healthwatch have touched many areas of primary and secondary care and in the seven years of working with the team, I have been lucky enough to have worked on a variety of services. These have included GP services, pharmacies, dental services, hospital services and outpatients, covering both physical and mental health. I have also been part of our work in supporting friends and family as well as patients and residents who receive social care support and/or housing. I have worked with cancer patients, perinatal service users, and parents and carers of young children.
Healthwatch have supported service users through the COVID lockdown period as well as the aftermath and I have been part of this transition. We have seen an increase in online services, and our support has extended to those individuals and communities who have felt digitally excluded by the changes.
Healthwatch have raised the voice of local service users ensuring their experiences are heard by providers and commissioners and I engaged service users through webinars, conferences, workshops, individual interviews, both online and in person. By convening space where service users, providers and commissioners can find common ground to share and exchange views, we have helped positively influence services in a co-productive way.
I will be leaving Healthwatch to work with one of our partners, Friends, Families & Travellers (https://www.gypsy-traveller.org/). I will be building on my work at Healthwatch in supporting and representing service users who experience inequalities, but in a more tailored way focusing on a particular community. While I am looking forward to new challenges, I will miss the friendly, passionate and motivated Healthwatch family. I am sure I will keep in touch with Healthwatch and watch it continue to grow from strength to strength.
