Help shape health and social care services in our area

Thursday, 12 April 2012

Calderdale Council is urging local people to have their say on how health and social care services in Calderdale could be improved.

People can help shape the future of these services by getting involved in 'Local Healthwatch' – an independent champion for the public, helping to improve health and social care standards in England.

In each local area, including Calderdale, Local Healthwatch will help health and social care services to improve by listening to the views of local people.

From October 2012, Local Healthwatch Calderdale will:

• start to help people get involved with the local planning of health and social care services
• provide evidence about people's experience of using services
• give people the right information at the right time to support them to make a choice about services they may need

Local Healthwatch Calderdale gives another layer of reassurance that services are being delivered well and that people are being treated with dignity and respect.

Local Healthwatch will also support users to get information and will help people make complaints if things go wrong.

The independent public champion will build on the valuable work that LINk volunteers already do, visiting care homes and other premises, talking to people using services and reporting back on how services can be improved.

Since last year, Calderdale Council has been talking to people involved with health and social care about what they want from Local Healthwatch.
Calderdale Council is inviting local people to a free 'drop in' event on Tuesday 17 April 2012 at Heath Training and Development Centre in Halifax between 12 noon and 2.00pm, where they can find out more about Healthwatch and can give their views and get involved.
Calderdale Council's Director of Communities, Robin Tuddenham, said:

"The recent debates about the NHS Bill have shown how passionate people are about the health service and what it means to them.

"Local Healthwatch is an opportunity to make a difference in how the NHS and social care are going to change over the next few years.

"We urge people to get involved – their views are really important to us.

"Local Healthwatch could be a powerful voice in Calderdale, and the more people that get involved, the more powerful it will be."

Later this year, Calderdale Council will be asking voluntary organisations to bid to provide Local Healthwatch services in Calderdale from April 2013.

People who are interested in finding out more about Local Healthwatch Calderdale and the public event can call Steve Martin on 01422 392317 / 264610 or email steve.martin@calderdale.gov.uk.