Healthwatch Isle of Wight has been nominated for a prestigious national award for their inpatient mental health wards visits which has helped improve the environment for patients staying in these wards on the Isle of Wight.
Healthwatch Isle of Wight was shortlisted under the ‘Celebrating our volunteer team’ category in the Healthwatch Awards 2020, which are run by Healthwatch England.
Celebrating difference staff and volunteers have made
This annual event – which this year is taking place virtually due to the pandemic – celebrates the difference Healthwatch’s 4,400 staff and volunteers have made over the past year. Healthwatch Isle of Wight is one of only 30 local Healthwatch out of a total of 152 across England to be in the running for one of the awards.
Like their colleagues across the country, Healthwatch Isle of Wight staff and volunteers have been supporting their local community more than ever through the pandemic by:
- Finding out what people like about health and social care support, and what could be improved
- Helping people find the information they need about services in their area and;
- Encouraging those in charge of NHS and social care services to make the changes that communities would like to see.
Improving access to dentistry
In addition, the team at Healthwatch Isle of Wighthave also been liaising with service providers and commissioners about access to NHS dentistry on the Isle of Wight.
Accessing NHS dentistry has been a long standing concern for Isle of Wight residents but this has heightened exponentially throughout the pandemic and has therefore become a priority area for Healthwatch Isle of Wight.
Other shortlisted nominations from around the country to the Healthwatch Awards include:
- Healthwatch Leeds – for helping to improve access to mental health crisis support.
- Healthwatch Camden – for research with other organisations to understand the social infrastructure used by older Bangladeshi residents.
- Healthwatch Surrey – for volunteers who helped improve the way a local NHS hospital reports incidents of poor care that have led to severe harm or death.
The overall winner from each category will be chosen by a panel of judges and announced during Healthwatch Week, which runs from Monday 2nd November 2020.
Smith: Humbled by dedication of volunteers
Joanna Smith, Manager of Healthwatch Isle of Wight said:
“We as a team are incredibly humbled by the hard work and dedication displayed by our wonderful team of volunteers and are delighted that their efforts have been nationally recognised.”
Francis: Never stop being inspired
Sir Robert Francis QC, Chair of Healthwatch England, said:
“I never stop being inspired by the dedication of local Healthwatch staff to making care better for their communities.
“Whether reaching out those whose views are not being heard, helping people to find the support they need or making sure NHS and social care services act on the improvements that the public want to see, the award entries highlight the difference local Healthwatch make.
“I would like to congratulate everyone who has been shortlisted. They have done their communities proud.”
Find out more
The overall winner from each category will be chosen by a panel of judges and announced during Healthwatch Week, which runs from Monday 2 November 2020.
More information about the shortlist can be found on the Healthwatch England website.
For more information about Healthwatch Isle of Wight and how its team continue to support people throughout the pandemic, visit the Website.
News shared by Nikki on behalf of Healthwatch. Ed
Image: Brett Garwood under CC BY 2.0
