National Healthwatch Leaders to visit Sussex
On Tuesday 16th April two senior leaders from Healthwatch England are visiting Sussex.
An event will be hosted by the six local Healthwatch organisations from across the southeast to welcome Sir Robert Francis QC as Chair of Healthwatch England.
The theme for the event is:
People at the heart of future service design and delivery ~ the value and benefit of patient and public feedback
Sir Robert will be joined by the Deputy Director of Healthwatch England, Neil Tester who will describe how local people can get involved in the way the NHS will be shaped as part of long-term health and social care plans.
Also joining Healthwatch on the day will be senior representatives from across health and care providers and commissioners in the region.
John Routledge, Director of Healthwatch East Sussex says:
‘This is a really exciting event for Healthwatch from across the region to be hosting. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate how we come together as a network and to showcase the excellent work we do at very local level. Senior representatives from health and care providers will join us to hear directly from Sir Robert about the value and benefit patients and the public can bring to decision makers shaping what the NHS will look like in the future. It is easy to say we want the public at the heart of future service design and delivery… making it genuinely happen, can be more challenging.’
Sir Robert Francis QC, Chair of Healthwatch England said:
“It has been very encouraging to see so many of the issues raised by Healthwatch up and down the country being addressed in the Long-Term Plan, and I am delighted to be here today and see how Healthwatch is making a difference.
“We have brought over 85,000 people’s experiences of care into the planning process, and the response of NHS leaders shows what a difference it makes when people speak up and share their views.
“We are reaching out to every part of the country to give people a say, so if you want to shape what the NHS in East Sussex or around the country will look like in 10 years’ time, get in touch with your Healthwatch.”
The event, at the South of England showground in Ardingly, is by invitation only but a few places are reserved for members of the press. A short summary of the day’s highlights will be released after the event.
About our guests
Sir Robert Francis QC – Chair, Healthwatch England
Sir Robert has chaired several health-related inquiries, including two inquiries into the care provided by Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust and the Freedom to Speak Up Review into the treatment of NHS staff who raise concerns. He is the honorary President of the Patients Association, a trustee of the Point of Care Foundation and the Prostate Cancer Research Centre and Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists.
Neil Tester Deputy Director Healthwatch England
Neil has led the policy, communications and external affairs work since 2015 and became Deputy Director in April 2017. He has a focus on developing how Healthwatch England maximise their impact and show the difference it makes to health and social care services when people talk to their local Healthwatch. Neil started out in journalism on The House Magazine and The Parliamentary Monitor before moving into communications, marketing, policy, strategy, public affairs and network development in a range of leadership roles in membership organisations including the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, in federated charities such as Girlguiding UK and Relate, and in the public sector.
