Annual Report 2015/16

Healthwatch Sheffield report on its key achievements for 2015/16.  It:

• Significantly expanded public engagement, speaking to 3,670 people about health and social care, attending 80 events across the city, holding consultation sessions on issues including mental health, patient transport, A&E services and adult social care, and launching a new public review website. 
• Influenced improvements at Northern General Hospital’s A&E department through a detailed patient experience review, leading to changes including volunteer meet-and-greet support, improved signage, better access to drinking water, enhanced information for visitors and action on accessibility concerns. 
• Strengthened the voice of children and young people through Young Healthwatch, delivering a mental health conference, engaging vulnerable and seldom-heard young people, developing a Transitions Charter, and influencing local plans for children’s emotional health and wellbeing services. 
• Expanded its Enter and View programme, undertaking 15 visits to GP surgeries, dental practices and care homes, using volunteer observations and public feedback to identify opportunities for service improvement. 
• Led and contributed to major work on mental health, gathering 431 responses for its Mental Health Crisis Care review, providing the largest local evidence base for the Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat and highlighting issues around access, waiting times and service coordination. 
• Influenced local commissioning and policy through involvement in the Primary Care Strategy, the Health and Wellbeing Board, the Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat, children's services planning, patient transport recommissioning and quality improvement work across health and social care.