Annual Report 2018/19

Healthwatch Sheffield report on its key achievements for 2018/19.  It:

• Significantly expanded its reach, hearing from 3,270 people about health and social care, publishing 20 reports and briefings, providing advice to 143 people, and using feedback to influence local service improvement and decision-making. 
• Published a major review of mental health support in the community, gathering evidence from 450 people and highlighting difficulties accessing support, challenges following discharge, and the need for greater public involvement in service design. 
• Influenced improvements to home care services through an in-depth investigation of people’s experiences, identifying concerns around continuity of care, visit timings, communication and family involvement, with findings informing local council and NHS planning. 
• Worked with the Sheffield Autistic Society to amplify the voices of autistic people, securing commitments from NHS organisations, the council and providers to improve communication, accessibility, waiting times and autism-friendly environments. 
• Helped shape the development of the Sheffield Accountable Care Partnership, establishing an Improving Accountable Care Forum and Older People Engagement Steering Group to ensure local people influenced strategic planning and service transformation.
• Supported seldom-heard communities through the #SpeakUp grants programme, hearing from more than 540 people including asylum seekers and refugees, people with learning disabilities, people with physical disabilities, young people, and Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.
• Strengthened quality monitoring through Enter and View visits to six care homes, making 15 recommendations for improvement, and undertaking independent work on Continuing Healthcare assessments that led to an action plan by NHS Sheffield CCG to improve communication, trust and assessment processes.