Annual Report 2015/16

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

• Expanded community engagement, attending 92 public events, health centres, hospitals, community venues and prisons, gathering experiences from a wide range of communities and ensuring local people’s views shaped Healthwatch priorities and service improvement work. 
• Investigated access to GP services and continuity of care, highlighting concerns around heavy reliance on locum doctors and the impact on patients with long-term conditions, helping to drive discussions with commissioners and providers about service quality and consistency. 
• Led significant work on hospital discharge, bringing together NHS organisations, commissioners and Healthwatch partners to improve understanding of discharge experiences and support local plans to make transitions from hospital safer and more effective. 
• Strengthened support for students by bringing together universities, health services and community organisations to improve access to primary care and mental health support, including helping thousands of students register with GPs and improving awareness of available services.
• Continued a large Enter and View programme across care homes, GP practices and hospital services, identifying good practice and areas for improvement while helping services make changes based on patient and resident feedback. 
• Supported more than 2,700 information and advice enquiries, helping residents navigate health and social care services, access support, understand their options and resolve concerns about care. 
• Promoted healthier lifestyles and community wellbeing through partnerships, information services and local initiatives, supporting people to access activities and services that improve physical and mental health.