Annual Report 2020/21

Healthwatch Brighton and Hove report on their key achievements in 2020/21.  They:

• Supported over 1,700 recently discharged hospital patients through the Hospital Discharge Wellbeing Project, helping people access community support, resolving discharge issues and reducing isolation after leaving hospital. 
• Played a significant role in the local COVID-19 response, providing advice, information and vaccine support, including volunteer involvement in the city's vaccine enquiry service and the production of regular public information bulletins. 
• Amplified the voices of care home residents, relatives and carers through a series of Sussex-wide webinars, helping raise concerns about visiting restrictions, communication and support during the pandemic and influencing discussions with health and care leaders.]
• Influenced improvements in end-of-life care, with local NHS organisations accepting Healthwatch recommendations and using them to improve care pathways, patient experience and support for families. 
• Highlighted serious problems accessing NHS dentistry during the pandemic, raising concerns with NHS England, local commissioners and MPs, and contributing to wider recognition of the issue locally and nationally.
• Ensured the experiences of young people informed service improvement through Young Healthwatch projects on mental health, wellbeing, sexual health services and access to care during the pandemic.

• Influenced the redesign of non-emergency patient transport services across Sussex by gathering patient experiences and recommendations which were used by commissioners when developing future service specifications.