Annual Report 2014/15

Healthwatch Brighton and Hove report on its key achievements in 2014/15.  It

• Influenced improvements at the Royal Sussex County Hospital through Enter and View visits, helping secure action on older people’s wards, hospital discharge processes and a major £2.175 million refurbishment programme for the Eye Hospital. 
• Established the Community Spokes programme, working with a wide range of community organisations to ensure the views of seldom-heard groups, including disabled people, carers, LGBTQ+ communities, travellers and minority ethnic communities, informed health and social care decisions. 
• Supported the creation of the UK's first dedicated advocacy service for transgender people, working with partners to improve access to health and social care and helping shape future services for the local trans community. 
• Conducted Enter and View visits to GP practices, care homes and hospital services, making 63 recommendations that led to improvements in areas such as patient communication, safeguarding, oral care, access to services and social activities for care home residents. 
• Influenced improvements to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) by gathering evidence from young people, families and partner organisations, with findings feeding into service reviews and future planning. 
• Helped patients navigate major GP practice closures, particularly the closure of Eaton Place Surgery, by providing information, support and liaison with NHS organisations to help affected patients access alternative GP services. 
• Strengthened the patient voice in major local health and care decisions through active involvement in the Health and Wellbeing Board, scrutiny processes, commissioning discussions and collaboration with the Care Quality Commission.