Annual Report 2014/15

Healthwatch Somerset report on its key achievements for 2014/15. It:

• Influenced improvements to discharge processes at Musgrove Park Hospital through a major patient experience project involving more than 600 patients and carers. The findings led to changes in discharge planning, communication and support arrangements.
• Carried out Enter and View visits to care homes and health services, identifying good practice and making recommendations to improve residents’ experiences, dignity, communication and quality of care.
• Gathered evidence on access to GP services and primary care, ensuring local people's experiences informed NHS and commissioning discussions about service quality and accessibility.
• Worked extensively with carers, older people and other communities whose experiences are often less heard, ensuring their views influenced local health and social care planning and service development.
• Strengthened patient and public involvement by contributing to county-wide health and care strategies, scrutiny processes and commissioning decisions, ensuring local people's experiences were represented at senior decision-making levels.
• Expanded its information and signposting service, helping local residents understand and access health and social care services and support available across Somerset.
• Built its volunteer and community engagement network, increasing opportunities for local people to influence health and social care services through outreach, surveys, events and volunteer activity.