Annual Report 2015/16

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

• Engaged with over 11,500 people across Suffolk, collected 2,748 pieces of feedback on health and care services, and launched a new online Feedback Centre to make it easier for people to share their experiences and rate local services. 
• Carried out Enter and View visits to seven care and nursing homes, leading to improvements including enhanced dementia environments, better monitoring of nutrition and hydration, cleaner care environments, improved entertainment access, and revised call alert systems. 
• Influenced local transport policy through its report on access to healthcare transport, resulting in Suffolk County Council establishing a dedicated health workstream within its Public Transport Forum and developing improved transport information for patients.
• Secured changes to maternity services at Ipswich Hospital after gathering feedback from birthing partners. The hospital introduced overnight stays for partners following publication of Healthwatch recommendations. 
• Influenced improvements in mental health services through research involving nearly 775 people from Black and minority ethnic communities and through joint work with Suffolk User Forum on Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust services, leading to commitments around service improvement and increased dialogue with service users. 
• Successfully highlighted concerns about the rollout of the new Support to Live at Home service, contributing to a decision to slow implementation so that service users and families had more time, information and choice about their care arrangements. 
• Influenced improvements at local hospitals, including actions by Ipswich Hospital and West Suffolk Hospital to strengthen end-of-life care, improve communication with carers, enhance discharge planning and improve responses to patient concerns.