Annual Report 2018/19

Healthwatch North Yorkshire report on its key achievements in 2018/19. It:

• Influenced the future of healthcare services in Craven by providing evidence on rural access to services and supporting public engagement around the reopening of Castleberg Hospital. Feedback from around 1,600 local people helped shape plans to reopen the hospital as part of a wider community-based model of care. 
• Worked with service users and providers to improve mental health care planning, helping ensure that the experiences of people using Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust services informed changes to the Care Programme Approach and personalised care planning. 
• Supported local people affected by proposed changes to mental health services in Harrogate, facilitating focus groups with service users, producing reports on their experiences, and ensuring their views were considered by commissioners and scrutiny committees. 
• Conducted extensive community engagement, hearing from more than 1,800 people through surveys and consultations, reaching 50 groups, and gathering evidence on issues including mental health, safeguarding, urgent care, GP access and rural transport. 
• Strengthened safeguarding and community representation by working closely with the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Adults Board and supporting volunteers to bring local intelligence from communities directly into strategic discussions. 
• Increased participation by young people through early development of Youthwatch North Yorkshire, engaging with young residents at conferences and events to ensure their experiences informed future health and care priorities. 
• Maintained a strong Enter and View programme and volunteer network, using volunteers to gather feedback, visit services, support research projects and represent local communities across the county.
• Improved access to information and support by responding to enquiries, signposting residents to services and helping people navigate health and social care systems, including support around dentistry, care services and social isolation.