The Big Conversation - #oursaycounts

Throughout July and August 2017, Healthwatch Bradford and District worked on behalf of local partners to create a conversation with local people about the future of health and social care.

The project objectives were: to open up conversations with members of the public in the Bradford District and Craven (local Sustainability and Transformation Partnership footprint) about the place based plan; to raise awareness of challenges facing the health and care system and the need for change; to give the public a chance to contribute ideas and help shape future plans; to understand what matters most to local people; to explore boundaries and “red lines” in any system development: to understand what local people feel could be done differently, what is felt to be “untouchable” and what the “pay-offs” could be.

A number of different engagement activities took place over a six week period. The online survey went live on 26th June 2017, and was linked from the partners websites and the Healthwatch website. Links to the survey were distributed through email mailing lists, posted on social media accounts and promoted via Facebook and twitter. Three public events took place in early July 2017, where local people were given a brief overview of the case for change in health and social care, and took part in facilitated, deliberative discussions. Senior management and clinicians from the CCGs, alongside colleagues from local authority and the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), answered questions and listened to the discussions.

The report findings have been spilt into 4 areas: Protect; what are the services that matter most ? What’s ‘too good to lose’? Where are our ‘red lines’ for change? Grow: what is working well that could be done more of? Create: what are the new ways of working, or new services that would meet local needs for health and wellbeing? Reduce: what can we stop doing, or do less of? What can they compromise on in order to protect/grow/create the things that matter most?

Throughout this project and the report, it’s been made very clear from the local health and care leaders that lots more conversation will follow and reassurances have been given that no changes will be made without further engagement and consultation.