Healthwatch Waltham Forest Annual Conference 2016: The Power of People
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Healthwatch Waltham Forest undertook research on public involvement in health and social care services through its annual conference, "The Power of People", held on 5 October 2016. They engaged more than 90 local residents, voluntary and community organisations, service user representatives and health and social care professionals to share learning and develop principles for effective public involvement.
The conference explored a range of topics including patient participation groups, patient leadership, safeguarding, Enter and View, engaging diverse communities and working with community organisations. Participants emphasised the importance of involving people at an early stage in service design, providing clear and accessible information, supporting patients and carers to contribute confidently, and ensuring engagement activities reach seldom-heard groups and people with different communication needs.
A recurring theme was the need for meaningful two-way communication. Participants stressed that people should receive feedback on how their views have influenced decisions, and that engagement should be based on collaboration, transparency and ongoing dialogue rather than one-off consultations. The conference also highlighted the value of working through existing community networks, providing training and support for patient representatives, and making engagement activities accessible and inclusive.
The event concluded with a set of principles for good public involvement in Waltham Forest. These included empowering patients and carers, going to where people are rather than expecting them to engage through formal channels, ensuring clear roles and work plans for participants, providing accessible information, supporting patient leadership, and recognising that different groups require different approaches to engagement. Feedback from attendees was largely positive, with participants praising the speakers, workshops and opportunities for discussion and shared learning.