Healthwatch Rochdale publishes action plan and partnership pledges following 360 Stakeholder Engagement Workshop

Healthwatch Rochdale

Healthwatch Rochdale has published the findings from a recent stakeholder workshop which has resulted in eight recommendations to help improve the service that is delivered.

The workshop was attended by 22 professionals representing 15 different local organisations including Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group, Rochdale Borough Council, Pennine Care, Rochdale Together Advocacy and Veterans in the Community.

The aim of the workshop was to learn how Healthwatch Rochdale is perceived by other organisations with a focus on:

• Awareness – To what extent are stakeholders aware of Healthwatch Rochdale
• Favourability – Impressions of Healthwatch Rochdale
• Understanding – Recognising and understanding the role of Healthwatch Rochdale
• Communications and engagement – How well does Healthwatch Rochdale communicate and engage

The findings from the workshop will create a benchmark from which Healthwatch Rochdale will be able to measure future performance based on the key priorities and strategic objective of the current strategy and business plan.

The engagement workshop began with round table discussions on the expectations and role of Healthwatch Rochdale, followed by a whole room discussion and an update on the role of Healthwatch Rochdale.

Round table discussions continued with the results of these discussions highlighting a positive impression of Healthwatch Rochdale. The result of the engagement workshop has resulted in an action plan to further improve the service being delivered by Healthwatch Rochdale.

To help support Healthwatch Rochdale over the next twelve months, all attendees were asked to complete a pledge form and a total of nineteen pledges were completed. The pledges will help Healthwatch Rochdale build stronger working relationships with other organisations.

Kate Jones, Healthwatch Rochdale Chief Executive Officer said: “The engagement workshop was a new way of engaging and gathering feedback from stakeholders and we were pleased to see so many organisations wanting to learn more about our role. The overall feedback was very positive but we did identify some areas of improvement and so we have created an action plan to be incorporated into next year’s work plan.”

Healthwatch Rochdale is the independent consumer champion for health and social care, representing the patient and public's voice in Rochdale, helping to shape and improve local health and social care.

It is part of Healthwatch England, the independent consumer champion for health and social care in England, which has independent statutory powers, as stated in the Health and Social Care Act 2012, to ensure the consumer’s voice is heard and best practice is delivered in health and social care nationally.

You can read the full report, including Healthwatch Rochdale’s action plan and partner’s pledges at:

• www.healthwatchrochdale.org.uk