ABOUT HEALTHWATCH SOLIHULL – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Healthwatch Solihull is working for you to ensure Solihull provides the Health and Social Care services facilities you need. We listen to your comments and concerns about the support you receive and feedback your views to Solihull’s Health and Social Care providers. By doing this we facilitate the continual evaluation and improvement of services in the Borough.
We want to hear from you so talk to us by calling on 0121 704 7861 (between 10am and 3pm, Monday to Friday) or by email to enquiries@healthwatchsolihull.org.uk
What is Healthwatch Solihull?
Independent of the Health Service, we are your way of engaging with the with the Borough’s Health and Social Care system. Healthwatch Solihull is both a gateway and a watchdog to help local people navigate the Health and Social Care world. We want to ensure that your opinions and experiences are heard by those who plan, run and regulate Health and Social Care so we can improve their services to you.
Are you a business or part of the Council?
Neither, we are an independent partnership of five local charitable organisations who are already accessible to you and helping you in other ways. Together the Citizens Advice Solihull Borough, Colebridge Trust, DIAL Solihull, Experts by Experience – Solihull and Independent Advocacy are working, on appointment by the Council, to deliver Healthwatch Solihull.
So, what does Healthwatch Solihull do?
If you need a Health or Social Care service and do not know where to get it then contact us and we will help you find the right place to go.
Sometimes things do not work as we expect so you might want to make a complaint about a service you have received. Talk to us and we will help connect you to the right people and make your voice heard.
Improving Health and Social Care in Solihull?
We are passionate about making Solihull the best place to be so we encourage you to let us have your views about the Health and Social Care services you or your loved ones have received. By listening to and feeding back information about your experiences, we can understand what is great about our local services and, also, what is not so good. As trends emerge from your feedback, we will liaise with those providing our services to influence both the spread of good practice and to seek improvement. So, let us know about your stays in hospital, the response of paramedic and ambulance services, visits to GP surgeries, opticians and dentists, taking prescriptions to pharmacies, visits from care services to the home and the experience of relatives in residential homes. Your opinion counts.
How can you get in touch?
We can be contacted by phone on 0121 704 7861 (between 10am and 3pm, Monday to Friday) or by email to enquiries@healthwatchsolihull.org.uk
You can also send feedback via the website, www.healthwatchsolihull.org.uk where the online Feedback Centre lists most local service providers and gives an opportunity to make comments simply online.
Also, look out for our reply-paid postcards in the Information and Advice Centres at The Core, Solihull and Chelmsley Wood library, in doctor’s surgeries and some other public places.
How can I get more involved?
We are looking for people to be part of our team of Ambassadors. If you can offer a small amount of time and you would like to make a big difference, join us as a volunteer to encourage others to tell their stories and help us to build that overall picture of the Health and Social Care services across the borough of Solihull.
By gathering the views and experiences of people using our services then Healthwatch Solihull can turn these into a strong ‘patient voice’ in the system and encourage long term improvements.
We would like to hear from anyone who would like to get involved in this way so contact us via phone or email and let us know you can help.