Have your say on the future of healthcare in Norfolk and Waveney
Healthwatch Norfolk is encouraging local people to share their views on the future of healthcare services across Norfolk and Waveney as part of a major project to help shape local NHS services for the next 10 to 20 years.
Working in partnership with the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group (NWUHG), which the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is part of, Healthwatch Norfolk is gathering feedback from patients, residents and communities to inform the Group’s new Clinical Strategy.
The Strategy will help determine how services are delivered in the future by the three hospitals within the Group: The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn, and The James Paget University Hospital.
There’s a huge amount of change happening within the NHS locally right now. Plans to rebuild both the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn, and the James Paget University Hospital are gathering pace, and, in a county with an ageing demographic, the need to provide safe, high-quality healthcare closer to people’s homes and within community settings is increasing.
Healthwatch Norfolk wants to hear about people’s experiences of using healthcare services and what matters most to them when accessing care.
A survey now live on the Healthwatch Norfolk website asks people:
- What works well now
- What makes it difficult to get the care they need
- What matters most when using hospital services
- How they feel about receiving more care closer to home
- What they think about travelling for specialist care
- What should be considered when planning healthcare services for the future
The feedback gathered will be shared with senior doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals developing the Clinical Strategy for services across Norfolk and Waveney, as well as patient and community representatives.
The launch of this questionnaire marks the beginning of a period of community engagement by Healthwatch Norfolk that will also involve targeted focus groups and working alongside the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to gather insight from across the county and ensure underrepresented voices are heard.
Prof Lesley Dwyer, Group Chief Executive of the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group, said:
“The way that we shape our services for the future must reflect the needs of the people we serve, and that starts by listening.
“That’s why we’re working with Healthwatch Norfolk. Their independence and local knowledge will help ensure local people’s voices are heard throughout this process.
“The future of healthcare across Norfolk and Waveney matters to all of us. We want to hear what is most important to patients, families and communities, because their experiences and priorities must help shape our thinking and the decisions we make in the years ahead.”
Alex Stewart, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Norfolk, said:
“This is a really important opportunity for local people to share their views on their healthcare experiences and influence how local services develop going forwards.
“We know that people’s needs and expectations of healthcare are changing, and it’s essential that future plans are informed by the experiences and views of those who use these services.
“Whether your experiences have been positive or challenging, we want to hear from you. The feedback we gather will help ensure that the voices of patients, families and communities are at the heart of decisions about the future of healthcare across Norfolk and Waveney.”
You can take part in the survey by clicking here.
For more information, visit www.healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk or contact Healthwatch Norfolk on 0808 168 9669 or email enquiries@healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk.