Healthwatch Wolverhampton Annual Report 2023-24: The value of listening

Here are some of the ways we used your feedback to help NHS and social care decision makers prioritise the issues that matter most to local people to help make care better.

Improving access to GP appointments: We evaluated patient experience of booking GP appointments by phone and online and identified areas for change and improvement. The Black Country Integrated Care Board is using our report to guide development work to improve access for everyone, online and offline.

Better support for adults with autism: We investigated people’s experiences of mental health support while waiting for an autism assessment and highlighted ways to help people manage better while they wait. Our findings aim to inform Wolverhampton’s new Autism Strategy and the work of steering groups looking at health inequalities and pathways for diagnosis.

Improving patient experience and safety at Wolverhampton’s hospitals: We supported the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust with hospital PLACE assessments to guide improvements to patient safety, reduce risk and improve care. We also assessed patient experience of the urology service at Wolverhampton’s News Cross Hospital, advising on areas for improvement.

Improving the quality of care homes: We carried out an Enter and View visit as part of our joint working with the City of Wolverhampton Council and the Care Quality Commission to support quality monitoring of residential care homes; our report has informed the care home improvement plan.

Highlighting health inequalities and influencing positive change: By working with local partners we influenced strategy and decision-making to help address health inequalities, guiding improvements in digital access, physical health, mental health and autism support.

Working together to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities: We established new partnerships and worked together with the Council and local health, care and community organisations to raise awareness of the challenges impacting people’s health and wellbeing and the support that makes a positive difference, including around mental health, sexual health, oral health, women’s health, lifestyle and physical activity.

In the annual report, Healthwatch Wolverhampton’s Co-Chair, Mandy Poonia, looks ahead to work planned for 2024-25, commenting: "We are facing many challenges, such as the rising cost of living, health inequalities and the continued impact of the pandemic. It is imperative that we continue to listen to our local communities, particularly those we do not often hear from, and that we relay information about their needs and work with local organisations to inform positive change in local services. In the coming year, we will visit health and care settings, including hospitals and care homes, and report on patient experiences, and look in more depth at mental health services."

Read the full report