Healthwatch Cornwall Annual Report 2022-23

From dementia research that has led to forty recommendations now being addressed throughout the county, to influencing the provision of 1000 additional emergency NHS dental appointments, the Healthwatch Cornwall team plays a major role in improving health and social care services.

Their Kernow Maternity Voices Partnership (KMVP) has helped local services rank as some of the best in the country and their mental health and suicide prevention research has been instrumental in developing the £5m People in Mind service launched in April this year.

With the goal of reaching as many people as possible, Healthwatch Cornwall staff and volunteers travel far and wide to listen to people’s health and social care stories and report on their findings. They facilitate four partnership boards covering carers, learning disability, autism and older people and are an information resource for anyone needing specific help.

“It is our job to seek out, listen to and amplify the stories people in Cornwall have about their experiences of using health and social care services and how those learnings can be translated into better, more efficient, people-centred services,” said Healthwatch Cornwall Chair Anna Pascoe.

“We are here to learn from and develop what people tell us - identifying and appreciating good practice and understanding where services could benefit from user-led further improvement. Sometimes these stories can be difficult to hear - for our staff and providers. We respect their roles and above all respect that hard-to-hear stories must be even harder for those experiencing them.

“As an independent, trusted voice publishing valued research and project work, our role is to hold effective conversations with providers across the Integrated Care System.

“Over the course of the past year, I have been inspired by our dedicated staff and volunteer team, heartened by the significant projects they have undertaken and am proud of the many recommendations for health and social care improvements these have brought forward.”