Annual Report 2021/2022

Annual reports

Championing What Matters to You – Message from Healthwatch North Tyneside Chair Julia Charlton.

The past year has been challenging as we have emerged from Covid restrictions. Life has begun to feel more normal and as a result Healthwatch North Tyneside has been able to restart our face-to-face activities in communities – almost as usual.

Listening to people’s views is core to our work, and we continue to look at new ways of reaching people, from working with partners to reach as many people as possible in our community, to continuing our successful online communications. In the last year we have heard from 2,441 residents, and we reached more people with online surveys than ever before.  I’m also proud of our work to improve access to information about local health and care services.

During the year we have seen residents’ raised expectations of local health and care services as restrictions eased, pre-pandemic issues re-emerging, and services being under tremendous pressure.

In addition, we face changes to our local NHS governance structure with the introduction of the Integrated Care System (ICS). We are working closely with other local Healthwatch to prepare for these changes and to ensure that local voices continue to be heard.

We recognise that we are lucky to have some of the best quality health and care services in England. However, there are still areas that need to be improved and that is what we will continue to strive for.

We couldn’t do it without our strong relationships with partners, particularly VODA, North Tyneside Carers’ Centre and Phoenix Detached Youth Project, and I give thanks to the providers and commissioners, particularly North Tyneside Council, North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group, TyneHealth, and NHS Trusts who we will continue to work with through the transition to ICS.

Whilst working collaboratively, we remain strongly independent and unbiased.

Our success as an organisation is thanks to our fantastic team of staff, volunteers and trustees, who I am privileged to work with and grateful for their commitment.