What is engagement and why is it important to us?
Healthwatch Hampshire is the independent champion for people who use health and social care services in Hampshire. We’re here to make sure that those running services, put people at the heart of care.
One of our main roles is to understand the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use health and social care services and to speak out on their behalf.
The only way we can do that is to engage directly and effectively with the people across Hampshire who are accessing, using, and involved in delivering health and care services.
That’s why we have developed our Engagement Strategy 2021 – 2023.
The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic has brought challenges to the ways in which we are able to engage with our local communities, however, it is more vital than ever that we do so.
The pandemic has also had a big impact on people’s abilities to access many services as our work with unpaid carers revealed. Engagement goes beyond simply communicating out to people about what Healthwatch Hampshire is doing.
Engagement must be a two-way Big Conversation about what is happening across the County.
What is working and going well, that we need to continue and grow?
Where are people unable to access the services they need and why? How do we reduce that problem?
Which services don’t exist that people need to see, and how do we work together to create them?
Our Engagement Strategy works in conjunction with our Communications Strategy and will help to shape the way we work in partnership with everyone in the Hampshire community.