Find out how Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire can help you by watching this video
Our aim is to improve health and social care services in Central Bedfordshire.
To do this we need your feedback about local GP surgeries, hospitals, dentists, pharmacies, opticians, social care, emergency care and community based health teams. With this, we are able to inform, liaise, influence and, if necessary, challenge decisions and plans.
For all of this, we need your help!
Please help us by sharing your experiences of all or any of these services by clicking on the button below.
Tell us when things are going well and when they’re not, so we can do something about it.
Healthwatch Network Awards
Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire has received a Highly Commended award in the ‘Giving people the advice and information they need’ category at the annual network awards 2018 held at the Healthwatch Annual Conference.
A record breaking 170 entries from over 100 local Healthwatch teams were submitted this year. These were then whittled down to 35 shortlisted entries across seven categories.
The ‘JUST ASK’ project had been nominated for an award in the ‘Giving people the advice and information they need’ for ensuring communities get the advice and information they need to make decisions about their wellbeing, care and the services that support them.
The winner in this category was Healthwatch Wirral for their Infobank Service. Helen Parker, award judge and Healthwatch National Committee Member, said: “Healthwatch Wirral mixed collaboration, information and providing advice to deliver significant improvements in the numbers of people they engaged with over the last year. Patients, families and friends, NHS staff and other professionals have all benefited from this central point of support and information.”
Our congratulations go to Healthwatch Wirral and all the other award winners and nominees.
Festival for Older People
Did you visit the Festival for Older people this year? We’ve put together a video of some of the highlights from the day. Julian Polhill, High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, opened the festival. Listen to him talking about the event “I think it’s an absolutely brilliant event as it brings together so many different sides of life, from the fun side of being an older person to the needing help side, just a great place to come and gather all the information you could possibly want” and hear the views of both the exhibitors and the many visitors.
Maternity & Mental Health Survey
Did you know? As many as 1 in 5 pregnant women and new mums experience some form of mental health challenge. Partners can also be affected, with one charity estimating that 1 in 3 new dads are concerned about their mental health.
Why we want your views. The NHS is spending more money on maternal mental health support but Healthwatch England want to know if this is making a difference. They want to know whether services are doing everything they can to support people with mental health challenges during or after pregnancy to ensure the whole family is supported. If you are, or are the partner of someone planning to get pregnant, are pregnant or have given birth in the last three years you can help by sharing your experience or encouraging anyone you know who might be affected to complete their short survey.
Click HERE to take part in the survey.
Work for an organisation that supports expecting and new parents?
Healthwatch England also want to understand more about your views of existing maternity mental health support. Take five minutes to answer their short survey.
Click HERE to take part in the stakeholder survey.
We’re on the road with ‘Just Ask’ 2018!
Our last ‘JUST ASK’ roadshow event we will be at Morrisons Supermarket, Houghton Regis on 19th October between 9am – 1.30pm.
Come along and find out more about health, social care, housing and other services available in your area. And share your experiences of the health & social care services in your area.
