How we set our priorities
We prioritise our work based on the following information:
- Public feedback about services
- We ask the public what they think our priorities should be in an annual survey and at our events
- Knowledge about strategies of local or national NHS and public health organisations
- Local context and issues, such as large providers of services in special measures and the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.
- National context and issues, such as the NHS Five Year Forward View or significant inquiries or findings.
- Availability of our own resources and capacity.
Decision making criteria
We use the following points as a guide for making decisions and prioritising where we focus our work:
- The issue impacts on a large number of people or has a very significant impact on a smaller number of people.
- The issue has been raised by a large number of people.
- There is potential for Healthwatch to make a significant difference to the issue in question.
- The issue fits with Healthwatch priorities or the priorities and timescales of other strategic local commissioners, providers and organisations.
- The issue has been raised and evidenced by a representative organisation with specialist knowledge of concerns or views of local people, such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
- The issue highlights gaps, such as gaps in service delivery or the voice of local people is not being considered.
- The issue affects people who are less likely to be heard.
- We have sufficient resources and capacity.
Opportunities for people to inform our work and share their experiences of health and social care include:
- Attending our Healthwatch Wandsworth Assembly events.
- Speaking to our community outreach team at local community events, meetings and workshops.
- Sharing views when our Enter and View team visits services.
- Sharing views via our website and social media.
- Contacting our Information and Signposting service.
Healthwatch Wandsworth invites local people to become members to keep up-to-date with our work and to hear from us about opportunities to become involved by signing up to become a member.