Contributors sought for new people’s panel for West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership

With already strong mechanisms in place to hear from people in Bradford District and Craven, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield District, West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (WY HCP), want to build on this by giving people an opportunity to also have a voice at a West Yorkshire level.

WY HCP, which plans and delivers health and care services for people across the area, has asked West Yorkshire Healthwatch organisations, the independent health and care champions, to develop a new panel, which aims to empower people to have their say about services and people at the heart of decision-making.

Working with existing and new networks across local areas, people will have the opportunity to get involved in influencing decisions made by the new NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership Board.

Sharanjit Boughan, West Yorkshire Healthwatch said: “Ensuring diverse voices are heard from across the area is essential to help health and care services meet the needs of all communities. We especially want to hear from those who experience the greatest health inequalities and who we might not usually hear from.”

Cathy Elliott, Chair of the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board said: “Healthwatch is a key partner within WY HCP and ideally placed to do this essential work on our behalf. We really want to reach as many people as possible, so that we can make sure people’s feedback and experiences of local services are heard at the highest level. This is ultimately all about making the right decisions and ones that make a positive difference to everyone’s lives”.

Anyone interested in helping to shape the panel is invited to take part in a survey and share their thoughts and ideas, including what the panel will be called and how people could be supported to get involved. The survey can be accessed at www.tinyurl.com/wypanel22. For a paper copy or to request alternative formats, or to be taken through the questions on the phone, contact your local Healthwatch. The survey closes for comments on the Friday 11 November 2022.