At Healthwatch North Yorkshire, we aim to provide the best service we can to our community and to make the greatest difference we can to local people.
To help us be the best we can be, every three years we undertake a comprehensive assessment of our work using a tool called the quality framework. This helps us to understand what we are doing well and where we might need to improve.
What is the quality framework?
The quality framework, set by Healthwatch England, our national health and social care champion, lays out the key ingredients for running a successful Healthwatch.
These are:
- Leadership and decision making: This looks at the importance of having clear goals and a rationale for our work. It also looks at the strength of our leadership and how we are governed (by our board of trustees), both of which are key to successfully navigating a complex environment whilst maintaining independence and accountability.
- People: This recognises the importance of staff and volunteers. It helps us understand whether our board, staff and volunteers have the right knowledge, skills and support to deliver an effective, consistent service.
- Sustainability and resilience: This enables Healthwatch North Yorkshire to plan and operate effectively, as well as adapting to the changing needs of communities.
- Collaboration: This recognises the value of working in partnership, and of learning from other Healthwatch across the country.
- Engagement, involvement and reach: This focuses on our main activities that we are required to do. It looks at how we go about reaching out to all sections of North Yorkshire, gathering people’s views, providing advice and information, and involving people in our work.
- Influence and impact: This focuses on our purpose by looking at the difference we make by ensuring those in charge of health and care services hear and act on people's views.
Did you know?
Local Healthwatch organisations are a statutory service commissioned by local councils as part of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
We make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers hear what you have to say (good and bad) and use your feedback to improve care.
