How your feedback helps improve health and care for everyone

Published today, Together We’re Making Health and Social Care Better details the changes being made to services based on what you have told us. These include an overhaul of the complaints process at Salisbury District Hospital, and improving the way people apply for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Now in our 10^th year, we also look back at highlights from the last decade, such as winning two national awards for our work.

Our year in numbers

In 2022-23:

• 637 people have shared their experiences with us.
• 4,125 people have accessed our advice and information online or contacted us with questions about local support.
• We have published 7 reports and made 31 recommendations to services to make health and care better in Wiltshire.
• We reached 53,220 people on social media.
• We have 21 volunteers helping us to carry out our work, giving 680 hours of their own time.

Our priorities for 2023/24

Earlier this year, we called on local people to help us set our priorities for the year ahead. Based on the 127 survey responses we received, and following talks with our volunteers and Local Leadership Board, the following four priority areas have been agreed:

• Hospital discharge and care at home/virtual wards - Hearing the views of people who have been discharged from hospital with an NHS@Home (virtual ward) package, and how this is working for them. 
• Children and young people’s wellbeing – finding out what young people are concerned about and what local support they would like. 
• Mental health and autism – our joint project with Wiltshire Service Users’ Network to find out what autistic people, and their carers and families, think of local mental health services. 
• Access to GP services – continuing our work to see how practices are adapting and changing since the pandemic.

Stacey Sims, Healthwatch Wiltshire manager said:

“2023 marks our 10th anniversary and it’s all down to you that we’ve been able to see so many positive changes to local services over the years.

“We’re always pleased to hear your experiences. Please keep sharing them with us, so that we can continue to help improve services in Wiltshire for you and your family.”