Our future focus
About
Seventy-five years after its birth, the NHS and the social care system faces enormous challenges and big questions about how we invest in future services.
We face unfair and avoidable differences in health across the population and between different groups in society. Tackling the care backlog and building a future service that can help people stay well and support those in need will be challenging.
Health and social care decision-makers need the public’s input. And this is where Healthwatch comes in.
In the ten years since we launched, we’ve demonstrated the power of public feedback in helping the health and care system understand what is working, spot issues and think about how care can be better in the future.
We are committed to helping NHS and social care services deliver high-quality care, but with investment in the Healthwatch network at an all-time low, this will take work and imagination.
In 2022, we started a review of our strategic direction to make sure we can make the most significant difference possible.
With the help of local Healthwatch and our partners, we have developed a new plan setting out what we want to achieve by 2026 and the steps we will take to get there.
Our future focus
Our vision
To bring closer the day when everyone gets the care their need.
Our mission
To make sure that people's experiences help make health and care better.
Our aims
- To support more people who face the worst outcomes to speak up about their health and social care, and to access the advice they need.
- To support care decision-makers to act on public feedback and involve communities in decisions that affect them.
- To be a more effective organisation and build a stronger Healthwatch movement.
Steps we will take
- Continue to raise our profile so every community knows we are there for them.
- Focus on the big issues that most concern the public and the communities that face the worst inequalities.
- Work with the NHS at every level – locally, regionally and nationally – to find solutions and make listening to service users the default approach across all health hand care.
- Harness the resources of the Healthwatch network more efficiently and put our funding on a sustainable footing.
Knowing we have arrived
- More people than ever know who we are and how we can help. We have a powerful supporter base, representing every community, who share feedback, get involved in our work and know the difference their views have made.
- The voice of people is heard at every level of health and social care. The strength of our evidence, especially when it comes to health inequalities, is acted on more than ever to provide better care.
- We have the funding, culture, skills and infrastructure we need to be our best.
Downloads
Download our future focus, which sets out our priorities and how we will achieve our ambitions.
If you require this report in an alternative format, please contact us.
