Introducing our brand new Healthwatch Hub!
The move from our former permanent base in Nailsea and from our previous pop-up unit on the ground floor of The Galleries has been made to make it easier for people to share their feedback about local health and social care services with us face to face.
Our whole team will be working out of the hub, but area-specific staff and volunteers will continue to visit their individual areas on a regular basis in order to reach out to as many people as possible.
Our full address is:
Healthwatch Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Unit 21, Union Gallery, The Galleries, (middle floor)
Bristol BS1 3XD
This will also be our new postal address. The hub is open from 9:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
The hub also has a public area at the front of the unit. We're inviting professionals and organisations who may be interested in using this space for public engagement to get in touch with us. We're aiming for a selection of health and social care related groups to join us either on a regular basis (e.g. one afternoon a month) or for a one-off promotion session. If you would like to find out more, please email Julie Bird, our Engagement Programme Manager, at julie@healthwatchbnssg.co.uk.
Celebrating 10 years of Healthwatch
The opening of our Healthwatch Hub coincided with the 10th anniversary of Healthwatch, and our volunteers, trustees, and staff came together for a long-awaited get together to celebrate the occasion.
Vicky Marriott, our Chief Officer, said: "Over the last ten years, we've been able to help improve health and social care services for people in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. But nothing would have changed if local people had not spoken up about their care and services had not listened. So, thank you to members of the public, families and carers, patients and staff who work for health and care services. A massive thank you to our hard-working staff team and committed volunteers who support us.
"With NHS and social care services facing such big challenges, your feedback is more critical than ever. By sharing your experience, you can help professionals that commission and run services to put themselves in your shoes, to understand your reality and make improvements where there are issues that need tackling.
"Next time you use a health or care service, take a moment to share your experience and make your voice count. It won't take long and could make a real difference for you and your community."
