Healthwatch Brighton & Hove, a local consumer champion for health and social care, has launched its Annual Report for 2019-2020, which details activities before and during the coronavirus pandemic as well as usual activities, main projects, and describes how some projects were suspended and then rapidly changed to respond to the Covid-19 challenge.
David Liley, CEO of Healthwatch Brighton & Hove, said: ‘The self-sacrifice and dedication of care staff, NHS employees, volunteers and key workers has been an inspiration for the Healthwatch team. We want to say thank you and keep safe to all those brave people.
‘During this year and through the virus period we have remained fully active; our Board, volunteers and staff have continued with a full programme of work. We have remained financially stable and our staff team has been strengthened.
‘We face the challenges of the year to come with an optimistic attitude, and hopes for better times.
The NHS and social care are ‘open for business’ but with massive challenges: growing waiting lists with many services compromised for years ahead; 40% of care homes in the city report Covid-19 outbreaks; patients per GP in Brighton remain very high; telephone, text, online and video consultations with GPs and hospital doctors set to rise and become routine. Most people welcome the added convenience, with high patient satisfaction ratings; emotional support and mental health services likely to face massive demand following Covid-19.’
Fran McCabe, Chair of Healthwatch Brighton & Hove, added: ‘Our Annual Report is usually a tribute to our volunteers, this year it is also a thank you to the care workers, NHS staff and others who have put themselves in harms way to protect and serve the city.’
To see the full Annual Report, visit the website.
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