A big thank you to our amazing Healthwatch volunteers

Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration of the contribution people make across the UK through volunteering.
Volunteer Week 2021

In this article, you can read about the work that some of our volunteers do for us, and why they enjoy it. Plus, Fran McCabe, Chair of our Board of Directors, and city and health leaders all say a personal thank you.

Our volunteers

We asked some of our volunteers to tell us why they had chosen to support Healthwatch, and what they felt they had got out of volunteering for us. We asked people from local services to explain the positive impact that our volunteers have made.  We hope you enjoy reading these testimonies in the attached document.

In Volunteers Week 2021, I would like to acknowledge and celebrate the work of Healthwatch volunteers, not just for the week, but for the years you have loyally contributed to Healthwatch work. We could not fulfil our role without you. It is a tribute to volunteers that despite COVID we have received more help from our local communities than ever before. In addition to 4 Young Healthwatch volunteers and 11 volunteer Board members, over 50 members of the public have given their time and expertise and joined in our work. We at Healthwatch can never thank you – our volunteers - enough for giving your time and your expertise. Maybe next year when we can put some of this awful COVID experience behind us, we can have a proper celebration of your work. In the meantime, thank you.

Fran McCabe Healthwatch Brighton and Hove Chair

We are grateful for the help and support of the Healthwatch volunteers, who give their time to help continually improve health and care services. We would like to offer particular thanks for all those who have volunteered over the past year; it has been a difficult year for most people, and for people to continue to give their time freely to Healthwatch, and to the wider health and care system, has been just amazing. A most sincere thank you to you all.

Jane Lodge, Associate Director of Public Involvement Sussex NHS Commissioners

The volunteers really care about the people they are supporting and always want to go the extra mile to ensure their needs are met. They continually show their professionalism, often managing difficult conversations when they phone people who have left hospital. This service has made a marked different to people’s experiences after leaving hospital, providing a safety net and a friendly voice at the end of the phone in what has been a particularly challenging year.

Jess Harper, Commissioning & Performance Manager – Health & Adult Social Care Brighton and Hove City Council

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Read our volunteer's stories