SINCE the new Chief Executive Officer of Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital Foundation Trust (BTUH) came into post and the release of the Mid Staffordshire report we have been working closely with BTUH to put in initiatives that allows the patients voices to be heard from the beside to the boardroom.
As the voice of the people of Thurrock it is our responsibility to ensure their services are the best they can be and that their voices are heard by the professionals who provide those services.
To this aim, and with the outcome of the Francis Report we have a piece of work underway, in which our volunteers from Thurrock Communities visit the wards/outpatients and clinics in both Basildon and Orsett Hospital and ask the patients, if you could change one thing about your stay/visit here what would it be?
This gives the opportunities for patients to speak to an independent person and give feedback on their experience. From this work Healthwatch Thurrock will produce a report of our findings which we will present to the Health and Wellbeing Board, Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and to the BTUH Board of Directors.
With our Healthwatch seat on the Health and Wellbeing Board, Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Clinical Commissioning Group Board we will ensure that the concerns and experiences of our residents using BTUH services are included in the scrutiny of these services.
We will also meet regularly with the senior management team at BTUH and with the chair and board of directors and we will continue to monitor the service.
Joyce Sweeney
Chair of Healthwatch Thurrock
