Do you provide health or social care services to people in Bucks? Is it important to you to understand what users think about their experiences?
It’s not easy to see things from someone else’s perspective. But doing so can give you huge opportunities to improve the way you deliver. At Healthwatch Bucks, we believe what people have to say can help you do better every day. We are here to help you listen and make a difference.
How can Healthwatch Bucks help you?
Healthwatch Bucks exists in order to listen to the voices of Buckinghamshire residents and to ensure that service providers respond accordingly. We’re an independent not for profit organisation and we’ve built up a strong reputation over the last six years. We give the lay person their voice in what can be a confusing environment.
With the unique demographic of Buckinghamshire, we find hard to reach communities, we join up cross-border services and we highlight significant differences in user experiences.
We know how to find out what people are really thinking.
When can we start?
Healthwatch Bucks operates a core staff and expert volunteer structure:
- We can replicate our previous work to suit your specific needs.
- We can adjust planned work to include your requirements.
- We can project manage and source expert volunteers for ad hoc work.
The sooner we hear from you, the sooner we can work together to provide an independent understanding of the true patient and user voice in Buckinghamshire.
What people think
We want to work with you to help you listen to what your service users are saying and the experiences people have using your services. Too often organisations deploy only their complaints process or instant feedback mechanisms to listen to their service users. We can help you deepen that conversation with support from our trained staff and volunteers.
Our approaches
On the spot
Do you want to understand what people think as they actually use your service? Our “Enter and View” expertise means we can come to where you are delivering your service and talk to people as they experience it in the here and now.
Streetview
Streetview – Why do people use your service, what do they think about it – and why they don’t use it? Our Streetview projects can help you understand what people think about your service – and help raise its profile – as we get out and about and talk.
Questionnaires
Sometimes you will want a quantitative assessment of your service – our surveys can be conducted online, on the street and on paper depending on who you want to reach. We can design, implement and analyse to give you genuine insights.
Focus groups
If it’s quality not quantity you need – getting in-depth feedback about what you do can be really challenging – the best way to get past those high-level statements and explore what people really think can be a focus group.
Insight interviews
Do you need to get under the skin of what people think about what you do? Are the questions you want to ask particularly sensitive? Sometimes the best way of getting people to open up about what they think is on a one to one basis in a safe and relaxed environment.
Mystery shopping
Our lay volunteers are ideally positioned to mystery shop your service whether it is a telephone, web-based or face to face. We have experience in checking out services from a lay person’s perspective – what does it feel like to use your service for the first time? We can tell you.
Our results
We’ve completed a number of projects to date. In the interest of transparency, we are committed to publishing all of the work we undertake. You can browse our detailed reports here on the website.
Creating the conversation
Part of really listening to what service users have to say is creating an ongoing dialogue – whether this is testing ideas about future direction; or understanding the way your services are running; you need to know what your users think. Genuine co-production will enable you to understand what your potential and existing services users want and tailor your strategy and services in a way that meets their needs and your vision.
We work with you to deliver that conversation – whether that be:
- a one off engagement event or a series of events,
- the creation of an engagement panel;
- resourcing and training experts by experienced or lay members;
- accessing new groups using social media or intensive face to face engagement;
- the delivery of an overarching engagement approach for your organisation or a particular project; or
- programme or a review of your current approach.
We can create a bespoke solution that allows your organisation to hear the service user/residents’ voice and to respond.
To find out more…
If you are an organisation that would value the integrity, independence and experience offered by Healthwatch Bucks along with the value for money that we provide, please contact our Chief Executive on 01844 348839 or via our information email info@healthwatchbucks.co.uk.
Recent reviews
Kingswood Surgery
1 star
6 days ago
Reception staff are unable to advise on how to obtain prescriptions or appointments. It truly is a shambles, and that's being polite.
My most basic suggestion would be to train your staff to be aware of policies and procedures, and to be consistent in the implementation of the above.
I find th ...
The Swan Practice (North End)
1 star
2 weeks ago
Getting through to speak to someone is hard enough, always a long wait, even though you are told in the automated message there are plenty of staff at busy periods. To make an appointment with your named doctor is usually over a month wait. reception staff very abrupt and on the verge of being r ...
Pound House Surgery (Bourne End & Wooburn Green Health Centre)
3 stars
3 weeks ago
Care great, once you can actually talk to a professional.
Appt booking system still a nightmare, long waits to even get into the phone queue. Called multiple times - listen to 2 mins of recorded messages - queue is full - call back later - repeat.
Finally into the queue, 20 min wait, then no a ...
Hughenden Valley Surgery
5 stars
1 month ago
Used the e-consult service for the first time on Friday. Posted my concern online at 9:30 (uploaded photos as this was a skin compliant), had a call back from the doctor at lunchtime the same day and had a prescription ready to pick up at 6pm. All very efficient.