Healthwatch Kent service receives national award for improving care

News - 13 March 2024

Healthwatch Kent was recognised at the National Healthwatch Impact Awards this week for helping to improve care for local people. 

The annual awards recognise outstanding examples of local people's opinions being used to make valuable changes to health and care support. 

Healthwatch Kent team were commended for their work to: Improving Access to Health and Care Information for People with sensory impairments & Learning disabilities 

Local group Healthwatch Kent has been commended in the annual National Healthwatch Impact Awards, recognising outstanding work that uses local people's views to improve health and care support.  

In the running against 16 other shortlisted projects, the health and social care champion team for Kent was commended for their work on the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) 

Over the last 5 years we’ve worked hard to work with Trusts to improve their support for people who have additional communication needs. These have included: 

  • Hearing loop audit and installation of new hearing loops and equipment.  
  • Staff champions were identified to raise the profile and understanding of AIS in their work areas.  

What did we achieved?  

There have been 25 actions Trusts have implemented including: 

East Kent Hospitals 

  •  Hearing loop audit  and installation of new hearing loops and equipment. 
  • New Easy Read Patient Information Leaflet with input from people who have a learning disability and/or sensory impairment.  

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 

  • 28 staff champions were identified to raise the profile and understanding of AIS in their work areas. 
  • Reception staff have received sight training. 

Commenting on the award, Louise Ansari, Chief Executive of Healthwatch England said:  

The team should feel really proud. Our awards recognise outstanding work that makes a real difference to local people, and the competition this year from across England was very high. 

Being recognised is also a testament to all the local people who were prepared to speak up and the health professionals who listened. It just shows what can be achieved when we work together to improve care.