Introduction to Engagement
Healthwatch Redbridge developed a detailed engagement and outreach plan that was spread throughout the whole borough with a wide selection of multi-cultural organisations whom had not been accessed previously. This plan was developed to ensure we were hearing from communities who may be facing health inequalities, (our current project). The well-coordinated engagement plan covered many organisations that serve a variety of the local population. As a result, the engagement completed with the public increased our data alongside developing a wider reach for future engagement.
Take a look at our Engagement map below to see the range of organisations and services we have visited.
Partnership Work
In addition to our own engagement, we have developed several partnerships with local community organisations, enabling even greater engagement with communities. This has involved identifying issues relating to access that certain groups were facing and linking them in with the relevant service providers. We have worked with Clementswood Drop-in Centre, Age UK Redbridge Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge Carers Support Service
Improving Access to Services
Our recent engagement has enabled us to identify areas of health and care that communities have been finding it hard to access. Listening to attendees at the VHP Hindu Centre, we identifed they were unclear as to how to access social services. We produced a brief guide in appropriate languages to help meet this need. Following regular engagement at Clementswood Drop-in Centre, it became apparent that many of the refugees and asylum seekers did not know that they are able to request an interpreter for health care appointments. We are producing a leaflet to explain this which will be available in appropriate languages.
Further examples of improving access to services are shown in the testimonials below.
Testimonials
"Healthwatch has fostered vital connections for the Clementswood Drop-in Centre; (a collaboration with Care4calais, Humanity Connect and Project Hebron)...collaborations with women's organisations offer crucial support to victims of domestic violence, amplifying resources and care networks."
"RCSS have partnered with Healthwatch to identify hidden Carers in underrepresented groups, that are less likely to engage with services...Healthwatch suggested RCSS visit Clementswood Baptist church and VHP Hindu temple, with whom they have existing relationships; this introduction has helped to attract and register new Carers as well as engaging in some professional networking."
"... engagement events where Healthwatch Redbridge's Health Inequalities survey was being completed, a major theme/concern was highlighted through a conversation with the Disabled Asian Women’s Network members about the inequality of accessing health services was restricted by lack of digital skills, disabling many ethnic women to access health professionals solely and having to depend on family members. Healthwatch Redbridge proposed to Age UK to send a volunteer to the group to run a digital skills workshop, assisting the women on how to use more either their smart phones, tablets or laptops. Age UK are hoping to place a volunteer there by May 2024 and hopes that this will then encourage more women from this organisation to access other services..."
Engagement with stakeholders
In addition to community engagement, we also attend meetings and sit on various stakeholder forums. These enable us to share our insight directly with the people running the services.
A map of Healthwatch Redbridge's Engagement & Outreach (April 2023-March 2024)
The pins in red show our engagement with local community groups.
The pins in green show our engagement with stakeholders and training courses that we have run.