Unlocking the power of people driven care: Healthwatch Redbridge annual report 2024-2025
Healthwatch was established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to champion the public voice. Since then, the stories people have shared with us have made real, positive change, and this year has been no different.
In telling their stories, members of the public have demonstrated the power they have to show how our health and social care system is and isn’t working. They have been pivotal not only in identifying the issues, but in highlighting how to make real and lasting change.
How did we influence local care in 2024/2025?
Throughout the year, hundreds of people came to us to share their experiences of health and social care, we heard how the needs of our local Deaf community were dismissed at appointments, women’s hesitations and fears at attending intimate examinations, and how parents are struggling to find SEN support for their children.
The Healthwatch Redbridge Community Network has grown, and we have supported projects to hear from Redbridge’s LGBTQ+ community about their experiences accessing services, and how young people from diverse backgrounds want responsive and culturally competent mental health support.
Acting on what you have shared with us; we have worked in partnership with the London Borough of Redbridge and service providers to make key recommendations for change. We have championed the voice of local people, putting their experiences on the national agenda, and we have delivered comprehensive information to empower Redbridge residents to advocate for their needs.
All of this was only possible because of the people who shared their stories with us.
Continuing to champion the voices of local people as the Healthwatch network experiences change
The Government has recently announced its plans to disband the Healthwatch network, and change the law to:
- Transfer the work of Healthwatch England to the Department of Health and Social Care.
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Transfer the work of local Healthwatch services to the NHS and local authorities.
These changes will happen over time. This means we are still here, open, and working for you. We continue to:
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Listen to your experiences of health and social care.
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Share what we hear with those in power to help improve services.
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Provide advice and information to help you find the support you need.
The voices driving our work
Throughout our report, you can read just some of the stories that help us understand the struggles people face when it comes to their care, and how things can be better.
Among them is Eleesha. Eleesha was pursuing an autism diagnosis for her daughter, and facing a year long waiting list, invoked her right to choose a provider for an assessment.
When her GP practice was skeptical of her right to choose and unwilling to accept the provider Eleesha turned to us. Putting pressure on the ICB to inform the practice of her rights, our intervention helped resolve the issue, and Eleesha’s daughter received a referral and assessment.
“It was a blessing to find Healthwatch as they took responsibility for helping me get the information I needed from the ICB. Without their willingness to keep going until the information was provided, I would still be banging my head against a wall feeling like the GP surgery did not want to help my daughter get something that I knew she was entitled to.” - Eleesha
Gita Malhotra, Chair of Healthwatch Redbridge said:
“None of this would be possible without the people of Redbridge, who have trusted us with their stories, struggles, and hopes. Because of them, we’ve been able to highlight service gaps, promote better care and push for change. Their voices are the heart of this report and are the very reason we exist.
As we look ahead, we do so with resolve, but also with realism. We don’t know what the future holds for Healthwatch, but we do know that our work is not done. People's experiences still need to be heard independently, so we continue to listen and amplify these voices, as we stand alongside our community with compassion and determination.
Finally, to our small but mighty and committed team, our incredible volunteers, and the dedicated Board: thank you. Your belief in what we do makes all of this possible. And to the people of Redbridge, heartfelt thanks for sharing your stories, your concerns, your ideas and fears. We are proud to stand with you, whatever comes next for us as an organisation."
