LAST week was due to be our annual conference, which due to the current restrictions has been postponed, so instead we held an online annual meeting via Zoom. The focus of the meeting was our annual report and how we have responded as an organisation and adapted our upcoming work due to Covid-19.

Our annual report gives details about the work we have carried out over the last year, including the ways in which we have engaged with and listened to the 4,300 people who we have had contact with.

We have made a special effort to reach out to certain communities, including carers, young people and children, the LGBT+ community, older people, people from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, people who are in prison, people with a learning disability and women who have experienced domestic violence.

We have published eight reports based on our engagement feedback and requested responses from local services about how they will implement our recommendations. The reports include: Finding Out About Adult Social Care Services from the Worcestershire County Council Website, Fracture Clinics at the Worcestershire Acute NHS Hospital Trust, Screening and Immunisation, Prisoner Experiences of Health Care at HMP Hewell and LGBT+ Experiences of Health and Social Care Services.

Over the last year we have also continued to make sure people are involved in planning local services, improving the quality of local health and social care services and raising issues at a national level. To read our Annual Report in full and all of our reports, please visit our website.

Much of the focus of our work over coming months will be to find out about your experiences of accessing health and care services at this time and the impact of changes being made to local services during the pandemic and as services are restored. Focusing on those who experience health inequalities and barriers when accessing services.

We have already provided feedback and raised issues based on feedback received so far from our Covid-19 surveys.

Visit healthwatchworcestershire.co.uk to complete our Covid-19 survey, to read our annual report and for information about our work – or contact us to have your voice heard - info@healthwatchworcestershire.co.uk /01386 550264.

We are also on Facebook and Twitter – @hwworcs