Happy 3rd Birthday Healthwatch

#MakeYourVoiceCount

Happy Birthday! 

The start of April marks the third birthday of local Healthwatch. To celebrate this event, we are encouraging Healthwatch staff and volunteers to share via social media how you hope to make people's voices count in the year ahead using #MakeYourVoiceCount. 

You can get involved either as a team or as an individual. Here are some examples using common Healthwatch priorities: 

• I can #MakeYourVoiceCount by raising awareness of the things that people with mental health conditions say would help improve their care
• We can #MakeYourVoiceCount by using your experiences to help improve local services
• We can #MakeYourVoiceCount by encouraging local hospitals to improve the experience of leaving care
• I can #MakeYourVoiceCount by using your views to help improve local health and care services
   

We will gather the pictures and messages shared by local Healthwatch across England and create a social media wall to highlight all the activity.

How do I get involved?

Follow these three simple steps:

• Download the blank poster attached.
• Write down how you or your team hope to make people's voices count in the year ahead.
• Take a picture of you/your team and the poster and share via social media using #MakeYourVoiceCount.

Don't forget - as we are entering a period of heightened political sensitivity, with local elections in many areas, it's important that we are politically neutral, so avoid statements which could be deemed to favour any local party or candidate.  You can find guidance on the Healthwatch Hub.