Northants volunteers who help improve KGH win national award

Two dedicated vounteers from Northamptonshire have won a prestigious award for their volunteer work helping to improve KGH.

Sheila White, from Thrapston, and Wendy Patel, from Brixworth, are volunteers for Healthwatch Northamptonshire and won the Celebrating our Volunteer Team category in the Healthwatch Awards 2020.

Healthwatch Northamptonshire chief executive, Kate Holt said: "Wendy and Sheila are fantastic examples of our hard-working and dedicated Healthwatch Northamptonshire volunteers and we are thrilled that their work has received national recognition."

In the last year, Sheila and Wendy have made 43 trips to KGH to inspect 36 wards and departments.

Their visits involve speaking to staff, patients, and visitors to make sure their views are heard so the hospital can develop action plans to address any issues raised.

Sheila said: "Although we have a formal structure for our visits, I think it is also important to look at healthcare from the patients’ point of view.

"When we speak to patients directly, we often find they tell us about concerns they are reluctant to share with staff. By suggesting that they do share these concerns the situation can often be improved in a quick and friendly manner.

"I really enjoy this work and love to see how our interactions end up making a difference."

Wendy said: "We use an innovative 15 step challenge system to carry out our visits which is a structured way of making these kinds of walk-around visits very effective.

"We have been very pleased with the results and we are both delighted that our work has been recognised by Healthwatch at a national level."

KGH's director of nursing and quality, Leanne Hackshall, said: "Wendy and Shielf provided me with invaluable insights into the experiences of patients and staff at KGH.

"They possess a continuous drive and a passion for quality improvement and both have been very active members of a number of our working groups.

"From their insights and contributions, I have remained grounded and open to hearing about and acting on the right things. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks and congratulations to them both."

Healthwatch Northamptonshire was one of only three local Healthwatch branches to win an award out of 152 across England during a virtual event celebrating the difference Healthwatch’s 4,400 staff and volunteers have made over the past year

Sir Robert Francis QC, chair of Healthwatch England, said: "Thanks to the dedication of Healthwatch Northamptonshire's volunteers, many improvements have been made at KGH, such as the introduction of a priority seating area in A&E, improvements to health and safety and patient dignity and a place for patients to give immediate feedback about their care.

"I would like to thank Sheila and Wendy for their dedication to making local patients' experiences of hospital care better."

Kate Holt added: "They have demonstrated the importance of working with one organisation over a period of time with patience and dedication and then seeing the reward of their work being turned into positive changes for patients."

A summary report of Sheila and Wendy's 2019-20 visits can be read here.