Northants Neighbourhood Watch members to report health and social care concerns in new partnership

Neighbourhood Watch members are joining forces with the Care Quality Commission to improve health and social care in Northamptonshire

The Neighbourhood & Home Watch Network (NHWN) members will be encouraged to get in touch with the CQC if, in the course of their work, they come across anything that causes them concern about health or social care services in the county.

The partnership is part of CQC’s commitment to working together with national and local organisations to gather feedback from people who contact them about their experiences of care.

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Jill Morrell, head of public engagement at CQC, said: “We know that Neighbourhood Watch members are invested in building safe and friendly communities and CQC work to make sure that health and social care services in England provide people with safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care. We see this partnership as an opportunity to work together towards a common goal of improving health and social care within local communities and neighbourhoods.”

NHWN chairman, Jim Maddan, said: “We are proud to have so many community-spirited members who care about their neighbours. This extends far beyond reporting crime. Sometimes our members want to raise concerns about other issues affecting the well-being of their neighbours, relatives and friends. Health and social care is a particularly important area as people who access these services can be extremely vulnerable. We want to make sure that our members know where and how they can report their concerns.”

Jill Morrell said: “Our inspectors can’t be everywhere at once and we rely on the public to let us know what is happening in health and care services. By providing us with this information, you will help us improve the overall quality of care in England, and in your community. You will also help us prevent poor care and abuse happening to others in the future.”

The Northamptonshire Regional Neighbourhood Watch representative, Ian Fearnley, said: “We often speak to people who are worried about a neighbour’s situation as regards to health or social care, but aren’t sure who to approach about it. We encourage anyone who has concerns about a neighbour’s care to contact CQC with their feedback – remember to contact the police first if you think someone is in danger. It really can make a difference to people’s lives and to the overall care in your neighbourhood.”

For more information, visit www.cqc.org.uk and www.ourwatch.org.uk.

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