News
Spotlight on A&E
Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen are to embark on an exciting new project, gathering the views & experiences of those residents visiting A&E...
Enter and View and Volunteer Coordinator In Post.
We are delighted to welcome Sharon Hardman to the team. Sharon joined us on May the 30th 2017. Joining from the Stroke Association, Sharon brings a...
Public Event: Changes to your NHS
Understanding changes in the NHS Public Event: Where: Blackburn with Darwen Central Library Time: 3-5pm Date: 29 th June 2017 Healthwatch BwD will be...
We Have Moved
As of the 29th of March 2017 Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen moved to our new office at Kings Court in Blackburn. Our new office address is: Healthwatch BwD Suite 17 Kings Court 33 Kings Street Blackburn BB22DH Our new phone number is: 01254296080
Amplify Champions present to Safeguarding Communication & Engagement Committee
On Thursday 26 th January a group of our Amplify Champions from Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio presented their views & experiences around abuse at the Safeguarding Communication & Engagement Committee. Here Lisa Bloomfield, Chair of Safeguarding Communication & Engagement Committee...
BIHR & Healthwatch BwD Regional Summit on Mental Health and Human Rights
Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen and the British Institute of Human Rights are pleased to invite you to one of three Regional Summits on Mental Health and Human Rights. The regional summits will be the culmination of BIHR’s three year project Care and Support: A Human Rights Approach to Advocacy...
We are Recruiting for Two New Board Directors
We are currently recruiting for two new Board Directors. You can read a full role description and how to apply by clicking below:
NHS England – Accessible Information Standard Review
Since August 2016, NHS health and social care services have been required by law to ensure their communications are accessible to all. Now, six months on, NHS England wants to hear what difference the Accessible Information Standard has made to your experience. The Standard exists to make sure that...
Mental Health, Mental Capacity and Human Rights Regional Summit in Blackburn
Join us for the Mental Health, Mental Capacity and Human Rights Regional Summit in Blackburn, co-hosted with Healthwatch BwD and the British Institute of Human Rights. The summit is the culmination of a three year national project ‘Care and Support: A Human Rights Approach to Advocacy’. This...
New Chief Officer In Post
Andy Griffiths, joined Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen as Chief Officer on January 3rd 2017. Andy takes over from Mark Rasburn who left the organisation in October 2016. Andy joins Healthwatch from Shelter - the Housing and Homelessness Charity where he worked as a Business Development Manager in...
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust wards safer as hip fractures reduced
Staff at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust are keeping their promise to provide safe, personal and effective care with the news that no hip fractures were recorded on any of its wards in the past three months. A recent report published by the Nuffield Trust 1 found that the number of hip...
Adult Carers Experiences of Health & Social Care Report Published
Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen engaged with over 80 adult carers over a six-month period, listening to their views & experiences of local health & social care provision. Key findings of the project found that, 76.8% of participants hadn’t been offered or attended training to help them...
Amplify Project Engages with over 100 students
Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen’s ‘Amplify’ Project engaged with over 100 young people at Darwen Vale High Schools Super Enrichment Day on Monday 14 th November. Young people discussed a wide range of issues, including Body Image, Drugs & Alcohol and Sexual Health. The feedback gathered will...
OVer 20 Young People Take Part In Our Homeless Project Film Day
On the 27 th October over twenty young people took part in a film day as part of Healthwatch BwD’s Homeless Project. Amplify Champions at Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio watched ‘Cathy Come Home’ in the afternoon while in the evening nine young people from Nightsafe & Blackburn Youth Zone...
New Board Member Appointed
Following an interview last week with our colleagues Ben Pearson & Ron O'Keefe, along with Ken Barnsley from Public Health, I am pleased to welcome Nancy Kinyanjui to the Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen board. Nancy was previously informally interviewed by myself & previous Chief Officer...
Our Amplify Champions attend Undivided Event
On the 26 th October seven young people from Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio & Darwen Vale High School attended Undivided, an event aimed to ensue young people have a say over Brexit negotiations. This was a great opportunity for them to understand more about the EU whilst allowing them to...
Two Enter & View Reports Published
OUr latest two enter and view reports are now available to view by clicking on the images below:
Human rights, mental health & mental capacity booklets - we want your feedback
Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen has been working with BIHR to produce a new series of booklets on mental health and mental capacity for people using services and advocates. The booklets are designed to help you resolve issues and make sure you are treated with dignity and respect when using...
New Healthwatch Volunteer led Project ELI
Project ELI is our new volunteer led project which aims to gather and report on the views of people who have been identified as being vulnerable or who are currently experiencing loneliness and isolation. We intend to speak to community members about: Why some individuals experience loneliness and...
Mental Health & Wellbeing Task Group
Our next mental heath health and Wellbeing Task group takes place on Tuesday 25th October 10-12pm at Blackburn Enterprise Centre Featuring guest speaker Michelle Kelly from Papyrus, the national UK Charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide. We will also be launching a new volunteer led...
Our 22nd community access point has now been set up
Healthwatch BwD has a new community access point in Blackburn to help support local people access services and share their experience of health and social care. Through the organisations youth project ‘Amplify’, which to date has engaged and supported over 1800 young people in the Borough, the team...
Sensory Impairment Project Launch
Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen are launching a new project exploring the views and experiences of residents with hearing and visual impairments. The project will focus on access, communication and experience when visiting local Health & Social Care Services. Healthwatch are working in...
Chief Executive Stepping Down
Mark Rasburn, Chief Executive of Healtwatch Blackburn with Darwen, is leaving the organisation in October. Mark was appointed in June 2014 following his involvement in the successful set-up of the organisation. He has led the organisation to be nationally recognised for their creative engagement...
Your chance to help shape services in East Lancashire
Samba band beats the drum for health innovation event Blackburn Cathedral will swing to the sounds of samba at an upcoming event celebrating the best of health and social care in East Lancashire. Suco Suco Samba – a drum and dance troupe for people in recovering from addiction formed by East...
Healthwatch BwD from a volunteers point of view
Karl Riding has volunteered over 80 hours over the past 6 months with Healthwatch BwD. Karl is responsible for writing minutes for our loneliness and isolation volunteer-led program, supporting engagement and signposting work and producing art work for our publications. Last week Karl supported our...
Fibromyalgia Meeting
In May 2016 we published our report looking into Rheumatic & Inflammatory Conditions. You can read it here . We're continuing the conversation with an informal workshop with time to share, debate & get your voice heard. We want to hear your views & experiences of living with...
822 residents tell us their experience of local services
Blackburn with Darwen is the 15th most deprived Borough out of 326 authorities in England for health and social outcomes. Compared to the national average, life expectancy in the Borough is 2.8 years lower for males and 2.1 years lower for females. In the Borough itself, the difference between the...
