Inclusion Update

As part of our work plan, we have been engaging with harder to reach areas and ensuring they are getting the right health and social care that they need. We have also been letting them know what Healthwatch can do for them to help. The harder to reach areas we have been focusing on include Farmers, areas of deprivation, autism, refugees and substance misuse.

Farmers – We have engaged with organisations such as UTASS, the Farming Community Network, Durham Dales Health Federation and National Farmer’s Union (NFU). We have also spoken to Healthwatch Cumberland and Northumberland for advice. We engaged with the community at Wolsingham Show in September made contacts here too.

Our future plans are to get Public Health engaged in our mission to reach out to the farming community.

Areas of Deprivation – We have contacts with Horden together and Homegroup in Horden which has expanded to Seaham, Spennymoor and Bishop Auckland. This will enable us to speak to those who need help with housing and managing the cost of living. We are visiting ‘Mally’s Manclub’ to speak to members of the group about their experiences of health and social care.

Autism – We are part of the Autism Steering Group and have used that as a platform to let people know the work that Healthwatch County Durham do and how we are working on inclusion within the Autism community. We will also be interviewing two members of this group as they have volunteered to do this. We hope to do more interviews in the future.

Durham University will be sitting down with us to give us some advice on how to engage with the Autism community.

Refugees – Engagement with OPORA, an online Ukrainian help and advice service, to find out what advice they provide and how we can use this service to inform people about what Healthwatch can do for them.

Substance Misuse – We are engaging with people with Free the Way, a support group in Seaham. We have also engaged with Humankind and will be working with them on how to engage with the community. We also hope to engage with more branches of Humankind across County Durham.

If you identify with one of these groups, need some help or support, or work with in one of these communities please get in touch and work with us to give more people a voice.

Please contact Tony Bentley at tony.bentley@pcp.uk.net or phone 07821650442.

Please have a look at the poster below to find out more information on inclusion.