Staff SpotlightJulia Catherall

from Issue 12 - Catch up with PCP, projects and services

Staff Spotlight -

PCP is proud to deliver Healthwatch County Durham to the people of County Durham. Healthwatch County Durham is the independent champion for people who use health and social care services, ensuring the people of County Durham are put to the heart of care.

Can you give an overview of your role?

My job title is Engagement and Signposting Lead and I work full time. I work with both internal staff but probably more external staff. My role is primarily working with the public of County Durham to gather their views on health and care services. We do this in several different ways whether it be engagement events, 11 sessions, questionnaires, and online engagement. We then feed this back to commissioners of services with recommendations and suggestions on how they came make changes to services they deliver. We offer a signposting and information service where people of County Durham can give us a call on our freephone number with any issues or concerns regarding services they access. We can make calls on their behalf or signpost them to various services and organisations.

Describe a day-to-day in your role. No two days are the same and that is what I enjoy about my role. I could be attending a meeting or preparing for an event. I need to make sure I have everything I need in my little trolley –plenty of freebies, who doesn’t love a free pen?! The phone can ring at any time, and you never know what type of call it can be or how long you will spend with that person.

What do you like about working for the PCP/HWCD?

I started with PCP in June 2008 as an Administrator on another project that ran for five years. I was then TUPED (Transfer of Undertakings, Protection of Employment) to the organisation who won the new Healthwatch contract in April 2013. PCP then took over the contract when it went out for tender in 2016 and I was TUPED back to PCP!

What is the most rewarding aspect of the role?

It gives me a sense of achievement if I have helped and supported a person and given them the right information to support them with an issue they have regardless of how small or how long it has taken me. I love to see a work plan come to light. We ask the public what their main concerns are, or an area they would like us to focus our research on, this piece of work can take months of planning with us really concentrating on a particular area which the public have told us needs improving. Recently, we made recommendations on a piece of work around home care services and Durham County Council acknowledged our recommendations and were looking to improve the service. I work with a great team, we support each other and can be very vocal at our monthly team meetings.

Read Julia's full staff spotlight here.

Healthwatch Sunderland appeal for STAR Award nominations

Do you know a shining star in health and social care in Sunderland? Share your story and nominate a shining star today!

Healthwatch often hear about those services that shine or individuals who go the extra mile. Celebrating these services or individuals is an essential and enjoyable part of the work Healthwatch does and the ‘Nominate a Star’ scheme is our way of acknowledging all the good we hear about.

Healthwatch

Stockton-on-Tees launch Annual Report

Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees' latest Annual Report highlights work over the last twelve months, and how the landscape of health and social care services has changed.

You can read about:

The highlights for the past year. Your views on local 0-19 health services during the last 12 months and how future services will address the needs of the public.

HWSoT collaboration with Stocktonon-Tees Borough Council learning disability day services to engage with people with a learning disability on their views and experiences of their health and wellbeing over the past year.

If you would like to nominate a staff member, team or service for one of our Star Awards for the difference they have made to you or someone you know, please visit Healthwatch Sunderland's website for more information.

Engagement with the community to understand how the Accessible Information Standards works at a local level and how local people have experienced receiving health information from health and care services

Read HWSoT's Annual Report here.

Hydrotherapy Pool renovations

We have planning permission!

After some stops and starts, the pool and Options renovations are on their way to construction stage. In a construction project, we work with our architects to develop a project plan that is led by 6 RIBA stages.

We have onboarded our technical team, including pool provider, civil, structural and mechanical engineers, and the ever important cost consultant. They have spent months working with Vicky and Joe preparing the project through technical design stage and submission of planning.

With Durham County Council approving the project, we are nearing the end of RIBA stage 4 with tender callout and an evaluation of contractors to take place early August. The Centre Development Team, which includes Trustees, will pause for thought on which contractor can offer good value for the project and have a final moment to review the budget before proceeding.

For more information on the upcoming hydrotherapy pool redevelopments, visit our webpage.

Options extension update

We have planning permission!

We spoke to Linda West, Options Coordinator, about the upcoming renovations.

"We are looking forward to the upcoming extension as it'll give us more space for health and safety and storage of goods, more space for exercise sessions including chair exercises. It means we won't be on top of each other and it'll give everyone more space to, which can boost people's mental health. We can't wait!"

Wehave planning permission!

OurOption's members have shared their thoughts about the upcoming renovations. See below their thoughts and find more in the Pioneering Care Centre on our noticeboard.