Healthwatch Brighton and Hove

Who we are

Healthwatch Brighton and Hove is your local health and social care champion. From Portslade  to Saltdean and everywhere in between, we make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers hear your voice and use your feedback to improve care.

If you use GPs and hospitals, dentists, pharmacies, care homes or other support services in your area, we want to hear about your experiences. We are independent and have the power to make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers listen to local feedback and improve standards of care. We can also help you to find reliable and trustworthy information and advice. Last year, the Healthwatch network helped nearly a million people like you to have your say and get the support you need.

We are part of a network of over 150 local Healthwatch across the country. We’re here to listen to the issues that really matter to people in Brighton and Hove and to hear about your experiences of using local health and social care services. We’re entirely independent and impartial, and anything you share with us is confidential.

Healthwatch Brighton and Hove was set up on April 2013, with a role to represent the views of the people that use health and social care services in our city. We are a community interest company (CIC), a non-charitable limited company which exists to benefit a community or with a view to pursuing a social purpose, rather than to make a profit for shareholders.

Though commissioned and funded by Brighton and Hove City Council, we are independent of both the council and the NHS.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Equality means everyone is treated the same exact way, regardless of need or any other individual difference. Equity means everyone is provided with what they need to succeed.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are at the heart of Healthwatch Brighton and Hove’s values. Healthwatch recognises the diversity of the population it serves and takes seriously the obligation to reach and include a diversity of people, and to ensure its credibility within a diversity of communities. We are committed to policy, procedure and practice that recognises and respects the identity, rights, abilities and needs of everyone, and actively opposes all forms of unfair discrimination.

As a public sector body, we are committed to meeting the duties set out under the Equality Act 2010, which outlines the legal framework for creating a fair and more equal society. This vital piece of legislation protects people’s rights in law and keeps all of us from unfair treatment and discrimination. As an organisation whose sole purpose is to give a strong and powerful voice to people who often go unheard, the Equality Act serves as the minimum for our work.

We believe that everyone should have a fair and equal experience using health and social care. We recognise that some people and communities face compounding layers of disadvantage and discrimination, and we will ensure that our approach reflects the multiple inequalities that people face. We will work to prevent and challenge discrimination and inequality in all our functions