Health and social care bosses in Brighton and Hove have started a six-month “big conversation” to help them shape priorities for the area as they try to make improvements.
Dozens of people turned up at the Dome to talk to representatives of the Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Brighton and Hove City Council.
They were joined by doctors, nurses, pharmacists, health professionals, NHS workers, council staff and people from community and voluntary groups.
The CCG said: “Brighton and Hove residents are being asked to play their part in helping to improve health and social care for the city.
“The local NHS and local authority are launching the first ever ‘Big Health and Care Conversation’ to get the views and experiences of as many local people as possible about what matters most to them in health and social care and how they can help shape and transform services in the future.
“The conversation will last six months and members of the NHS and local authority will be out and about across the city to speak with as many different people and communities as possible.”
The launch event yesterday (Tuesday 4 July) focused on Caring Together, a joint programme of work led by the NHS commissioners at the CCG and the council.
The CCG said: “The programme builds on work that is already under way in the city and aims to find ways to improve and transform services for adults and children, physical and mental health, social care, public health, GP services, pharmacies, community and voluntary sector services and hospital services.”
The clinical chair of NHS Brighton and Hove CCG, David Supple, and Rob Persey, the director of health and adult social care at the council, said: “We want to improve health and social care for everyone in the city but we can only do this with the help of those who matter the most – the patients, public and carers.
“They are the ones who know how services can best meet their needs so we want to ensure their views and experiences are heard, acted on and influence the way health and care is planned and delivered now and in years to come.
“We want to hear from anyone and everyone across the city so don’t be shy – join the conversation.”
The CCG said: “The Big Health and Care Conversation will include open public forums, the Big Knit and Natter, the Big Pride Conversation, the Big Health and Care Survey and the Big STP Conversation.
“There will also be regular Big Brighton and Hove Street Conversations where members of the NHS and local authority staff will hit the streets to talk with as many people as possible.
“As well as talking to people while out and about, the Big Health and Care Conversation is also asking for people to give their views over social media. You can Tweet at hashtag #Big_Convo.”
