How do we articulate the outcomes we achieve?

From listening to Healthwatch, we’re keen to ensure we help the network capture and describe all the outcomes achieved, as well as where and how this happens. Sometimes, the focus can be mainly on the ‘service change’ outcomes, which can be easier to describe, but we know this doesn’t reflect the breadth of statutory activity.

This document details the current version of our Outcomes Categories model. It summarises our combined thinking so far, based on initial conversations with fifteen lead officers, reflection on the types of outcomes and impact found in annual reports and elsewhere, and following a more recent set of discussions with several local Healthwatch leaders.

My thanks for invaluable input most recently go to Healthwatch Derby, Healthwatch Richmond upon Thames, Healthwatch Southend, Healthwatch Warwickshire, Healthwatch Essex, Healthwatch Newcastle and Gateshead, Healthwatch Southwark, Healthwatch Rotherham, Healthwatch Liverpool, and Healthwatch Milton Keynes.

Our thinking is that this work will be used to: 

• Make sure we’re all telling the best story about each outcome category and enhance our overall narrative about the value of listening and of what Healthwatch offers.
• Help ensure that funders and other stakeholders recognise the breadth of Healthwatch impact.
• Ensure what Healthwatch achieve through ‘holding to account’ is better understood, considering the responsibilities covered in the Holding to Account Toolkit.
• Help us all consider any relationship between the particular categories where outcomes are achieved, the approaches to influencing needed to do that, and the level of resources it takes.
• More clearly describe the two-way relationship between insight and impact at local and national levels.
• Strengthen our overall picture of Healthwatch impact to inform our support offer.

But this is by no means the finished product. There was broad agreement during our most recent discussions that this model in its current form is interesting, thought-provoking, and useful to generate reflection and team discussions – but too much to easily digest in one sitting. As one Healthwatch leader put it: “How will we operationalise it?” 

So, that’s the challenge we’ll now move on to. Over the next few months, the task is to find a format that turns this into a usable resource that does, in fact, achieve the aims listed above. Please do share any observations and ideas with me on any part of this.