Running an effective Healthwatch
Who is this event for?
Local Healthwatch lead officers.
Another senior staff member is welcome to attend in your place if you’re not available, but we’ll assume they’re able to fully participate in discussions.
About this event?
The Healthwatch network is working within the very real context of a national decision to wind down the Healthwatch infrastructure, while many local hosts continue to hold important statutory and community roles.
No booking available
This webinar will cover the learning from the work undertaken by The Advocacy People, which was commissioned by Healthwatch England, on how local Healthwatch are engaging with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). It will provide a snapshot of how they are working and adapting in a challenging and uncertain environment.
Type of event
Webinar with presentation on the findings and learning from the report, plus a question and answer session.
No booking available
How to collect demographic data
Discover why it’s important to collect demographic data and how and when to collect it. The resource also contains ideas about how you can support your staff and volunteers to collect demographic data.
About this resource
Discover why it’s important to collect demographic data and how and when to collect it. The resource also contains ideas about how you can support your staff and volunteers to collect demographic data and how you can use it.
It’s important that we understand how different groups of people experience health and social care services. To make this a reality we need to collect demographic from people as well as their experience.
We know that some Healthwatch find it difficult to collect and use demographic data, so Healthwatch Waltham Forest has produced this guidance to help.
It includes:
- Why collecting demographic data matters
- GDPR and demographic data collection
- The Healthwatch England demographic taxonomy
- How to decide what to collect
- When to think about demographics in projects
- How to ask people for their demographic data
- Integrating demographic data into analysis and reporting
- Links to relevant e-learning
The guidance includes a note on sex, gender and gender identity demographic questions.
Downloads
To find out more read the full guidance on collecting demographic data.
The Healthwatch network is working within the very real context of a national decision to wind down the Healthwatch infrastructure, while many local hosts continue to hold important statutory and community roles.
No booking available
Many Healthwatch organisations were established solely to deliver Healthwatch activities and include ‘Healthwatch’ in the name of their legal entity (for example, a charity or CIC). Some have since changed their name and charitable objects to broaden the scope of contracts and commissions they can take on.
No booking available
Learning and development calendar 2026/27
Check out the learning and development planner to see what events we are planning over the next year.
About this resource
We have created a learning and development calendar for the year ahead so you can see what training opportunities from us you will have throughout the year.
We have designed this plan based on your feedback and the Healthwatch core skills framework.
Events are now available to book through our training and events section. Please always remember to let us know if you can no longer a session that you book in advance, so we can offer the place to someone else.
Downloads
If you have any problems accessing this document please email us.
Learning and development calendar
Healthwatch core skills framework 2026/27
This framework will help you see the skills you use in your role, identify any gaps and find the support you need to develop or fine tune them.
You told us that you would find it helpful if we grouped our learning and development offer into pathways linked to key Healthwatch roles and responsibilities.
There are some core activities that all local Healthwatch must do. These will be carried out by different people in each local Healthwatch, so we have focused on activities rather than job titles. We have a range of training, peer networks, guidance, and e-learning courses to help you develop your skills and build your confidence in these areas. The activities are:
- Welcome to Healthwatch
- Providing information and advice to the public
- Gathering views from the public
- Making views known and using them to improve services
- Reaching people and communicating the difference we make
- Managing volunteers
- Running a Healthwatch
How to use the framework
There is a page for each core activity with the keys skills you need to carry them out and the learning opportunities that will help you. New members of staff or volunteers may want to complete the whole pathway, more experienced people may just want to plug gaps in their learning.
Everyone learns differently so we have colour coded the different learning opportunities so you can choose which suits you best. Where there are several learning opportunities next to a skill, you can choose which suits you best and do as many as you wish. The links will take you straight to the session to book, the e-learning course or the resource to download.
From left to right you will see webinars, e-learning courses, peer network meetings, guidance documents then bespoke support. This is not in any priority order, just for ease of reading.
Downloads
Core skills framework
This is a network meeting for local Healthwatch Chairs and board members to hear about and discuss key policy updates from Healthwatch England. This is also your opportunity to network and share learning with other Healthwatch leaders.
Type of event
Networking meeting with key updates and discussion. Your input and participation are appreciated.
Who is this event for?
Local Healthwatch Chairs and board members.
No booking available
These meetings are an opportunity for local Healthwatch lead officers to meet with Healthwatch England's Deputy Chief Executive Chris McCann, hear key policy updates and to network with leaders from other local Healthwatch.
Type of event
Networking meeting with national policy updates and discussion. Helping to shape these meetings by bringing agenda items and taking part in discussions is appreciated.
Who is this event for?
Local Healthwatch lead officers.
No booking available