Our five shared values (introduced by Healthwatch England Chief Executive Louise Ansari in this video) are:
- Equity: Embracing inclusivity and compassion, establishing profound connections with the communities we serve, and empowering them.
- Collaboration: Nurturing both internal and external relationships, fostering transparent communication, and partnering to amplify our impact.
- Independence: Championing the public's agenda, serving as purposeful and critical allies to decision-makers.
- Truth: Operating with unyielding integrity and honesty, fearlessly advocating truth to those in power.
- Impact: Pursuing ambitious endeavours to effect meaningful change for individuals and communities while remaining accountable and holding others accountable.
The links above will take you to short videos featuring Louise and a local Healthwatch leader discussing what we can all do to bring that value to life in our everyday work.
You can also read some further thoughts and reflections on our values from Louise in this recent blog.
We hope that you will:
- Share these values into action which were co-created by you with your staff, board members, volunteers, and commissioners and use the resources below.
- Discuss internally which of these actions you are already taking and which you can start doing, and if there are any you think need to be added. We are confident there will be clear alignment between Healthwatch from feedback in the network meetings.
- Watch and share the fantastic videos above, in which we discuss what we can all do to bring our values to life in our everyday work.
Moving forward
Although each Healthwatch is independent, with some being part of larger organisations with your own set of values, it's crucial that we can all align with a common set of values. This cohesion resonates with our funders and stakeholders, emphasising our commitment to the communities we serve. Furthermore, it demonstrates our unity as we advocate for our future sustainability.
Together, let's harness the power of our shared values to drive meaningful impact and enhance our effectiveness in serving the public.