Funding is cut

They are right to be deeply worried that these cuts will hit the vulnerable in our society who need social care now, and that they will only result in increased pressure on our hard pressed NHS and care services.

Only Healthwatch has the power to make sure the voices of people, including the most vulnerable, are heard by the authorities who buy and provide care.

This year we have spoken up for people with learning disabilities, veterans, young mums, carers, mental health service users, people being discharged from hospital, people with dementia and those whose care is not meeting national standards on dignity in care.

We have talked to hundreds of people at events across the county and we have provided a raft of high quality, evidence-based information that the NHS and social care are using to improve local services for all of us.

We believe that now, more than ever, those who run the health and social care services need to know what impact the changes that they are having to make will have on the people who depend on them.

Only Healthwatch can provide the authorities with the kind of high quality, evidenced-based and independent information they need.

Yet the county council wants to cut the amount it spends on our vital service by £100,000.

If this cut goes through it will mean the views of the public, including those who are seldom heard, will be lost.

Our colleagues called on our MPs and local politicians to listen to the quietest voices in the county and to speak up for them about the proposed cuts.

Healthwatch is here to do that job day in and day out and we are making a difference – but we cannot continue to do that with our funding cut by a massive one-third.

We call on our politicians to reconsider this proposal.

Eddie Duller OBE
Chairman, Healthwatch Oxfordshire