Our team
Portsmouth Healthwatch is all about local voices being able to influence the delivery and design of local services that they use.
Through a committed staff team and a dedicated group of volunteers, we:
- Provide people with information, advice and support about local health and social care services.
- Gather views and experiences of local people on the way services are delivered and provided.
- Influence local services based on the evidence that we gather and through our position on the Health and Wellbeing Board in the city.
- Work with other Healthwatch organisations to build a national picture of people’s views on health and social care services.
- Offer support and guidance to those people that wish to make a complaint about NHS care.
Siobhain started as the Project Manager in April and will be supporting and leading the team in its day-to-day and project activity. Working closely with the Healthwatch Board, commissioners, providers of services and the voluntary sector Siobhain’s aim is to help local people have their say in shaping and developing how health and social care services are provided in Portsmouth. Siobhain has 26 years’ experience of being a manager in the voluntary and not for profit sector, supporting people with long term conditions to influence service provision in their local area. Siobhain has continued to work in the patient engagement and self-management sector and is a keen believer in person-centred approaches to care.
Fergus is the Senior Advocate Coordinator at Healthwatch Portsmouth. He supports people using the NHS complaints procedure. This involves enabling people to express their complaint, get explanations about difficulties in their care, and have an outcome that will help to improve NHS services. Fergus is a Healthwatch member having lived in Portsmouth since coming down from Lincolnshire to the then Portsmouth Polytechnic. Fergus’s background is in social work, Nurse Education and training in Health and Social care and hopes to bring this together to be an advocate for people needing to make a complaint, had a bad experience, of using NHS services.
Maria is the Healthwatch Portsmouth officer. Maria will focus on ensuring Portsmouth City residents and local organisations are informed about the role Healthwatch Portsmouth. Maria will promote the voice of patients and the public to make a positive difference to health and social care services being provided across the City. Maria aims to support more people to access Healthwatch Portsmouth by attending groups and events across the city, with the support of Healthwatch’s dedicated volunteers. Maria will be putting to good use her knowledge of the City and community engagement; previous roles include Community Development Officer, Tenancy support and training design and delivery in self-development, to establish a vibrant presence for Healthwatch Portsmouth across the city, empowering people to contribute to engagement opportunities to help improve health and social care services.