People in Norfolk and Waveney asked to help shape NHS and care services

People living in Norfolk and Waveney are being asked to join in a six week conversation to help shape NHS and care services.

A new website is being launched to ‘crowdsource’ ideas about what people would like to see in a five year plan for health and care in Norfolk and Waveney.

Anyone can sign-up to put forward their ideas for making Norfolk and Waveney a healthier place to live and to comment on other people’s suggestions.

To have your say visit https://ingoodhealth.dialogue-app.com/.

The independent chair of the partnership, former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, said: “What people say will help us shape our planning for the next five years. I would really encourage people to join the conversation, have your say and help us draft a plan that speaks for our communities.”

Every week for six weeks, different questions will be posed for people to respond to.

These will cover how we can give children and young people the best start in life, through to supporting people to age well, from better managing long term conditions like diabetes and breathing problems, to preventing people from getting cancer.

Patricia added: “Every one of us wants our NHS and care services to do more. We also have to balance rising demand and expectations with the reality that we only have a certain amount of money and we can only spend each pound once. So our job will be to listen hard to everyone and devise a plan that offers as much as we can within the limitations we inevitably have.”

There has already been a huge amount of public and patient involvement in the last year, carried out by the NHS, local councils and others, which is being used to help develop the plan.

Healthwatch Norfolk has also carried out some early engagement too.

This conversation will run until August 27 and the partnership will develop a first draft of its plan in September.

There will be further engagement and discussion as the plan is finalised in the autumn.