A new organisation that provides a voice for the most vulnerable in Barnet is recruiting volunteers.

Healthwatch Barnet, which was launched last month to ensure the views and experiences of people who use health and social care services are heard at local level, is recruiting volunteers for its enter and view scheme.

Representatives will go into care homes, mental health facilities and other social care settings to report on services. 

Volunteer and projects officer for Healthwatch Barnet Lisa Robbins said these volunteers would play a “key role” in monitoring health and social care services, finding out the opinions of users and discovering how they might be improved.

She said: “We’ve already had lots of interest.  We already have a dedicated team of 15 very experienced enter and view volunteers who transferred across from the old Barnet LINk.”

Julie Pal, chief executive of CommUNITY Barnet, which holds the Healthwatch contract, added: “We want as inclusive a model as possible to reflect Barnet’s diversity, to ensure different voices are being heard and responded to.”

Healthwatch Barnet has 400 organisations and individuals as Friends, which receive information on events and activities.  These Friends include active volunteers whose role is to sit on boards,  act as ambassadors in the community and serve as the voice of Healthwatch.

She added: “We want volunteers who have the necessary skills and are passionate about health and social care. We recognise people are busy – if people can only give two hours a month we will make sure those two hours are put to the best possible use.”

Launched as part of a national government initiative with the legal right to be heard by those who run health and social care services such as hospitals, Barnet’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Barnet Borough Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board, Healthwatch Barnet works with a consortium of partners.

These partners include voluntary organisations such as Barnet Mencap, Age UK Barnet, Barnet Advocacy and Barnet Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB), which work with vulnerable people across the borough.

Chief executive of CAB Tim Clark said: “We’re part of a consortium delivering Healthwatch in Barnet, which includes voluntary organisations across the borough. Our role will be signposting people to advice and information. We are confident about doing well.

“Between us the partners have a lot of expertise and skill in dealing with vulnerable people and will ensure Healthwatch has a huge reach in the local community.”

Chief executive of Barnet Mencap Ray Booth added: “It’s early days, but this is a really good development. A large number of people with learning disabilities were at the launch, which is a good step forward.

“There is an anxiety among people with learning disabilities nationally they are not being listened to by hospitals – this is something we’ll pick up on with Healthwatch Barnet.

“I’m optimistic it will be a success.”

Chief officer of Age UK Barnet Mark Robinson said: “We hope Healthwatch Barnet will be able to improve the quality of health and social care services for everyone, particularly the older people we represent. CommUNITY Barnet and Healthwatch has a commitment to be as effective a voice for people in Barnet as it is possible to be.

“I don’t want Healthwatch to be an organisation that just points out things that are wrong, it is important it is constructive too. We want Healthwatch to work and work together to be a critical friend to health and social care services in the area.”

The deadline for the authorised representative positions is Friday 14th June. For more information contact lisa.robbins@communitybarnet.org.uk or visit CommUNITY Barnet’s website.