Healthwatch Sefton, the local independent champion for health and care, wants to hear people’s experience of what it’s been like being in a care home during the past 12 months.

Diane Blair, Manager of Healthwatch Sefton, explained: “During this pandemic, we have not been able to plan our Enter and View visits into care homes and, as a result, have not been able to talk to residents, their relatives, or staff about how care is provided within care homes.

“Visiting is a central part of care home life. It is crucially important for maintaining the health, wellbeing and quality of life of residents. Visiting is also vital for family and friends to maintain contact and life-long relationships with their loved ones and contribute to their support and care.”

To gather people’s stories, Healthwatch this week launched the campaign Care Homes: Your Story. Your Say!

Diane added: “By asking people to share their stories with us we can then get a picture of the impact the pandemic has had on people who have been living in care homes. We are also welcoming feedback from relatives and friends who may not live local but have someone they care for in one of our Sefton-based homes.”

All feedback shared is anonymous. To share your story go to: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Care-Homes-Your-Story-Your-Say

If you don’t want to fill in this form and would prefer to speak to someone about your experiences, give the team a call on 0800 206 1304.

More information on the campaign can be found on the Healthwatch Sefton website: https://healthwatchsefton.co.uk/news/care-homes-your-story-your-say/