Each month we will bring you behind the scenes to put the well deserved spotlight on our staff that help us make a difference to communities throughout the North East. Meet Wendy Hadlington, Engagement Officer for Healthwatch Sunderland.
Healthwatch Sunderland is the independent champions for those who use health and social care services in Sunderland and is one of five branches of Healthwatch across the North East delivered by PCP. With the main purpose being to understand the needs, concerns, and experiences of the people who use these services, and to speak out for them, ensuring that people's worries are addressed.
Can you give an overview of your role?
I am a full time Engagement Officer at Healthwatch Sunderland, and my role involves supporting the development and implementation of our annual workplan, which this year, sees three main topics, GP Access, Domiciliary Care and Hospital Discharge. These are the areas that the people of Sunderland highlighted as the main areas they would like us to focus on and report on to service commissioners and providers.
Describe a day-to-day in your role
I really enjoy my diverse role, no day being the same as the one which came before or the day which will follow. My main duties include being out in the communities of Sunderland and speaking to individuals and organisations offering community support about experiences of health and care services in our city. By listening to people, I am then able to identify signposting opportunities to support them to find the correct services for them or their service users.
What do you like about working for the Healthwatch Sunderland, and the PCP?
I can honestly say that I feel it has taken me until being in my 50s to find the job for me, this is a perfect fit. I love the variety of my role, meeting so many people, which I would never have met. I have been able to build so many positive relationships with people across Sunderland, which has enriched my working as well as my personal life and look forward to getting to know even more.
What is the most rewarding aspect of the role?
I love that, as a Healthwatch, we really do make a difference to people’s lives, through the support we can offer and the differences we are able to influence within services. I enjoy working in a supportive team, whether that be the small Healthwatch team or the wider PCP staff team.
Has there been any additional training you’ve done since you started working for the PCP and Healthwatch Sunderland?
I feel I am an emotionally supportive member of the Healthwatch Sunderland Team, and this has been enhanced by my most recent First Aid Training, which means if any of my team need first aid, I will be the one to support them physically when they really need it too.
If you are interested in joining our team, we have lots of opportunities across the North East and in sectors inclusive of health and wellbeing.
For more about what the PCP offers, visit www.pcp.uk.net, email enquiries@pcp.uk.net or call 01325 321234.