A joint project by the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, Bracknell Forest Council and Slough Council to commission a single Local Healthwatch Service across East Berkshire has successfully concluded.

Help & Care has been awarded the contract to provide this service across the three boroughs, which will see the authorities working together, to ensure valuable health and social care information is shared to improve the services available to local residents.

Help & Care, who currently run the Healthwatch service in Slough, were chosen following a competitive tender progress, and will work closely with NHS East Berkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Councillor Stuart Carroll, lead member for adult social care, children’s services, health and mental health, said: “We’re very pleased to have Help & Care on board and to begin working closely with both Bracknell Forest and Slough councils as we look to continue improving the health and social care services available to our residents.

“Having a Healthwatch service that combines three local authorities will ensure healthy collaboration and sharing of information, as well as reduce overheads and duplication of work creating a more efficient service for us all.

“To make sure our working plans represent the varying health needs and priorities of our local communities, we will maintain separate identities, but this group will enhance support and improve the services on offer.”

Mark Sharman, chief executive of Help & Care said; "We're delighted to be appointed as the providers of Healthwatch Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead and Healthwatch Bracknell Forest, alongside our current work in Healthwatch Slough.  We look forward to working with residents and healthcare providers across East Berkshire as well as current Boards and volunteers.”

The new service will start on Monday 4 January, 2021, and the contract will be for three years with the option to extend for a further two years.