Annual General Meeting 2025
Highlights included discussing the impact of our visits to the Luther King Ward and Bankhouse Extra Care scheme, spotlighting the achievements of the Lambeth Learning Disability Assembly (LLDA), and celebrating the work of our volunteers.
Our Chair of Trustees, Patrick Mitchell, welcomed our attendees. We said goodbye to two trustees, Ruth Atkinson and Francis James, and two staff members, Claire Daly and Hussein Shaher, and welcomed Haritha Pattabhi, our new Volunteer and Administration Coordinator.
We heard from the Lambeth Learning Disability Assembly, who updated us on their work and achievements for 2024-25.
Find out about the LLDA’s achievements in 2024-25
We also presented our financial report, thanked our volunteers for their contributions, and answered questions from attendees.
Our Impact and Achievements, 2024-25
You can read about the impact of our projects from the 2024-25 financial year in the following articles.
The Look Ahead, 2025-26
Below are some of our priorities for the current financial year, 2025-26.
Information, signposting and outreach
We are using our Outreach and Volunteering programmes to gather feedback from and provide information to the diverse communities in our borough.
BRAVE – Black Reproductive Health: Advancing Voices and Experiences
We are running a qualitative research project exploring the experiences of care of Black African and Black Caribbean women with fibroids and/or endometriosis.
Integrated Neighbourhoods: Living Well Locally
We are supporting community engagement to shape how Integrated Neighbourhood Teams deliver care closer to home.
Access to services
We are running a survey exploring views and experiences of using the NHS App and implications for improvement.
Enter and View
We will review our recent Enter and View visits and following up with service providers on progress against the recommendations made.
Update on the announced closure of local Healthwatch
Earlier this year, following Dr Penny Dash’s review of Patient Safety, it was announced that Healthwatch England and 153 local Healthwatch were set to be abolished.
We would like to reassure you that Healthwatch Lambeth is still here for you. While changes may happen over time, the law has not yet changed, and we are still working, listening, and here to support you.
We are committed to doing the very best we can for our communities and underrepresented groups, now, and in the future.
Q&A
The following questions were asked at our AGM.
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How will the Lambeth Learning Disability Assembly (LLDA) be safeguarded given the announced closure of Healthwatch Lambeth?
Although it is early days, Healthwatch Lambeth will strive to safeguard the existence and future of the LLDA, with support from Lambeth Council.
Lambeth has a strong history of championing voice and making sure it feeds into systems. Therefore, there will be a lot of support to ensure that the LLDA transitions somewhere safe where its good work can continue.
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Are there any plans for the transition of Healthwatch functions and how the public will be included in this process?
A new Directorate of Patient Experience is being set up within the Department of Health and Care. As this is developed, we expect that there will be more information about the transition of Healthwatch functions to the Council and ICB.
There is a strong record of independent voice for health and social care since the 1970s, and this has served services and people well. We are aware that a national petition has been created asking the government to:
- Invest in and strengthen independent public voice
- Engage with local Healthwatch leaders and the public to co-design a future that puts people first.
- Recognise the role independent voice can play in supporting the delivery of the NHS 10 Year Plan.
If this matters to you, please feel free to sign and share the petition with your communities.
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As your funding has been reduced, is there any risk that you may be defunded given the announced closure?
No, Lambeth Council is legally required to fund a Healthwatch. We can assure you that Healthwatch Lambeth will exist until the law changes.
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I am interested in supporting residents to use the NHS app, particularly those from African and Caribbean backgrounds. Will this information be collected in your survey?
The survey asks demographic questions, including on ethnic background. We will be able to extrapolate this data to understand the needs of different communities, including ethnic groups, ages and genders.
We would appreciate any support in sharing the survey with your communities, as the more people respond, the deeper our understanding.
Thanks to our team
Attendees to the AGM extended the following thanks to our staff, volunteers, and trustees for their work in 2024-25.
“Thank you to the Healthwatch Lambeth staff, trustees, and volunteers for all the amazing work they have done in the current year.”
“Thank you to the team and our volunteers for making our organisation operate so fantastically across Lambeth year on year.”
“Thank you to the Healthwatch Lambeth team for all the work you do engaging our residents,”
“Well done Healthwatch Lambeth for all the fab work!”
