BRIDGE Forum

We developed BRIDGE Forum with broad sector membership to ensure best practise is shared, problems are identified and practitioners and commissioners are able to report and respond through transformation of services.

BRIDGE Forum brings together third sector, senior decision makers and health & social care organisations to share updates, improve knowledge and foster strong networks to enable statutory and community services to work effectively together and to ensure the voices of the vulnerable, general public and front-line workers are heard.

Healthwatch Wirral continues to be part of the wider strategic work of partners ensuring that individuals receive faster access to high quality care. BRIDGE Forum ensures that care provision is publicised, consistent, accessible and meets the needs of residents to ensure improved health for all in future provision.

Why Did We Start BRIDGE Forum?

There was a lack of opportunity for front-line staff, Community Connectors/Social Prescribers to learn about the fluctuating landscape of local services. Taking an asset-based approach and utilising the excellent working relationships that Healthwatch Wirral has across sectors, allowed us to develop this safe, credible space for System Partners to share updates & improve knowledge.

Our relationships with volunteers, users and providers of BME, Sensory Impairment and Disability services, ensured their views and those of the people they support were represented. We supported use of TEAMS and the chat feature.

Extraordinary BRIDGE Forums (EBF)

We hosted Extraordinary BRIDGE Forums (EBF) for families having difficulties visiting loved ones in care and care Managers. Presented outcomes to commissioners and family forum attendees to promote shared solutions. Another EBF focused on increasing involvement in the Community Mental Health (CMH) Framework to ensure that a local Alliance was developed. We worked with CWP, Rethink Mental Illness, experts-by-experience & colleagues to support CMH transformation work in Wirral and Cheshire.

We connect vulnerable people with front-line workers and help provide a joined-up system to ensure timely and quality services are provided.