West Yorkshire Voice

18/12/2025

As we come to the end of 2025, we want to thank you for all your contributions to West Yorkshire Voice. We are very grateful for everyone who has been involved in sharing their voice or who has shared opportunities and information with others.

We will be closed from 19th December until 5th January so any messages during this time will be picked up by our Coordinator in the new year.

We wish you a restful and enjoyable festive period and we look forward to working with you in the new year.

If you're not yet a member of West Yorkshire Voice, you can join here: https://www.wypartnership.co.uk/get-involved/west-yorkshire-voice/join-west-yorkshire-voice

04/12/2025

On Tuesday we attended a event hosted by West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board to support health and care staff to understand more about the challenges faced by people who face the greatest risks to poor health and healthcare access (inclusion health groups). In this presentation from Happydays UK, who support people experiencing homelessness in Halifax, the key message was the impact of policies and systems which cause a 'computer says no' response to people. For example, we heard about people being asked to book appointments by phone or digital systems, without having access to a phone.

27/08/2025

In June 2025, we worked with someone to share their experience of anti-microbial resistance from a carer’s perspective. They care full-time for their wife who has various health conditions, including recurring anti-microbial resistant urinary tract infections. They are passionate about raising awareness of this issue can have on people’s lives.

We recorded an audio of them speaking which was played at the West Yorkshire Partnership Board meeting on 15th July 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=zobzgf1LUxQI7TTh&v=sIY0k0HOnMA&feature=youtu.be

They have since told us about the positive impact they've felt from doing this project with us:

"I am both delighted and profoundly humbled by the reaction to my presentation. I hope that our story may help people to understand the human impact of antimicrobial resistance and thus to change behaviours. One of the big challenges for being a carer is finding enough "me" time; working with you has meant that I can focus on a project that is very dear to my heart. It has been truly therapeutic."

19/08/2025

In June 2025, we spoke to three people about how their poor housing conditions have impacted their health to help make sure that people's voices were included in discussions happening at a West Yorkshire level.

One parent shared how damp and dust in their flat worsened their child’s asthma and severe allergies. A second described struggling to move house despite doctors saying their home was harming their child’s health. An older age adult also spoke about feeling unsafe in retirement housing due to leaks and rats.

We produced a video to record their experiences, which was then played at the West Yorkshire Partnership Board meeting on 15th July 2025.

Rachael Loftus, who presented about housing and health at the board, told us about the importance and impact of having people’s voices brought into this meeting:

"Thanks to the people who shared their stories, we were able to make the case that we cannot separate health from housing - and more work needs to be done to meet the scale of the challenges here in West Yorkshire. At both meetings we got support from the Board members to continue with the projects and activities already underway. But more importantly, we got their support to look for further opportunities and funding to scale up activities, and to better target support to people who are becoming unwell because of their housing situation. "

Huge thanks to Daria Vladimirova for editing the audio, and to Leeds Muslim Youth Forum & Foresight Equity and Solutions for helping us connect with these voices.

You can watch the video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/aSsVBsj6l1k?si=jrvvc-cjaSTJ049U

You can also read our latest newsletter with the full quote and more information: http://re-url.uk/W4VS

We had a group discussion in June 2025 with three people about how their recent housing issues have impacted on their health. Thank you to Daria Vladimirova ...

05/08/2025

Have you been refused non-emergency patient transport to a hospital appointment in West Yorkshire and Craven since 28th April 2025?

Non-emergency patient transport is a free transport service for people who find it difficult to get to hospital appointments on their own and have certain medical conditions or circumstances.

From 28th April 2025, new eligibility criteria for patient transport have been introduced in West Yorkshire and Craven.

If this change has affected whether you get patient transport, please let us know by completing our short feedback form.

This will enable us to feed it into a review during the autumn, and if appropriate we can arrange for someone to get in touch with you with advice about your options.

If you would prefer to share your experience by phone, please contact George or Harriet on 0113 8980035.

If you would like to share your broader views about travelling to hospital appointments in West Yorkshire and Craven to help shape how services are delivered, you can fill in the West Yorkshire ICB survey: https://re-url.uk/W4T9

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PatientTransportWY

20/06/2025

This week, George and two volunteers visited breakfast club run by . We had some great conversations with people about 'self-managing' their health. We heard about barriers to managing health and the things that can make this easier.

If you want to share your own experiences, either about managing your own health or supporting someone you care for to do so, please complete this survey: https://re-url.uk/WLSM

If you work or volunteer with people and communities, particularly those who face multiple barriers to health and care services and to good health, please complete the professionals survey: https://re-url.uk/WLSK

06/06/2025

What do you need to manage your health?

We are seeing a shift in health and care services towards asking people and communities to manage their health and care, sometimes called ‘supported self-management’.

While most people want to manage their own health, we know that this can be challenging for many different reasons. We would like to know about what helps people to manage their health, what gets in the way of this and what worries them about ‘self-managing’.

We’d like to hear about your experiences and views!

If you want to share your own experiences, either about managing your own health or supporting someone you care for to do so, please complete this survey: https://re-url.uk/WLSM

If you work or volunteer with people and communities, particularly those who face multiple barriers to health and care services and to good health, please complete the professionals survey: https://re-url.uk/WLSK

It shouldn’t take longer than 5 minutes to complete the survey. If you have any questions or want more information about this work, please contact info@westyorkshirehealthwatch.co.uk or 0113 898 0035.

13/05/2025

Here’s one of our West Yorkshire Voice members telling us why it is important from their perspective to have a focus on anti-racism to improve health and care services across West Yorkshire.

Earlier this year, the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership published their new ‘Equity and Fairness Strategy’.

One of the new objectives has a focus on anti-racism, which states that West Yorkshire health and Care Partnership will “keep moving forward in our efforts to become an anti-racist Partnership, using insights from the Independent Race Review and building on existing work to better serve our diverse community and staff.”

This objective will be informed by the findings from the West Yorkshire ICB Independent Race Review led by Dame Donna Kinnair. This review took place October – December 2024 and looked at the progress made since the review in 2020 and made recommendations for future improvements.

Read more about the Dame Donna Kinnair Report: https://www.wypartnership.co.uk/publications/tackling-health-inequalities-for-bame-communities-and-colleagues/report

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/ZK7Olw0Zqbg

02/05/2025

Have you had a traumatic brain injury? Your opinions and experiences are wanted to help with informing future research.

What and why?
Vicky Carruthers is looking for people to join a research advisory group. She works as an occupational therapist in Leeds Community Neurological Rehabilitation Service.

Who?
• They would like to speak to people with experience of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)
• They would like to have diverse representation on the research advisory group.

Support offered:
• Interpreters and other support can be provided.
• People will be paid for their time in vouchers.

How to get involved?
Email Vicky Carruthers on 07850909739 or email v.carruthers@nhs.net

28/04/2025

Working closely with local Healthwatch, West Yorkshire Voice supports this approach to the recent ruling from the Supreme Court around the legal clarification on the definition of 'biological s*x'.

West Yorkshire Voice will continue to support and listen to everyone, including transgender, inters*x, non-binary and all non-cisgender people to help make sure that their voices are included in health and care decision making.

24/04/2025

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) are looking for someone with experience using health, public health, or social care services to join their Indicator Advisory Committee.

They want to hear from people who understand what it’s like to use health and care services, and who can help make those services better for everyone. This includes people who have experienced care themselves, or who have supported someone else through it.

By sharing your experiences, you’ll help make sure NICE’s guidance reflects what really matters to people who use services every day.

Check out their advert to find out more about the role and what NICE can offer you in return for your time and expertise.
https://www.nice.org.uk/get-involved/our-committees/join-a-committee/!/job/UK/London/Virtual/NICE_National_Institute_Health_Care_Excellence/Lived_experience_member/Lived_experience_member-v7154761?_ts=1&utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Healthwatch+Leeds&utm_campaign=publer

11/04/2025

Sharing for Leeds Beckett University Obesity Institute

📸 Calling all people living in larger bodies! We're hosting a powerful and positive photoshoot in Leeds to celebrate and represent body diversity.

This respectful and empowering shoot will be led by a female photographer experienced in compassionate photography, ensuring you feel safe, seen, and supported every step of the way.

✨ You’ll be paid for your time, receive copies of your photos, and most importantly — you’ll have the final say on whether your images are used.

Let’s challenge stereotypes and help create a more inclusive visual world. 🌍

🗓️ Wednesday, April 30th
📍 Leeds
📧 Interested? Contact a.lake@leedsbeckett.ac.uk