A NEW watchdog has been launched to ensure that Darlington residents receive the best possible health and social care services.

Healthwatch Darlington has been set up to represent the views of people who use health services in the town and to shape how they are delivered in the future.

It is part of the Healthwatch national network, established by the Government to ensure patients and users have a greater influence on their local services.

The Darlington board has now met for the first time and its chairwoman Michelle Thompson it “has real teeth” to ensure that feedback from residents is acted upon.

She said: “We want to make sure that the patient voice is heard – not just as an afterthought, but at the heart of services.

“We want people to have the confidence to know that if they are going to be using health services in Darlington, they are going to be the best they can possibly be.”

Healthwatch will represent the people of Darlington on the Health and Wellbeing board set up by Darlington Borough Council.

It will also provide a complaints and advice service and will report concerns about the quality of health care to Healthwatch England, which can then recommend that the Care Quality Commission take action.

The group will also be actively involved in making sure that Darlington residents are getting the best value for money when it comes to services commissioned by the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Mrs Thompson said: “We can find out if there is a particular trend happening within a service – whether good or bad – and we will look at whether services are delivering what they say they are.

“If they are not, we would report and speak to the relevant provider.

“The main thing for Healthwatch is to make sure that feedback is acted on in a timely fashion.

“People want to know that what they are saying is being acted on, and it is important that people put their trust in us as an organisation to make sure that happens.”

Healthwatch Darlington is based on Church Row in the town centre and can be contacted on 01325-380145 or email info@healthwatchdarlington.co.uk.