Blackpool service receives national award for improving care
- Healthwatch Blackpool was recognised at the National Healthwatch Impact Awards this week for helping to improve care for local people.
- The annual awards recognise outstanding examples of local people’s opinions being used to make valuable changes to health and care support.
- The local Healthwatch team were highly commended for their work on Children and Young People’s Vaping.
Local group Healthwatch Blackpool has been highly commended in the annual National Healthwatch Impact Awards, recognising outstanding work that uses local people’s views to improve health and care support.
In the running against 17 other shortlisted projects, the health and social care champion team for Blackpool was highly commended for their work on Children and Young People’s Vaping.
Across Blackpool, there has been an increasing level of concern about the use of e-cigarettes and vapes amongst children and young people. Healthwatch Blackpool wanted to better understand vaping behaviour and attitudes amongst young people in Blackpool, alongside our Public Health team. We aimed to educate young people in Blackpool on Trading Standards and illicit vapes, to allow them to make informed decisions.
Alongside all educational settings including SEND provision, we actively visited groups within Blackpool to speak with young people whose voices are never heard. In total, we spoke to 4170 children and young people, aged 10-24 years, via a survey and focus groups. We found vaping prevalence in Blackpool is 31% of young people, compared to the national average of 8.6% (ASH, 2022). Young people most frequently access fruity flavoured, disposable vapes via corner shops, due to peer pressure and struggles with their mental health.
As a result of this work locally, we have influenced Trading Standards, resulting in numerous shops being seized. We also educated children on illicit vapes, Trading Standards and legislation, allowing them to make informed decisions. Vaping recycling bins are now present in Blackpool secondary schools.
Nationally, we submitted our work to the call for evidence, with our findings being discussed in Parliament by Dr Caroline Johnson. We raised youth vaping directly with Professor Chris Whitty CMO and impacted upon a national consultation. As a result, we have successfully influenced national policy to ban disposable vapes and change the way in which these are marketed. In addition, young people with lived experience of vaping shared their story through voice recording, with audio being used to disseminate our findings at the National Smoking Cessation and Health conference.
We are currently co-creating communication materials with young people that resonate with their interests and concerns, conveying the potential risks of vaping.
We couldn’t have done this without the support from local young people.
Commenting on the award, Louise Ansari, Chief Executive of Healthwatch England said:
“The team should feel really proud. Our awards recognise outstanding work that makes a real difference to local people, and the competition this year from across England was very high.
“Being recognised is also a testament to all the local people who were prepared to speak up and the health professionals who listened. It just shows what can be achieved when we work together to improve care.”
Beth Martin, Healthwatch Blackpool manager, said “I am incredibly proud of the recognition we received at the Healthwatch England Impact Award showcase.
This recognition is a testament to Healthwatch Blackpool’s commitment to making a real difference in the lives of the Blackpool population.
We will continue to be a strong voice for our community and advocate the experience of all. This award is a reminder of the impact we can achieve through listening and championing experiences.
We can’t wait to see our future impact of our work on children and young people vaping, through our coproduction activity.
A massive thanks must go out to Abigail who led the work, alongside all of our supporters, and local people.
