Blackburn with Darwen residents star in new NHS YouTube video

Blackburn with Darwen residents are the stars of a new YouTube video telling people about changes to the NHS and what it means for local health services.


They helped to script and film the video, ‘Your NHS – in your words’, to try to explain the complex changes that are happening as a result of government reforms – and tell people about the opportunities to get involved.


The changes are happening nationally and the video describes the three new organisations or groups that have been set up in Blackburn with Darwen as a result:

• The new GP led Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which will be responsible for planning and buying health services and will take over from the Care Trust Plus from April 2013. Local residents will sit on the CCG Board.
• The Blackburn with Darwen Health and Wellbeing Board, where GPs, the Council and community will work together on health issues. Local residents will be involved and there will be a public questions session at the start of every meeting
• The creation of local Healthwatch, an independent consumer group where people can find out about health and social care services. Residents can join Healthwatch if they want to influence services.

The video can be viewed on the CCG’s newly launched website at www.bwdgpnet.org.uk. The website also includes information about the CCG and its members, links to practice websites and patient groups, as well as details of local health events and ways people can have their say about local health services. The CCG is also on Twitter - @BwDCCG  - and wants to hear from residents about their experiences of local health services.


The film features Brian Willliamson, a Blackburn resident, alongside the canal. Paula Blackburn was filmed talking about NHS changes at Shadsworth Leisure Centre. Zarka Khan and her son Hamza appear at Seventrees Children’s Centre and Rufus and Poppy Aindow were filmed in Belmont skate park. Pupils at St Francis Primary School also feature in the podcast.


Chair of the CCG, Dr Chris Clayton, said: “We spoke to local people and found out that although many had heard about NHS changes in the media, they didn’t know what this would mean for local services.


“We asked them to help us make a film so that they could describe the changes in their own words and also reassure people that they will still be able to visit their pharmacy, GP or hospital when they need to.


“We want to make sure local people are at the heart of everything we do because they use the services and are the real experts -  and this film is just the beginning.”