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We are delighted to welcome the Government's announcement that Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch will not be abolished, as previously proposed eighteen months ago. This means Healthwatch Wokingham Borough, alongside all 153 local Healthwatch organisations and our national body, Healthwatch England, will continue to be your champion for health and care, ensuring your voices, opinions and experiences help make systems and services work better for people and communities.

At our recent Racism in Care Forum, we heard about Operation Cavell, a national initiative bringing together NHS organisations and police forces to improve responses to violence, aggression, abuse and discrimination directed towards healthcare staff. Guest speaker Alison Drew, Associate Chief Nurse for Patient Experience, Workforce and Education, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, highlighted that everyone has the right to feel safe when accessing or delivering care. While

Why we held the forum On 1 October, more than 75 people attended our Racism in Care Forum, delivered through our Thinking Together community engagement model in partnership with Healthwatch Reading and the Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality (ACRE). The forum brought together people with lived experience, community members, NHS trusts, councils, health and social care professionals, academics, and voluntary and community organisations to discuss racism, discrimination a