Annual Report 2020 - 2021

It has been a year of change for all of us and at Slough we adapted to new ways of working during the Covid-19 pandemic, along with many other organisations. Much of our planned public engagement and visits to services paused and we delivered an increased focus on providing advice, signposting and digital engagement.

To support the local response to Covid-19 we worked closely with our partners in the council and the voluntary and community sector. Early in the year we undertook a borough wide survey seeking to identify and understand the information, advice and support needs of residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, this is covered later in this report.

In 2019, Slough Borough Council, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and Bracknell Forest Council made a joint decision to commission a single Healthwatch service across East Berkshire. In January 2021 we were delighted to join forces with Healthwatch Bracknell Forest and Healthwatch Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead to provide an integrated Healthwatch service across East Berkshire.

While the pandemic has inevitably changed our ways of working, we are always conscious of those who are digitally excluded, we have found opportunities to develop and create new connections and relationships which will continue in the future.

You can read all about the work we have been carrying out, and what our priorities are for the next year, in our Annual Report.