Paul Crawshaw

I have volunteered as a governor, patron, trustee and chair for more than a decade. This has involved working with a wide range of local organisations in the voluntary, public and health sectors including schools, infrastructure organisations and charities.

Between 2013 and 2023 I was Chair of Healthwatch South Tees. Healthwatch is a national subgroup of the Care Quality Commission that operates regionally within Local Authority boundaries to gather and champion the views of users of health and social care services. As Chair I led a board of health professionals, social care workers, voluntary sector representatives and lay people to ensure that Healthwatch South Tees provided the best support possible for its local population. This involved agreeing the work plan for the operational team, monitoring progress and delivery and ensuring robust communication with provider of health care across South Tees in the hospitals and the community.

Although demanding, the role of Chair was very rewarding. It gave me the opportunity to work with a very wide range of people and see first hand how deep, strategic engagement can make a real difference for our communities. I was also able to use my voluntary leadership role to provide opportunities for students, for example, through engaging them with a range of projects as 'Students as Researchers'. This resulted in some fantastic outcomes for the students, with, for example, one group presenting their findings as part of a Healthwatch England showcase held at the House of Commons.