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Healthier Futures - Citizens panel

As part of the ‘Healthier Futures’ partnership, we have set up ‘Black Country Voices’ – an online citizens’ panel to give local people greater say. The panel has more than 1650 members who represent people who live, work and use health and care services across the Black Country and West Birmingham. They will take part in online surveys, sharing their views and feedback about planning and improving local health and care services. 

Their views will be shared with health and care decision makers to help improve services. We will give panel members regular feedback on the results of survey they part in and how their views are being used to influence developments.

Becoming a member

Black Country Voices is a voluntary membership scheme for people who are interested in sharing their views and experiences to help to develop and improve local services.  Although some panel members were recruited to represent local populations and demographics, anyone can become a member. If you would like to join Black Country Voices click here.

What is involved if I join the panel?

You will be invited to take part in surveys every 8 to 10 weeks. How often you get involved is completely up to you. We aim to keep each survey short, however the number of questions in each survey will vary. It should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.

How will my data be stored and safeguarded?

Personal information, data and feedback is currently being hosted by Membership Engagement Services (MES) on their panel membership platform and will be kept completely confidential and be held securely in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. Your data and survey feedback will never be shared with anyone else other than MES and the Black Country and West Birmingham Integrated Care System (ICS).

Opt out

If you decide you no longer wish to be a member of Black Country Voices, you can opt out at any time by emailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you would like more information about Black Country Voices email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Introductory survey

In February 2020, the Black Country Voices team conducted a short general survey with Citizens’ Panel members to understand their level of understanding about the STP and the CCGs. The aim was to establish panel members’ knowledge about the STP and the work it does. The majority of those who responded hadn’t heard of or knew what an STP was and would have liked to have been informed more about what the STP was.

Please view the Engagement activity.

In The News

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    People living in the Black Country and West Birmingham will soon get even better and safer care and treatment, thanks to the introduction of joined-up health and care records. One Health and Care is a new NHS shared care record launching later in the Spring, which will bring together all the separate records held by different local providers of health and social care – such as hospitals and GPs – in one secure, easy to read format. This will give authorised professionals who are directly respo...

  • Wash, wash, wash your hands

    As COVID-19 continues to spread in the area, people across the Black Country and West Birmingham are being reminded of the importance of washing their hands. Regular hand washing with soap and water remains an essential part of good hygiene and helps prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as other winter illnesses such as colds, flu and stomach bugs. Hands should be washed with warm water and liquid soap for at least 20 seconds before rinsing and drying them thoroughly. If soap and water are ...

  • Executive Recruitment for the Black Country Integrated Care Board

    The Black Country Integrated Care System is looking for future Executives to lead the Integrated Care Board when it is established in July 2022. We are now live with the recruitment to 3 of our 6 future executive roles. Adverts are now live for the roles below: Chief Finance Officer  Chief Medical Officer  Chief Nursing Officer Recruitment to the other executive posts of, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Equality and Innovations Officer and Chief People Officer will start in th...

  • Future NHS Health Board seeks independent non-executives

    The recruitment is now underway to appoint four independent non-executive members to the Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB). The Integrated Care Board will be formed in April 2022, subject to the passing of the new Health and Care Bill. These new roles represent an opportunity to be on the Governing Body for the future NHS ICB, where non-executive members will help to shape a long-term, viable plan for the delivery of the functions, duties, and objectives of the NHS locally. Their role...

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    Health leaders are delighted to announce the appointment of Mark Axcell as Interim Chief Executive Designate for the Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB). Mr Axcell is currently Chief Executive of the local mental health and learning disabilities trust, Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and has more than 25 years’ experience within the NHS. He will take up the interim post from Monday (22 November) and will lead preparations for the launch of the new ICB next year, subject to...

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    On Monday 8 November, seven NHS organisations from the Black Country and West Birmingham Integrated Care System (ICS) signed the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) at a virtual signing. The Black Country and West Birmingham ICS, the first ICS to sign up to the Covenant within the West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association’s (RFCA) region, comprises 15 local health and care organisations who are jointly responsible for managing resources, delivering NHS standards, and improving the healt...

  • Online event for people living with diabetes

    Ahead of World Diabetes Day (Sunday 14 November), people living with diabetes across the Black Country and West Birmingham are invited to attend a special webinar taking place on Friday 12 November. Created by International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), World Diabetes Day is celebrated worldwide and aims spread awareness of diabetes. This year marks 100 years since the discovery of insulin, a treatment that has saved millions of lives around the world. To c...

  • Accelerating recovery of diagnostic services with £8million investment

    Following a successful bid, we are pleased to confirm that local NHS trusts are taking part in a national programme to help the NHS further accelerate diagnostic activity and recover services from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as quickly as possible. Our colleagues across NHS services are working hard to recover services affected by the pandemic, now the vaccine programme has helped to significantly reduce the number of Covid patients needing care. Throughout the pandemic the NHS has con...

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  • Recruitment begins for the Black Country Integrated Care Board Chief Executive Officer

    NHS England is advertising for a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the future Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB). Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) are partnerships of health and care organisations, local government and the voluntary sector. These partnerships aim to meet health and care needs, to coordinate services and to plan in a way that improves population health and reduces inequalities between different groups. From April 2022 (subject to legislation) ICSs will become statutory...