Saying farewell to Odeta
20th June 2023
As many of you know, our Community Engagement Manager and Patient Participation Group (PPG) Network Coordinator, Odeta, is moving on from Listen to Act. Odeta is the longest serving member of our team. She joined us back in 2016 as our PPG Project Officer, before becoming Engagement Manager in 2018. She has been a constant source of energy, enthusiasm, and expertise across her time with us.
Before she left, we sat down with her to talk about her time with us, the work she’s most proud of, and what she’s planning to do next.
It’s your final week! How are you feeling?
I feel quite emotional! It was a very difficult decision to move on. I’m going to miss everybody I worked with, and I mean everybody: people in the community who became colleagues and friends, NHS colleagues, community leaders and everyone at Listen to Act. I cannot quite believe I am leaving after working for Healthwatch Central West London and Listen to Act for nearly seven years.
You’re the longest serving member of the team, having joined us in 2016. How has the organisation changed during that time?
The organisation has changed so much during my time. I joined when we were Healthwatch Central West London, at a time when most of the staff team was new. I was excited to be doing something that could make a real difference to people's lives. It was inspiring to be working alongside experienced colleagues through some of the most difficult times: supporting the local community during the Grenfell tragedy and the COVID-19 pandemic as well as ensuring that patients' and residents' voices are at the heart of NHS transformation.
I believe that our ambitious team developed Healthwatch into a trusted name amongst the local community, as well as health and council partners, and we were able to influence things for the better. Now, as Listen to Act, we use our relationships and expertise make a difference not only to the people who live in Westminster and RBKC but across London and further afield.
Looking back over your time at the organisation, what piece of work are you most proud of?
That’s a tough question – there’s so much I’m proud of! I think building a Patient Participation Group (PPG) Network was important, and it was also a really enjoyable piece of work. The PPG Network started with a few patients which grew into 150 strong group. I loved getting to know everyone and working alongside so many talented, committed, and inspiring people. They supported me as much as I supported them, and it felt that there was no limit to what we could do together!
Looking back on my journey since 2016 makes me happy. I started working with individual GP practices and individual patients, which developed into a PPG network and a pool of expertise that represented patients at bi-borough and North West London levels. Now our PPG members sit on nationwide panels representing patients' voices and the work of their patient groups.
What have been some of your biggest challenges during your time with us?
Working for Healthwatch is always challenging, it comes with a job. Everyone works under tremendous pressure, eager to do more to better the lives of residents living in the boroughs we serve.
The COVID-19 pandemic was very challenging, but also exciting, in a way. We had so much work to do. We knew how many people were struggling, and we thought we were in a position to help, by connecting with people, responding to concerns, and recording people’s experiences. It was a time that showed how far we came at building an organisation that was at the centre of the community. It was a real joy to see everyone coming together to work towards a common goal during this difficult time. We could have not achieved as much as we did without everyone’s support, but we always felt like we needed to do more.
When we lost the bi-borough contract and stopped delivering Healthwatch Central West London last year – that was difficult. I felt so proud of everything we had achieved as a team of like-minded, committed, and passionate professionals. Losing such a big contract was a huge challenge for us as an organisation. However, I believed in our work, our place in the community, and the future of the organisation. It felt like an exciting opportunity to build something new and different with a team of talented people. Every challenge brings an opportunity for learning, innovation, and collaboration. So, when you asked about the challenge, I could not help but talk about achievement, success and opportunities.
Finally, what are you planning to do next?
First, I’m going to take a holiday! After that, I’m not exactly sure, I am taking time to think about my next big project. I feel there are a lot of opportunities lying ahead and this makes me feel excited. The only thing I am sure of is that whatever I do I will give my best to make it a success.