A BLIND woman dedicated to improving health services for others has been named Bournemouth’s volunteer of the year.

Lisa Brooks, 45, has been involved in community campaigns for more than 20 years, working tirelessly for over a decade at Bournemouth Blind Society before giving up her time for a plethora of other organisations, including Autism Wessex, Shop Mobility and Boscombe Day Centre.

Most recently she has been helping Healthwatch Dorset scrutinise services in the area and influencing the implementation of improvements.

This has included ensuring nurses at Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s outpatient eye unit provide additional assistance and ask patients to raise their hand when called, as well as suggesting the introduction of colour-coded chairs to help staff identify who may need extra help.

And now her work as a champion for better care has been recognised with the mayor’s annual award in acknowledgement of her selflessness in the face of personal adversity, having been registered blind since 1988.

“Champions such as Lisa are essential in explaining not only what we do, but how Healthwatch makes a real impact on primary care services,” said Chris Wakefield, Healthwatch Dorset’s volunteer manager.

“Lisa was concerned with the service at the outpatient eye unit at Royal Bournemouth Hospital – which she reported to Healthwatch. She found the staff not very supportive when going to the hospital, so Healthwatch fed this back to the unit – and changes have been made.

“She has made a difference to countless patients and continues to do so. She volunteers a couple of times a month but is one of our most active and vocal champions. We feel very lucky to have her as part of the Healthwatch team and can’t think of a more worthy recipient of Volunteer of the Year.”

Mrs Brooks, who lives in Bear Cross with husband David and was first registered as partially sighted in 1975, said: “I was so proud just to be nominated. I love volunteering for Healthwatch and really feel like part of the team.”

In addition to her work with Healthwatch, she is vice chair of Pro-Disability in Poole as well as being a Dots Disability director and is on the board of trustees at Access Dorset.

This week is national volunteer week and as part of that Mrs Brooks will speak on behalf of Healthwatch at numerous events, including those at Castlepoint and the Dolphin Centre in Poole.

The Volunteer of the Year award in Bournemouth started in 1988 to recognise voluntary charity and community project workers in the area. It is awarded by Bournemouth Borough Council and the mayor.