The City of Wolverhampton Council has worked with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust to launch a new weekly Customer Access Point at The Beat. It opened at the hospital’s Heart and Lung Centre today (Tuesday 26 November).
Members of the council’s Customer Services team will be on hand every Tuesday from 10am to 2pm offering help and support to enable patients, staff and visitors to access vital council services including:
- Council Tax and Housing Benefits: Offering general inquiries, payment guidance, and cost of living support
- Blue Badge Support: Helping individuals with applications and renewals
- School Admissions: Guiding parents and guardians through a smooth application process
- General Enquiries: Including assistance with waste and refuse services, such as larger bin requests for medical reasons
- Signposting and Digital Support: Directing people to additional services and helping them navigate digital platforms.
People will also be able to find out more about becoming involved with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Charity and its Arts and Heritage Group and, as The Beat becomes more established, the Trust hopes to welcome more partners to highlight their support and services.
Councillor Obaida Ahmed, the council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Digital, said: “We have developed a network of Customer Access Points across the city providing regular face to face sessions for residents who want to talk to us in person but may not be able to easily travel to the Civic Centre.
“We are delighted to have worked with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust to develop our newest Customer Access Point at The Beat, and look forward to supporting patients, visitors and staff with any issues they may have every Tuesday.”
Andrew Rice, head of Patient Voice at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said: “We’re so proud to be able to open up The Beat to our communities across Wolverhampton.
“It’s the perfect focal point for our patients, staff and visitors to pop in and find out more about the work of our Charity and Arts and Heritage Group by talking to our teams and volunteers, as well as access more tailored support through the council’s Customer Access Point.
“We’re keen to involve other partners too and will be working with various organisations over the coming weeks and months to add to the sessions provided. Having a new Customer Access Point here will, we believe, make it easier for people to talk to the council and find the help they need with services.”
Councillor Ahmed added: “Customer Access Points firmly demonstrate the council’s commitment to making council services more accessible to residents, helping people take care of what they need without having to travel too far.”
