Healthwatch Gloucestershire Impact Report 2018-19
Healthwatch Gloucestershire
Healthwatch Gloucestershire Contents Message from our Chair About us Highlights of the year How we’ve made a difference Helping you find the answers Our volunteers Our finances Our plans for next year Thank you Contact us 1 3 5 7 11 15 19 21 23 24
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 1 Message from our Chair Healthwatch Gloucestershire is playing an increasingly important role in helping health and social care decision makers in the county become more aware of the patient voice. There are some major developments happening now, not least the NHS Long Term Plan which is helping to shape the county’s health and social care needs and provision for the years to come and Healthwatch Gloucestershire has been helping to gather the public’s views. One of our priorities, along with the Health and Wellbeing Board, has and will continue to be the care provided by the mental health services which is particularly relevant as the 2gether NHS Foundation Trust (mental health services) and Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust merge into one Trust. The Healthwatch Gloucestershire Local Board relies heavily on the teams of volunteers around the county who care passionately about the health and social care they are offered in their area, and they are clear and precise with the feedback they provide. Thanks to the Healthwatch Gloucestershire team this pool of volunteers is growing all of the time but still needs to be bigger and wider so that we can capture a truly countywide picture. You will see from this Impact Report that Healthwatch Gloucestershire has and will continue to make a difference. Bob Lloyd-Smith Healthwatch Gloucestershire Local Board Chair
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 2 Changes you want to see Last year we heard from over 3,000 people who told us about their experience of a number of different areas of health and social care. Here are some examples of the changes that you want to see: + Mental health To understand the integration between mental health services and services supporting people with substance misuse issues. + Children and young people To understand the experiences of young people and their parents or carers who move from children’s health and social care services into adult services. + Social care and social isolation To understand experiences of people in care homes that consider themselves lonely and to identify initiatives that are reducing this isolation. Have your say Share your ideas and experiences and help services hear what works, what doesn’t, and what changes you want to see in health and social care. w: www.healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk t: 01452 504 989 | 0800 6525193 e: info@healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 3 About us Healthwatch is here to make care better We are the independent champion for people using local health and social care services. We listen to what people like about services and what could be improved. We share their views with those with the power to make change happen. People can also speak to us to find information about health and social care services available locally. Our sole purpose is to help make care better for people. As Chair of Healthwatch England, it’s my role to make sure your Healthwatch gets effective support and that national decisions are informed by what people are saying all over England. If you were one of the 400,000 people who shared their experiences with us last year, I want to say a personal thank you. Without your views, Healthwatch wouldn’t be able to make a difference to health and social care services, both in your area and at a national level. One example of this is how we shared 85,000 views with the NHS, to highlight what matters most, and help shape its plans for the next decade. If you’re part of an organisation that’s worked with, supported or responded to Healthwatch Gloucestershire, thank you too. You’ve helped to make an even bigger difference. None of this could have been possible without our dedicated staff and volunteers, who work in the community every day to understand what is working and what could be better when it comes to people’s health and care. If you’ve shared your views with us then please keep doing what you’re doing. If you haven’t, then this is your chance to step forward and help us make care better for your community. We all have a stake in our NHS and social care services: we can all really make a difference in this way. Sir Robert Francis QC Healthwatch England Chair
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 4 Our vision is simple Health and care that works for you. People want health and social care support that works – helping them to stay well, get the best out of services and manage any conditions they face. Our purpose Our approach To find out what matters to you and to help make sure your views shape the support you need. People’s views come first – especially those that find it hardest to be heard. We champion what matters to you and work with others to find solutions. We are independent and committed to making the biggest difference to you. People at the heart of everything we do We play an important role bringing communities and services together. Everything we do is shaped by what people tell us. Our staff and volunteers identify what matters most to people by: + Visiting services to see how they work + Running surveys and focus groups + Going out in the community and working with other organisations Our main job is to raise people’s concerns with health and social care decision-makers so that they can improve support across the country. The evidence we gather also helps us recommend how policy and practice can change for the better.
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 5 Highlights from our year
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 6 Using our resources, here are some ways we have engaged and supported more people in 2018-19. Over 3,000 people shared their health and social care story with us. We have 42 volunteers helping to carry out our work. In total, they gave us 1,250 hours. 176 people accessed Healthwatch advice and information online or contacted us with questions about local support. We visited 168 services and 34 community events to understand people’s experience of care. We reached over 240,537 people through our social media, an increase on last year by 98.8%. Our website was viewed by 23,176 people, a 6.8% increase on last year.
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 7 a difference How we’ve made
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 8 Helping more people to have their say Find out how sharing your views with your local Healthwatch has led to positive changes to health and social care services in Gloucestershire. The work shows that when people speak up about what’s important, and services listen, care is improved for all. Take a look at some examples of how Healthwatch Gloucestershire has made a difference in the community. Food and Families Project: championing diversity and inclusion People living in Podsmead – identified as an area with few shops and poor public transport – were asked for their views on all things food-related as part of the Food and Families Project. This short-term research project was jointly led by Healthwatch Gloucestershire and Evolving Communities as part of a wider project for Gloucestershire Public Health. Around 50 people went to a free community meal at The Melting Pot Community Café in Podsmead and were asked about food options and choices on the estate. The survey revealed: + Access to affordable, fresh food is an issue for residents without a car. + Residents were in favour of a mini supermarket selling affordable fresh and good quality food on the estate. + Some residents were concerned that unhealthy food is cheap while fresh healthy food is expensive. + Busy mums said they welcome any ideas for quick, cheap and healthy meals, especially for fussy eaters. + Some residents are interested in sharing and developing skills around cooking and growing food. + The idea of a food collection/donation point for people to utilise and share surplus/waste food was popular. Julia Butler-Hunt, Manager at Healthwatch Gloucestershire, said: “People need to know they are being listened to. Feedback, follow up and action on the findings of the Podsmead Food & Families project will be important to counteract the cynicism and hopelessness expressed by some Podsmead residents.” The findings have now gone into a report for Gloucestershire Public Health – this will feed into a national piece of work led by Leeds Beckett University to help local authorities tackle obesity. Photo credit: www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 9 End of Life report: giving people the advice and information they need Our End of life report: Evaluation of non-clinical support is based on findings from over 50 responses to a survey of the public’s experiences on accessing information around end of life care in the county. The report reveals patients and their families in Gloucestershire say better information needs to be provided for local people around end of life care. An online survey was created and a series of engagement visits to local hospices, support groups for people with long term conditions, carers groups, Death Café and Lunch Clubs was carried out to find out how people got the information they needed. Julia Butler-Hunt, Healthwatch Gloucestershire’s Manager, explained why Healthwatch carried out this work: “The aims of the project were to understand and explore in more depth what non-clinical support is available locally and nationally, and identify gaps in information provision. “The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and partner organisations are trying to improve end of life care within the county to enable individuals and their families to receive high quality end of life care, irrespective of where they die.” One person Healthwatch Gloucestershire spoke to, said: “I would have liked more information on what to do after the death of my mother. What to fill in, who to tell, what happens next… it was so overwhelming at a difficult time. I knew a lot of what my mother wanted, but even so, it was so hard.” The findings from the survey will now go to the End of Life Care Clinical Programme Group – a group of partners including the NHS Gloucestershire CCG set up to ensure all people and their families at the end of their life receive high quality care. Healthwatch Gloucestershire has a seat on this group to ensure the voice of local people is heard and considered at a high level. “For me personally I am unlikely to read a load of brochures. Some leaflets that cover the stages of grief have been useful, however the most beneficial was the face-to-face help I received.” Gloucestershire resident. Report reveals better information needs to be provided for local people around end of life care
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 10 Healthwatch Gloucestershire volunteer Ernie gathering feedback during the tour Campervan Tour: helping more people have their say A roadshow travelled almost 400 miles around Gloucestershire to find out the views of local people on health and care services. More than 500 views were collected. Healthwatch Gloucestershire staff and volunteers took to the roads in a classic 1969 VW campervan and parked up at 11 key locations all over Gloucestershire to gather the views and experiences of people of all ages. The most popular topic of conversation centred around waiting times for GP appointments, with mixed responses from across the county. James from Stroud gave his views on his local GP service, “I have been a patient at my surgery for many years, it has changed a lot in that time. In some areas it has deteriorated, in others I think it is better than it was. I like being able to get phone appointments if a doctor is unable to see me, however the waits for face-to-face appointments are long.” Reflecting on the tour, Healthwatch Gloucestershire Manager Julia Butler-Hunt added: “A lot of people told us how much they valued and appreciated NHS services, although access to Primary Care was an issue that came up again and again. “We will be reviewing all the feedback and ensuring that these are shared with the delivery and commissioning organisations. We also had feedback about the NHS Long Term Plan which will be valuable information for the local NHS to know what it should do to make care better for Gloucestershire.” The findings of the roadshow will now be compiled into a report which will be shared with the decision-making organisations in Gloucestershire – those that pay for and plan for health and care services in the county. “I thoroughly enjoyed my day spent with the team on the campervan tour, listening to people’s experiences of health and social care.” Healthwatch Gloucestershire volunteer John.
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 11 the answers Helping you find
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 12 What services do people want to know about? People don’t always know how to get the information they need to make decisions about their own health and social care. Healthwatch plays an important role in providing advice and pointing people in the right direction for the support they need. Here are the most common things that people ask us about: How to make a complaint (25%) Community Transport (55%) Local NHS dentists (20%) Have your say Share your ideas and experiences and help services hear what works, what doesn’t, and what you want from health and social care in the future. w: www.healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk t: 01452 504 989 | 0800 6525193 e: info@healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 13 How we provide people with advice and information Finding the right care or support can be worrying and stressful. There are number of organisations that can provide help, but people don’t know where to look. Last year we helped 176 people access the advice and information they needed. You can come to us for advice and information in a number of ways including: + Specific advice and information online + Our contact us form + At community events + Promoting helpful services across our social media channels + Over the phone Case study: Emergency dental care Many people don’t know where to find help when they are visiting a different county. We were contacted by Angela, a visitor to Gloucestershire who needed information on where to go to access emergency dental care. Healthwatch Gloucestershire were able to signpost her to the local Gloucestershire Dental Access Centre to seek support. Angela was not able to find the information from other sources, so was grateful for the help and information. Case study: Making a complaint We have found that patients don’t always know how they can complain or log concerns about their care. A client called to talk about their experiences in the local community hospital. They wanted to know how to make a complaint or to log their concerns directly with the hospital. We were able to signpost them to the Patient Experience Team and to give them information about the POhWER advocacy service, for support with their complaint.
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 14 Case study: Community Transport For Gloucestershire residents who need help to attend health and care services, we have found accessing Community Transport can be confusing and stressful. The Community Transport service offers door-to-door journeys for individuals unable to use public transport or those living in isolation. Rachel called us to help her sort out some transport to get to an appointment at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. She had used Arriva Transport before but was told she could not book directly with them. She found it impossible to get through to anyone on the number she had been given, despite trying over several days at different times. She was now getting very upset about it. Healthwatch Gloucestershire contacted the number she had been given to check it. Arriva advised that the client had been given the incorrect number and that she should call the Patient Transport Advice Centre to book her transport, although it would be Arriva who transported her once it had been booked. Rachel was grateful to Healthwatch Gloucestershire after becoming upset and stressed at the thought of her missing her appointment. Are you looking for help? If you have a query about a health and social care service, or need help with where you can go to access further support, get in touch. Don’t struggle alone. Healthwatch is here for you. w: www.healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk t: 01452 504 989 | 0800 6525193 e: info@healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 15 Our volunteers
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 16 How do our volunteers help us? At Healthwatch Gloucestershire we couldn’t make all of these improvements without the support of our 42 volunteers who work with us to help make care better for their communities. Our volunteers help us by: + Raising awareness of the work we do in the community - in the last year they have been at 100 local events and meetings + Visiting services to make sure they are meeting people’s needs + Supporting our day-to-day running and governance + Collecting people’s views and experiences which we use in our reports Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do, from talking to people about their experiences of local health and care services, to sitting on our Local Board. They play a vital role in delivering our work programme as well as helping the organisation to set its priorities. We hold training sessions for all volunteers, as well as annual celebrations to thank them for the time and enthusiasm they have given us to help shape local health and social care services. Case study: Supporting projects Volunteer Harvey supports the staff team with a wide range of activities. He inputs all feedback we gather into our database and codes it for reporting. Harvey also came out on the Campervan and Comments Tour, and talked to people about their health and social care experiences, and raised awareness of Healthwatch Gloucestershire. “It was a great opportunity for me to talk to a lot of members of the public and listen to their stories. I am pleased to be able to give up some of my time to support the Healthwatch work. Volunteering has given me a great opportunity to learn more about working with others as part of a team.” Engagement Officer Suzie with volunteer Harvey
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 17 Meet our volunteers We caught up with some of our fantastic volunteers to show you how their work truly makes a difference to the lives of people in our area. Ben “I have been unable to work due to mental health problems and volunteering with Healthwatch has given me a routine in my life. I communicate with a variety of people which in turn has improved my confidence and self-esteem. I think this will help get me a job in the future as not only has it improved my skills, but I will get an up-to-date reference that acknowledges all of the work I have been doing with Healthwatch.” Kay “I decided to volunteer because I wasn’t getting the job I wanted and so I could use my degree in Public Health. I got involved in a local research project and through this I got a job thanks in part to my volunteering experience! Volunteering is a great way of opening many doors. I would say to anyone thinking of volunteering and currently looking for a job – if you need to improve your career path, volunteering is a great way to start. Healthwatch has also helped me to see the great potential within myself. I get to meet new faces every day and on top of this I’m gaining so many experiences. Volunteering is the best thing that could ever have happened to me.” Volunteer with us Are you feeling inspired? We are always on the lookout for more volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering get in touch with Healthwatch Gloucestershire w: www.healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk t: 01452 504 989 | 0800 6525193 e: info@healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 18 ‘The views and stories you share with us are helping to make care better for our local community’
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 19 Our finances
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 20 How we use our money To help us carry out our work, we are funded by our local authority. In 2018-19 we received £209,907. We also received £1,975 of additional income from Healthwatch England for the NHS Long Term Plan engagement work. £209,907 Funding from local authority £211,882 Total Income £1,975 Additional income £36,438 Operational costs £62,972 Costs to run our Healthwatch £191,326 Total Expenditure £91,916 Staing costs
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 21 next year Our plans for
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 22 Message from our Manager This year Healthwatch Gloucestershire has spoken to more people and attended more groups than in 2017-18, which has seen over 3,000 views on health and social care shared with us. We have visited over 200 groups, events and services to raise awareness of Healthwatch Gloucestershire’s work, to listen to people’s stories, to gather information and to promote and support involvement of local members of the public in the commissioning and provision of services. We could not have done this without our highly valued team of volunteers who have given up over 1,250 hours of their time to ensure that the public voice is heard. With their support we have been represented at 23 strategic meetings, ensuring that your voice is having an impact at the highest level. The countywide Campervan and Comments Tour gave us the opportunity to reach out to a range of people who had not heard or engaged with us before, and to visit areas of the county that we had not previously done. We had a good opportunity to talk to people about what was important to them about the future of health and social care through the engagement work around the NHS Long Term Plan. Many conversations we have had through the year with people have focussed on mental health services, especially around children and young people moving into adult services, and on the interaction of mental health services and drug and alcohol services. Towards the end of the year, we completed a project asking people for their experiences of mental health services, the outcomes of this will also shape a project for 2019-20. Our priorities for the year ahead will be: 1. Mental Health 2. Children and Young People 3. Social Care and social isolation We are currently arranging to meet key stakeholders involved with these services to better understand the challenges and to identify how we can share the public voice on these areas to help shape future services in Gloucestershire. I would like to say a big thank you to all those who have shared their stories with us, invited us to their groups and clubs or helped us to engage with local communities in the last year. Julia Butler-Hunt Healthwatch Gloucestershire Manager
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 23 Thank you Thank you to everyone that is helping us put people at the heart of health and social care, including: + Members of the public who shared their views and experience with us + All of our amazing staff and volunteers + Key stakeholders and service providers who listen to the views we collect + All the groups and clubs who have helped us engage with local communities + Evolving Communities for their support in some of our research projects Out and about on the Campervan Tour, March 2019 “It was a brilliant idea to bring people together and get ideas for making an even better community. People were quite open minded in giving their views and I think it helped that we were all getting together as residents, so they didn’t feel invaded.” Kay, volunteer and a researcher for the Food & Families research project run by Evolving Communities and funded by Gloucestershire Public Health
Healthwatch Gloucestershire 24 Contact us Tell us what you think of health and social care services in Gloucestershire and help make health and care better for everyone in our community. + t: 01452 504 989 | 0800 6525193 + e: info@healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk + w: www.healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk + tw: @HealthwatchGlos + fb: @HealthwatchGloucestershire + ig: @healthwatch_gloucestershire © Healthwatch Gloucestershire 2019 The Healthwatch Gloucestershire service is run by Evolving Communities CIC, a community interest company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales with company number 08464602. The registered office is at Unit 4, Hampton Park West, Melksham, SN12 6LH. + t: 01225 701 851 + e: info@evolvingcommunities.co.uk + w: www.evolvingcommunities.co.uk We confirm that we are using the Healthwatch Trademark (which covers the logo and Healthwatch brand) when undertaking work on our statutory activities as covered by the licence agreement. If you need this in an alternative format please contact us.
Heathwatch Gloucestershire 13 Wheatstone Court, Davy Way Waterwells Business Park Quedgeley Gloucester GL2 2AQ www.healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk t: 01452 504 989 | 0800 6525193 e: info@healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk tw: @HealthwatchGlos fb: @HealthwatchGloucestershire ig: @healthwatch_gloucestershire
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