Posts

Help make care better

Help make care better

/in , , /by

Help make care better in Northumberland for people with learning disabilities

People with a learning disability and autistic people are more likely to experience poorer care and face inequalities, despite needing to use health services regularly. Their needs are not always met by the system, leaving people and their loved ones feeling diminished or ignored.

Have your say

We are working with Healthwatch England to hear more from autistic people and those with learning disabilities about their experiences of care. Please share your experience and help us make NHS decision-makers aware of what needs to change to improve access to care.

We’re completely independent and impartial, and anything you say is confidential.

Share your story

You can also provide feedback on care by giving us a call on: 03332 408 468

Are you struggling to access health services this winter?

Are you struggling to access health services this winter?

/in , , /by

With the NHS under extra pressure this winter, we need to hear your experiences of care to help services understand what is working and spot issues affecting support for you and your loved ones.

The NHS is facing added pressures this winter. This means that it can be more challenging for people to receive the care they need.

Feedback from the public can play a vital role in helping health and social care services understand what is working and spot issues affecting the care of local people.

This is why we have launched a campaign to get more people to share their experiences of care this winter.

If you or a loved one have used GPs, hospitals, pharmacies, care homes or other support services this winter, we want to hear about your experience.

Every experience matters

Have you faced challenges or delays accessing health and care services this winter? If you have, we want to know how this has affected your health and wellbeing.

Have you found accessing NHS services easy? Are there any aspects of the care you got that you really valued?

Your positive or negative feedback can help services hear what is working and spot issues affecting care for you and your loved ones.

Have your say

Please share your experience and help us make NHS decision-makers aware of what needs to change to improve access to care.

We’re completely independent and impartial, and anything you say is confidential.

Share your story

You can also provide feedback on care by giving us a call on: 03332 408 468

Share your views about GP referrals

Share your views about GP referrals

/in , , /by

Have you or your loved one struggled to get a GP referral for tests or treatment?

Healthwatch England has been hearing from the public about how hard it can be to get a GP practice referral to another NHS service, and they would like to hear about your experiences.

GPs are the first point of call for many health issues and the gateway to specialist support. But with many GP surgeries stretched thin and under pressure, NHS decision-makers need to understand if people are finding it difficult to get the right help.

Examples of services your GP can refer you to include:

  • Scans or tests for a diagnosis of a condition or health issue
  • Mental health support
  • Surgery for knees, hips and eyes
  • Support like physiotherapy for back pain or arthritis
  • Non-urgent heart problems
  • Wellbeing services, like smoking cessation or diabetes management.

The impact of delayed referrals

GP referrals affect people of every age group, every background, and every region across the country. Some of the things patients have said include:

  • People feel like their symptoms are dismissed
  • They have to try multiple times before they’re successful
  • They are left in the dark about how serious their condition is.

Share your views

As the independent champion of health and social care services, we want to hear your experiences of trying to get specialist NHS support, like physiotherapy, talking therapies, hospital scans and consultations.

By sharing your story, we can use your feedback to help the NHS better understand your challenges and improve how people access the care they need.

Find out more about GP referrals

This piece of work has now ended.

‘Because We All Care’ – tell us what you think about services

‘Because We All Care’ – tell us what you think about services

/in , , /by

Healthwatch England has launched #BecauseWeAllCare with the Care Quality Commission to help improve care by encouraging everyone to share their experiences of health and social care services.

Public feedback helps spot what is working well and what could be better. With services working to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and deal with a backlog of care, people’s views have never been more important.

New research from the Care Quality Commission highlights the impact lockdown measures have had on the wellbeing of people who use care services:

  • Nearly three-quarters of carers (73%) say that the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions have impacted on the mental health of the person they care for.
  • Over half (56%) of carers say that the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions have impacted on the dignity and independence of the person they care for.

The research also found that throughout the pandemic, care was most commonly impacted by:

  • Increased waiting times for appointments and procedures (49%)
  • A lack of resources and equipment (24%)

With just 17% of people in England expecting services to improve in the next 12 months, we are calling for you to feedback on the services you use as a crucial way to improve their quality.

Sir Robert Francis QC, Chair of Healthwatch England, said:

“Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, public feedback has played an important part in helping the NHS and social care services spot and respond to issues caused by the virus.

“As we continue to live with the pandemic, the NHS continues to face huge pressures across the whole system. NHS staff are grappling with many difficulties, including increased COVID demands, while trying to tackle the backlog in elective care and diagnostics that the pandemic had made so much worse.

“It is important that this is managed as well as possible, to make sure that the risks and distress to patients are minimised. That’s why it is vital people have the opportunity to share their views and experiences of care whether they have needed treatment for COVID-19 or other illnesses. Their feedback will help services understand both key national and local issues and the steps they can take to serve patients better.”

So, if you’ve recently used a GP, dentist, hospital or other care service, let us know your experience and help improve care for everyone.

Share your story