Agenda item

To receive the Healthwatch Annual Report presented by Derry Nugent. 

Members received the Healthwatch Annual Report presented by Derry Nugent.

The following key points were raised:-

•       Major work in the last year included

•       Autistic Young People and Mental Health Services

•       Work to improve experience of families and young people accessing mental health services.  The report had been welcomed by CNTW and ICB.  Plans and strategies would be developed and Healthwatch would follow progress to ensure they were followed through.

•       Engagement with young people - A survey had been developed with assistance from young people and received a fantastic response.  Ponteland High School had built this into its lesson plans including young people’s voices in a range of areas from democracy to health care and raised the idea of being a citizen.

•       Exploration of A&E attendances by 0-5 year olds living in Blyth.  It had been found that in many cases parents took their children to A&E because they were advised to by other respected agencies.

•       What had Healthwatch been told?

•       Access to GPs – this was the most common problem with concerns about telephoning, available appointments and continuity of care.  There were increasing numbers of ‘Did Not Attends’.  Working with GPs and patients to identify the cause.

•       Pharmacies - There was concern about pharmacies reducing their opening hours.  Greater emphasis on communicating changes to patients was required.

•       Dentistry – Concerns about access to dentistry could only be addressed at a national level.  It was currently not possible to direct anyone to a Northumberland practice which was accepting NHS patients.  Work was ongoing with Healthwatch in other areas to gather further information. 

•       Annual Survey which this year had been changed to an Annual Conversation.  It had been carried out working with community sector partners and so heard from groups which would not normally engage with Healthwatch.

•       Priorities for Next Year

•       Social Care and Health – in Social Care, how the service user voice and involvement was enabled and included

•       Maintaining communications during lockdown conditions in care homes – looking into what worked and what did not.

•       Health – Primary Care, GPs, Pharmacy, Dentistry and Audiology.

•       Northumberland Residents’ experiences of using Newcastle Hospitals – particularly experience of travelling from more remote areas.

•       Health Visiting Services – gathering information by talking to parents and Harrogate District NHS Foundation Trust.

•       Other themes would include access to services by those in isolating jobs with additional factors restricting access to services, such as the fishing and agriculture industries.

•       Improvement and Feedback processes within services.  People were often uncertain about how to give feedback.  Websites were often not updated regularly with appropriate information.

•       The Healthwatch AGM would be on the afternoon of 18 October 2023, and would be a community listening event this year.  Strategic partners were invited to attend to listen to the voices and experiences of invited service users.

The following comments were made:-

•       With regard to access to Primary Care, it may be useful for Healthwatch to have discussions with the Local Medical Council.

•       Armed Forces families could have difficulties registering with a dentist, this issue should be flagged up as strongly as possible.

•       Patients awaiting treatment for cancer may experience delays in their treatment if they could not get dental treatment and may not be able to afford private treatment.

•       If S.106 funding was generated for additional GPs or dentists capacity as part of a new housing development there was an issue with local surgeries not wanting to take it up.

•       Inequality played a role in demand at a local level and it was important to look at what could be fixed or affected at a local level.

RESOLVED that the report be received.