Minutes

Present

Baz Tameez

John Townsley

Anna Mather

Nikki Archer

Derek Hoey

Ian North

Sanji Rahim

Apologies

Elaine Day (Chair)

None

ED had to send her apologies at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances. The committee agreed to continue as planned.

Baz directed the committee on the agenda and discussed Healthwatch updates.

BT presented current HW highlights and key insights being picked up by the engagement team.

The key issues being fed back to Healthwatch by members of the public are:

Lack of Access to Primary and Secondary Care – Most complaints were around long waiting times, GP call times were extremely long and often people would be waiting in the que and being told they were number 40 or 50 in the que, just to finally get through and be told there were no more appointments today and call back tomorrow. Healthwatch is supporting with good signposting and IAG around residents calling their GP pharmacies or 111 number to be signposting appropriately to help them get their needs met. The feedback from carers groups has be well received and Healthwatch was praised for their assistance to help people calling in.

Lack of NHS Dentistry appointments – Most feedback Healthwatch is receiving is around NHS dentistry and lack of available appointments. Healthwatch has been helping to ring around different practices to help residents find practices who can take them on. Over 70 pieces of evidence is being fed back to Healthwatch England and will be use at parliamentary committee on dentary as part of the governments inquiry in NHS dentistry.

Issues around cost of living and winter – increased use of foodbanks, effecting people to attend appointments due to rurality and costs of transport to see a GP or for medication.

Long A&E waiting times and ambulances – Ambulance times are long and this is leading to people having to wait longer in a state of emergency, this is leading to more conditions for the patient. There have been cases of patients waiting on the floor for an ambulance for hours.  

NHS strikes – This is further impacting the waiting list times for operations.

Delays in hospital discharges – People entering into hospital due to frailty are then getting worse and this is then requiring more from Social Care to plug the cap to allow for a positive discharge. Healthwatch is now feedbacking to the various quality teams on prevention and better advice when people call in on the 999 number and to encourage family to help people at home. The fire services have been getting more involved to help with preventing falls.

Healthwatch Intelligence Network (HWIN) – has been increasing with many Support Staffordshire member as part of its own network. This has allowed Healthwatch to increase feedback from Staffordshire wide services and the impact of current Health and Social Care services are having on the patient experience. This feedback is two way and good practice is being shared.   

BT updated on the deep dive investigations and how these are progressing.

Year 1 deep dive investigations:

1.  Accessing Primary Care face to face (”When I want to and when I need to”)

2.  Being a Seldom Heard/LGBTQI+ patient/resident in the health and care system

3.  Root causes of good and poor teenage mental wellbeing and Health outcomes when you’ve been in care as a child.

We discussed size of Healthwatch team and set expectations.

Governance and Information Advice and Guidance.

Healthwatch remit (feedback and signposting).

All Committee Members

None raised

07/06/2023 at 3pm – 4.30pm

First half will be Public and then second half private.

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