#SpeakUp: Shipshape

Shipshape, a community health organisation in Sheffield, received a Healthwatch Sheffield Speak Up grant to gather the experiences of people using its services. The project engaged 118 people aged between 29 and 80, the majority of whom were from Black and Minority Ethnic communities. Participants included members of women's groups, peer support groups, community hub groups and a men's mental health group. A notable finding was that some people were reluctant to participate because they felt previous consultations had not resulted in feedback or visible change. 

Communication and health literacy were major themes. Many people, particularly women from BME communities, reported difficulties communicating with healthcare professionals because of limited English language skills and reliance on relatives to help them access services. Some older people described feeling isolated and lacking basic knowledge about how to access healthcare, make GP appointments or seek help in an emergency. This dependency on family members often left them feeling guilty and less independent.

Experiences of GP services were mixed. Some participants felt it had become easier to obtain appointments and praised friendlier reception staff and improved signposting to local support services. Others reported less positive experiences. Participants also expressed concerns about proposed changes to urgent care services and worried that people, particularly vulnerable groups, did not fully understand how to access care under the new arrangements. 

The men's mental health group highlighted additional concerns. Participants said they often avoided healthcare services because they feared receiving a diagnosis or being told they were unwell. Some felt mental health services were poor and that people were repeatedly referred between services without receiving meaningful support. The report recommended improving community understanding of healthcare services, providing better information about urgent care changes and creating opportunities for local people to engage directly with healthcare and mental health providers.