Hear, See and Treat Engagement Report
Download (PDF 937.48 KB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch organisations across West Yorkshire and the Harrogate district carried out a large engagement exercise in 2016 to gather views on the proposed “Hear, See and Treat” model for urgent care. The programme involved 147 face-to-face engagement sessions, over 2,500 completed surveys and extensive online engagement. Overall, most respondents supported the proposal, particularly the idea that paramedics could offer alternatives to taking patients directly to A&E and provide more treatment closer to home.
People’s main priority was receiving appropriate treatment quickly from the right professional. Many welcomed the idea of being treated at home, particularly older people, parents of young children and people with mental health conditions, as this was seen as less stressful than attending hospital. Respondents were generally supportive of paramedics having access to patient records and being able to refer people directly to alternative services if that helped avoid unnecessary A&E attendance.
However, concerns were raised about telephone-based assessment and the role of call centres. Some people questioned whether conditions could be accurately assessed over the phone and wanted reassurance about staff training, clinical expertise and support for people with communication difficulties, including those who are deaf, hard of hearing or do not speak English. Respondents also sought reassurance about the additional training paramedics would receive, how clinical support would work and how patient records would be shared securely.
Healthwatch concluded that there was broad support for the proposed model, provided it improved access to timely care and reduced unnecessary pressure on A&E services. Key recommendations focused on improving public understanding of urgent care options, ensuring staff have appropriate skills and support, addressing communication needs, safeguarding patient confidentiality and clearly explaining how the new service would operate and benefit patients.