Healthwatch Camden Community Forum 26 July 2017

Healthwatch Camden ran a ‘community conversations’ forum, on 26 July 2017, to identify people’s experience of changes to social care, known locally as ‘universal services’. 40 people attended the forum including 5 staff members.

This work was done as part of a programme to identify people’s experience of ‘general’ community services. ‘universal services’ are defined as services that are available to everyone such as parks, libraries, walking groups, leisure facility, advice and information provided by benefits advice agencies or job centres.

The report identifies several issues. Disabled and older people faced challenges when they were trying to use ‘general’ community services. They had lots of ideas for how to tackle these barriers. People also needed support and encouragement. Participants recognised the power of peer support and of tapping into local networks. Cost to pay for local facilities was an issue. Disability access at some places was not available. Some people did not feel welcomed or supported while using local facilities.

The report did not make recommendations. However, it provided suggestions by service users:

- To have services working together using a joined up approach to care or service delivery

- To improve the provision of advice and information, particularly for disabled people

- To make more activities available such as outdoors, gardening similar activities

- To provide support and encouragement, such as support to get there, an open house

- To make services easily accessible, including cost, and transport