Cost of living - feedback report

This report is by three Healthwatch, Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay. The project looks at the effect of the cost of living crisis on local people.

A survey was conducted with 60 respondents and found the following:

• More than two thirds of respondents (68%) described their current financial situations as either not very or not at all comfortable.

• Most respondents (92%) said their financial situation had worsened over the last six months.

• Almost three quarters of respondents (72%) said their physical health and mental health had worsened over the last two months. 

• Almost half of respondents (46%) said they have avoided going to the dentist because of the cost of check-ups or treatment and almost a quarter (22%) said they are anticipating this.

• Almost a third of respondents (32%) have cut down or stopped support from services that they pay privately for, such as physiotherapy, earwax removal or counselling.

• Half of respondents (50%) said that changes they have made because of the cost of living have negatively impacted on their ability to manage an existing long-term condition. 

• Almost three quarters of respondents (73%) said the changes they have had to make due to the cost of living have negatively impacted on their levels of stress and anxiety.

There are no recommendations in this report.

There are follow up actions in this report.

The follow up action is to continue to monitor patient and public feedback and report the findings to those how plan and deliver health and social care services in Devon to inform service delivery and change.