Long Term Plan County Durham, Darlington, Teesside, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Report
Download (PDF 1.42 MB)Summary of report content
A comprehensive report which was undertaken for the Long Term Plan programme of work to support local implementation within the South Integrated Care Partnership of the North East Integrated Care System. It includes the views of 1313 people from across the region which is covered by seven local Healthwatch, coordinated by Healthwatch Darlington.
A wide range of topics and themes have been covered via a general and condition based survey and a number of locally held focus groups. In particular there is reference to how geography can affect access, with transport and the distance that people need to travel being cited as key issues. Additionally the local Healthwatch involved engaged a diverse range of community groups providing insight from BAME groups including Gurkhas as well as asylum seekers highlighting cultural and language differences that can prevent access.
Healthwatch Stockton investigated how visual impairment can limit options for accessing health and social care services, Healthwatch Middlesbrough explored the experience of BAME groups in relation to access, assessment, diagnosis and treatment as well as providing useful insight into the experiences of asylum seekers and how their health is affected negatively by fear of what could potentially happen to them if they access services.
Healthwatch Redcar and Cleveland spoke to young people and their carers about services that cater for autism, mental health and learning disabilities while Healthwatch County Durham unpicked the challenges faced by people with multiple and/or long term conditions.
Healthwatch North Yorkshire described the power of community support and dangers of social isolation while speaking to people about their mental health, with useful insight collected from the local Gurkha community about how language can create barriers to access now and in a digitalised future. Healthwatch Hartlepool employed a holistic approach to ageing healthily, children and young people's health while Healthwatch Darlington covered cultural barriers particularly for BAME women.