Active and in Touch Group, Frome

Healthwatch Somerset undertook research on the experiences of people who were lonely or socially isolated in Frome through engagement with the Active and In Touch Frome community group. On 20 April 2016, a Healthwatch development worker attended the group to explain the role of Healthwatch and gather feedback about local health services. Approximately 12 community members, together with five or six volunteers and two volunteer coordinators, took part in the session. 

Participants raised concerns about access to GP services at Frome Medical Practice. A consistent theme was that people were experiencing unusually long waits for appointments, with some reporting waits of up to two weeks to see a doctor. These delays were causing frustration and dissatisfaction among attendees. 

Healthwatch Somerset recorded all feedback gathered during the session and added it to its Feedback Feed Forward database so that the issues could be included in its quarterly reporting and shared with local health and care organisations. 

Healthwatch concluded that access to GP appointments was a key concern for this group and committed to sharing the findings with commissioners, providers and other health and care partners to help inform service improvement.