Boscombe Voices: Shaping better health and social care in Dorset's local communities

Healthwatch Dorset's report, Boscombe Voices: Shaping better health and social care in Dorset's local communities, presents insights into the experiences of residents accessing health, social and community care services.

This report aims to shape the development of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) in Boscombe and across Dorset, ensuring that services are more responsive to community needs.

Boscombe is the second pilot area identified by Dorset's Integrated Care System (ICS) for the development of INTs. Census data identifies areas of Boscombe as being among the most deprived in Southwest England, and high levels of deprivation play a significant role in health inequalities.

During summer 2024, Healthwatch Dorset engaged with around 180 Boscombe residents at local community groups and settings, gathering valuable feedback on their experiences with local services; several themes emerged.

Key findings

• Difficulty booking appointments: Long phone waiting times and a lack of available appointments make it challenging for residents to access primary care.
• Lack of face-to-face GP appointments: Many patients prefer in-person consultations but are often only offered phone appointments or referred to a nurse instead of a GP.
• NHS dental care shortages: Residents are struggling to find NHS dentists and cannot afford private care.
• Specialist services access issues: While some specialist services work well, such as drug and alcohol support and postpartum care, access to community mental health support and treatment for leg ulcers remain difficult.
• Social care challenges: Frequent changes in social workers and their lack of local knowledge are impacting families in need of consistent support.

Recommendations for change 

Healthwatch Dorset has used these findings to outline recommendations to help the ICS shape the INT for Boscombe and ensure it meets the community’s needs effectively:

• Improve access to GPs and NHS dental services: INTs should enhance access to primary care and provide clear, understandable information about available services.
• Strengthen community mental health services: Greater collaboration with the local voluntary sector is needed to improve information and access, and ensure continuity of care for mental health support.
• Ensure continuity in social care: Stability and continuity of social workers is essential to build relationships and provide better support for families.
• Commit to ongoing community engagement: Continuous involvement of residents in shaping local services will help deliver proactive and personalised care in the community.