East Sussex Roadshows 2022: Feedback on Health and Care Services

Healthwatch East Sussex were invited by NHS colleagues from the Sussex Integrated Care System (ICS) to join them on their Summer Roadshows. These focused on engaging residents across East Sussex at summer events and local venues to talk about their health and care experiences. Healthwatch staff and volunteers attended these events and engaged with 230 people of which 133 people answered a survey.

• Most of the people didn’t know how to give feedback or had never been asked to on their health and care services. 
• The majority of those who have given feedback had done so through a service provider’s feedback form.
• Feedback suggested that it is not clear how to give feedback about health and care services or that there are not enough health and care staff asking the public or patients for their opinions on services.
• The majority of people didn’t know who Healthwatch was - therefore were unaware they can leave independent feedback or get help from the Information and Signposting Service.
• Whilst many people regularly or sometimes feel like they are listened to, there is still a large proportion who do not. It appears that those who do feel listened to have received a good service, whereas those who do not, tend not to be able to easily access the health or care service they need.
• Some individuals felt their opinion was acted upon by the local authority or NHS, however, a greater number believe the contrary.
• Many people are also aware of the strain that is on the NHS with a lack of staff and being underfunded. Whilst this may be true, communication of how this will be overcome, and showing that patients’ voices are listened to does not always appear to be clear to the public.
• Further comments show that patients are unhappy about how inaccessible some health and care services currently are. The positive comments suggested that when individuals are able to see their GP or dentist, they receive a very good service. However, being unable to access these health services leaves patients feeling pessimistic.
• Furthermore, these issues with accessing a GP may also be reflected in the results of the sticker chart they encouraged residents to complete. The majority of respondents rated their GP service as “poor” compared to pharmacy services, which were rated “excellent” in most cases. This could be a result of GPs not being accessible enough compared to pharmacies.

Recommendations (more details provided in the report)

1. Pro-actively provide opportunities to leave feedback on services
2. Healthwatch East Sussex must work harder to be known by the public
3. Health and care services need to listen more
4. The NHS and local authority need to act on opinions and have better communication with the public and services users
5. The NHS and local authority need to boost the public’s confidence in health and care services