Enter and view: Oxfordshire Mind - Banbury Wellbeing Hub

Healthwatch Oxfordshire carried out an Enter and View visit to Oxfordshire Mind's Banbury Wellbeing Hub, to engage with service users, staff and volunteers about their experiences of attending or working there, as well as their experiences of wider mental health support. This visit was carried out as part of Healthwatch Oxfordshire's work to explore people's experiences of mental health support across the county.

Healthwatch Oxfordshire found that service users were positive about the support received at the centre, seeing it as a place to build confidence, recover and make social connection, whilst supported by valued staff. Staff valued their work within Oxfordshire Mind, and the opportunity to be alongside service users in support of the recovery journey. They commented that the work was hugely rewarding. Staff also noted that the lack of confidential space in the building was seen as a constraint, as well as a lack of other resources.

Based on this visit, Healthwatch Oxfordshire recommended that Oxfordshire Mind ensures clear support for introductions and induction of new service users. Healthwatch Oxfordshire also made recommendations for the attention of Oxfordshire Mental Health Partnership around: communication across the system to ensure continuity of care; and the impact of long waiting times for support for people with complex needs. The report features a positive response from the service provider.