Evaluation of Paignton Health Wellbeing Centre

Healthwatch Torbay is the independent local consumer champion for people who use health and social care services. In the first phase of evaluation the Healthwatch team created an online survey, which was also available in printed form with a freepost return envelope. The team were on-site in the Centre for three weeks, for a few hours each day when the survey was promoted and individual patients were invited to share their opinions. The survey was open for four weeks to ensure that late entries were captured. Some of the wellbeing questions overlapped with those tested and used in the evaluation of the new model of care for the coastal area of South Devon. The survey followed the journey of the person's experience and 210 people responded of which 12 offered to take part in the next evaluation phase.

The survey responders, on the whole, considered that Paignton Health and Wellbeing Centre is successful. The key elements of this are that: The facility is within the local community and has reduced travelling for many. Their care is considered to be of a high standard with both clinical and administrative staff being praised. The former Paignton Hospital building is still in use but now renamed and used as Paignton Health and Wellbeing Centre. The survey was aimed to explore the shift to include ‘wellbeing’ in the delivery of services. From both conversations and survey responses, it appears that this part of the aspiration is delivered through the traditional approach of hollistic care. However, it is not underpinned by significant resources to promote self-care in the general population, other than those offered by dedicated clinics. The Centre has adopted the traditional outpatient health clinic approach, something responders understand and appreciate.