March 2021 Feedback report

The report by Healthwatch Greenwich highlights the key issues that they have heard from people in March this year about:

• Access to COVID-19 vaccination – people have reported an overwhelmingly positive experience of getting vaccinated. However, there was concern that some are “slipping through the cracks”, and the system has become a “lottery”. Not all service users received notification and have needed to be proactive.
• Lack of adequate post-vaccination support and communication. This has been an issue particularly with the elderly and people with language barriers. People have received fake COVID-19 scam messages with suspicious links making them apprehensive, unable to distinguish genuine NHS emails from non-genuine ones.
• GP services – positive experiences include efficient services and supportive care from both clinical and reception staff. However, some people struggled to access the services due to extended waiting periods, inability to get repeat prescriptions before their medications run out, lack of dignity and confidentiality, and the website not being user friendly.
• The report also contains feedback from people about using remote methods for consultation, using hospital services as a substitute for GP access, access to translation and interpreting services, access to repeat prescriptions and timely referrals, complaints procedure, and feedback about care homes, dental care and mental health services.