Neighbourhood Hubs - conversations with people in the Chorley Roads area

Healthwatch Bolton undertook research on neighbourhood health hubs and future local care services in the Chorley Roads area of Bolton. They spoke to 61 people across five community and health settings in August 2017 to understand what services local people would like to access through neighbourhood-based health and wellbeing hubs. 

Participants wanted hubs to provide a combination of primary care and preventative support. GPs and nurses remained the professionals people most wanted to access locally, but there was also support for services such as mental health practitioners, pharmacists, physiotherapists and podiatrists. Many people also highlighted the importance of non-clinical support, including welfare advice, housing services, social prescribing, befriending schemes, exercise opportunities and activities that could reduce loneliness and social isolation. 

More than half of respondents said they had experienced some form of medication review, although there was considerable confusion about what constituted a formal review and how to access one. Access to services was another key theme. Many people relied on walking or public transport and wanted services to remain local and accessible, although they were willing to travel further for specialist or higher-quality care. Respondents also highlighted the financial and practical impact of transport costs, parking and taking time off work to attend appointments. 

Healthwatch Bolton concluded that local people supported the development of neighbourhood hubs that combined traditional primary care with a broader range of health, wellbeing and community services. The report recommended promoting preventative and non-clinical support, widening the range of practitioners available in primary care, improving public understanding of medication reviews, and ensuring future service developments take account of residents' reliance on local access and public transport.