November 2015 listening event

Healthwatch Newcastle held a city-wide listening event in November 2015 to give residents an opportunity to share their experiences of health and social care services directly with service providers and commissioners. Forty-seven people attended the event, which included discussions on emergency and urgent care, primary care, social care, hospital services, mental health services, and future commissioning plans. 

Participants raised concerns about access to urgent and emergency care, particularly the NHS 111 service, where people felt that too many questions were asked, they often had to repeat information, and it could take too long to speak to a clinician. Concerns were also raised about ambulance transport, communication in accident and emergency departments, and confusion over which urgent care service people should use. Attendees suggested that a simple guide explaining available emergency services would be helpful.

In discussions about primary care, people reported difficulties understanding changes to GP services, accessing appointments, and navigating different appointment systems. Some participants felt that more public information and education were needed, while others were frustrated by the number of questions asked by reception staff. Communication barriers were highlighted for people with limited English or low health literacy. 

The social care discussions focused on limited specialist support for Deaf people, communication barriers for minority ethnic communities, workforce recruitment and retention, and the impact of funding pressures. Participants expressed concerns that some people were unable to access services because of costs, stigma, or a lack of information. There were also concerns about the future sustainability of social care services because of budget cuts. 

Regarding hospital services, attendees reported long waiting times for appointments, scans and treatment, delays in discharge, poor communication, and difficulties with complaints processes. Some participants described problems with coordination between healthcare professionals and the sharing of medical records between hospitals. Positive feedback was also given for children's services at the Royal Victoria Infirmary.

The largest number of issues related to mental health services. Participants highlighted gaps in support for people with autism, particularly after diagnosis and during transitions into adulthood. Concerns were raised about access to psychological therapies, a lack of ongoing low-level support that could prevent crises, reductions in mental health resources, and insufficient involvement of families in care decisions. People also discussed the challenges faced by asylum seekers and refugees, whose mental health was often affected by isolation, financial hardship, language barriers and uncertainty around the asylum process. 

At sessions on future health service planning, participants raised issues relating to dementia, hearing loss, sight loss, autism services and personal health budgets. They called for better integration of services, improved accessibility and stronger support for vulnerable groups, including asylum seekers. 

Several cross-cutting themes emerged across all discussions. These included difficulties accessing services, long waiting times, delays and problems during discharge, concerns about the quality of some services, social isolation among vulnerable groups, poor communication, and a lack of appropriate services for Deaf people, people with autism, relatives of drug users, and asylum seekers. 

Overall, the report concludes that residents valued the opportunity to speak directly with service providers. Healthwatch Newcastle intended for the findings to inform future service planning and its own priorities, and decided to make the listening event an annual activity.