What matters to families? Learning from feedback in Bath and North East Somerset

Over the past 8 months Healthwatch Bath and North East Somerset has attended sessions with Southside 'family food and play', a number of the local food pantries and in the Summer joined in the fun at one of Bath Area Play Project's playdays.



This report brings together anonymous feedback and key findings from these engagements and a series of recommendations and next steps for Healthwatch in Bath and North East Somerset.

Issues discussed and raised included:

• Lack of NHS Dentistry
• Access to GP, and length of wait for appointments
• Cost of living, housing, and access to affordable activities in neighbourhoods
• Mental health support
• EHCP process and school related anxiety in children
• Prescription ordering 
• Barriers to healthy choices 

There were recommendations in this report.

• That GPs are encouraged to provide ways in which parents and especially single parents of school aged children can access appointments besides calling ‘first thing’ in the morning

• That the provision of practical ‘hands on’ support is explored to enable more people to access IT/digital support to use online prescription and other appointment booking services, including at GPs and pharmacies

• That the impact on children’s health, especially in larger families, of having no dental access is seriously considered for urgent remedial action

• That preventative, support and well-being services for children and families, such as provided by the voluntary and community sector, e.g. therapeutic play and trauma informed services, are maintained and where possible extended.

• That the necessity of addressing the barriers to good health and well-being faced by families on low incomes is highlighted at all levels in the planning and provision of health and care services.

There were follow up actions in this report.



• Share the report, its findings and recommendations with local health and care leaders including Bath and North East Somerset Council, Royal United Hospital and Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB

• Share the report with local Third Sector providers of support services such as Southside, the food pantries as well as with 3SG, the local Third Sector infrastructure organisation

• Ensure its signposting service and website include responses to the areas of need flagged up in the report

• Undertake more detailed research and engagement on specific issues, for example, with the Parent Carer Forum around issues for children with additional needs