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Agenda item

Healthwatch Report

14:15

 

To receive a report of Healthwatch Oxfordshire. 

 

Minutes:

The Committee had received a report from Healthwatch Oxfordshire on its feedback from members of the public and its recent reports.

 

Before considering the report, the Chair had agreed to a request to speak:

 

Marie Walsh, representing Didcot Against Austerity, expressed concern that the pace of growth around Didcot was not being matched by the provision of health facilities.  Her organisation’s initial petition was to call for the provision of a Minor Injuries Unit but other issues came up as they engaged with people – particularly access to GPs and NHS dentists and waiting times for treatment of mental health issues.

 

A recent public meeting itemised specific needs such as a health centre and GP hub for Great Western Park and a pharmacy for Ladygrove.  There were also problems identifying who to contact about each issue.  The group would be very happy to meet individually with any Members of the Committee who could help.

 

Rosalind Pearce, Executive Director, Healthwatch introduced the report which she said was in a different format focussed on Healthwatch Oxfordshire reports relating to accessing GP services over the past 12 months.  She offered some observations on the issues that had come up throughout this Committee meeting:

 

·       The majority of people were very supportive of the care they get from the system once they are in it but the problem was with access in the first place.

·       Many complained of long waits for an answer on the phone only to be told there were no appointments available.

·       Dentistry was high on the list of access complaints.

·       Healthwatch will have a report on access to pharmacies in six to eight weeks.

·       Could the lack of uptake of the fourth vaccine be related to having fewer volunteers available?

·       Not every surgery or every area was experiencing problems with access and it was necessary to identify those that had the biggest problems.

·       In relation to reviewing transfers to care homes, the collection of ‘data’ needed to include the views of people.

·       Healthwatch has had meetings on the BOB-ICB engagement plan.  They have been quite clear that it will not work unless it has resources, a local focus and involvement by the public.

 

In response to questions from Members:

 

·       The earwax removal service, free to those over 55, was advertised on the Healthwatch website and others but there was still more work to be done on getting the message out to ensure GPs refer people.

·       They have had discussions with OCCG on the idea of having a consistent website for all GP practices.  In the meantime, it would be important for practices to learn from the best sites.

·       Relying on family members to interpret has always been problematic.  Some people prefer to use family members but the offer of an interpreter must be made.  The service was free to GPs and members of the public and, as a result of a Healthwatch report and follow-up action by OCCG, pharmacies now have access to this service, although not all seemed to be aware of that.

·       For some people face-to-face meeting was vital and the message still needed to get out there that that was always an option.  There was a concern about exclusion of those who were not digitally capable or hard of hearing or for whom English was not the first language.

·       The film produced in Oxfordshire on women’s experience of maternity services has been shown across England.  It has brought the researcher into contact with Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust maternity staff and managers, the Maternity Voices Partnership, and other groups.

·       The funding challenge to Healthwatch Oxfordshire was that they had a 12-month funding cycle so could not engage in longer pieces of work.  The priorities this coming year would be around Young People and Men – two groups who tend to be in the minority responding to other initiatives.

 

Ansaf Azhar, Director for Public Health responded to questions related to health monitoring Apps and whether they were coordinating with each other.  He agreed that there was a big move towards digital offers.  The idea of Healthcheck having a digital offer was being examined.  He agreed that work needed to be done to avoid duplication and link related applications.  It was important to offer digital and non-digital choices.  It should be recognised that digital options offered economies of scale.

 

Supporting documents: