How has health and social care changed for you?
Healthwatch Harrow hosted a forum at the Harrow Baptist Church on 29th November, attended by 75 people. The forum provided a space for residents to share changes they have experienced.
The event was opened by Healthwatch Chair, Ash Verma. The guest speakers and panellists were Lisa Henschen (Managing Director of Harrow Based Partnership), Shaun Riley (Assistant Director of Health and Wellbeing, Harrow Council) and Carrie Whelan and Gbemisola Akinterinwa (Team Managers at Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust). The programme included group discussions, presentations and a question and answer session.
What did local people tell us?
Service Access
At the event, we heard that access to all services is still difficult (GPs mentioned in particular). Digital access is not the only way to access services, other options must be made available. GPs in particular are contracted to enable you to access them via phone, face to face, correspondence or online. If this is not happening, please let Healthwatch Harrow know and we can share this information with the people who commission the services. Lisa said she wanted to hear from you.
Engagement
We also heard there is not enough engagement with people who use services when they are being changed or closed down. Joint talking is key to better engagement. In the case of the closure of The Bridge, users of that service shared that no other services have been offered to them to replace the role that the Bridge provided.
Other Key Themes
There is the need for a more personalised approach with community mental health teams, social care and health professionals. Residents are still having to share their stories with each new person they come into contact with.
Adults with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are being informed that if they can get on the waiting list for an assessment - they have a ‘3 year wait’.
Access to mental health services triggered a lot of feedback. Attendees felt they are not getting the full service required; it is not clear what is available and who to contact (need to have a named worker); psychiatry access is especially difficult and annual reviews are not happening. It is also unclear who is coordinating the integration with social care.
Currently various specialists can be accessed at a GP surgery, and this must be communicated to patients as they may be booked in with a specialist rather than their regular doctor. Lisa confirmed that there is a move to integrate services so that patients are not having to repeat their stories but how we share this with patients’ needs better communication.
Read more in the full event report.
