Agenda item

For the Committee to consider and comment on the Healthwatch Dorset Draft Workplan 2021/2022, as attached at Appendix 1.

The Manager of Healthwatch Dorset introduced the Draft Workplan for 2021/2022 and provided update for the Committee. The main points raised during the update were as follows:

·       Feedback had been obtained and assessed in order to draft the work plan for the next year.

·       Access to primary care was a key item for Healthwatch last year and it had to adapt due to COVID. The project was successful despite the necessary changes and has enabled virtual consultations to be utilised in the year ahead. Healthwatch were conscious that a lot of people were still not accessing primary care and assessments need to be made on how to make it easier for those not accessing primary care whilst not necessarily using virtual equipment.

·       Accident and emergency care was another key issue throughout 2019 with a 2019 review on A&E performance measures. 111 First was a program that saw people call 111 first before visiting A&E. Via Poole Hospital, Healthwatch had made 120 calls to A&E users to see if there were any prevailing themes in the feedback. Any learning would be taken and adapted to use at Dorset County hospital in summer.

·       A key project for the coming year would focus on marginalised young people. It was acknowledged that Healthwatch would need to be proactive on listening to young people. Therefore, a Young Listeners groups of 16-25 year-olds would be supported and trained over Summer 2021 to develop an engagement project to find out what young people think about health across Dorset. There had been numerous applicants for this role throughout January/February and there are now 13 young people in the group. This group will now be trained and supported to design their own engagement program.

·       Transport was another key theme of focus for the coming year. A survey on accessing the COVID vaccine and what could be improved showed that transport was a concern as people were worried about how they would get to vaccine centres. Those shielding for a year were now scared to go vaccine centre.

·       Additionally, Healtwatch were working on a commissioned project with Wessex council alliance and Wessex voices, funded by the NHS England and NHS Intelligence on developing creative engagement tools for young children living with cancer. Feedback would be gathered until June.

·       There was still scope to work on other projects throughout the year, as last year Healthwatch had to adapt to numerous situations and therefore flexibility was required to ensure that the local concern/requirements was met.

·       One area that raised a lot of interest was dentistry and Healthwatch were conscious that there couldn’t be much changed locally but that they could input to Healthwatch England and aim to improve dentistry at a national level.

The Committee asked several questions following the update and presentation. Answers were provided by the Manager of Healthwatch Dorset. The questions and responses included:

·       A member referred to vaccine hesitancy and asked if Healthwatch were going to look into this. Members heard that Healthwatch had launched a survey and had sent out a press release asking for people to respond with their experiences relating to the vaccine.

·       A member asked the Manager for Healthwatch Dorset for their views on local concern around transport to vaccine centres. Members heard that there were a number of community schemes that Dorset used to have that were small and local but were impacted by COVID. Lots of volunteers for these community schemes were older and therefore had to stop volunteering. It was expected that as the system gets back to normal, there will be gaps in community transport, and therefore the voluntary structure must be provided with sufficient support and structure to benefit service users and volunteers.

·       A member asked a question on vaccine notification and the Committee were informed that Healthwatch were aware of ‘double notifications’ where people were contacted by more than one service. It was hoped that as the process moves on duplication would be reduced. Positive feedback from people who had received the vaccine was important in building trust and encouragement for others to opt in for the vaccine.

·       A member raised concerns about the digital route of healthcare and referenced the fact that some people cannot use technology or digital equipment. Members were informed that the digital option has been great for many service users but keeping the offer open for face to face was a vital component of the menu of choice. The Director of Primary and Community Care NHS Dorset CCGreassured members that there was absolutely no intention to move entirely to digital solution and that there would always be a choice. There was a clinical need to continue face to face consultations with people.

After all questions were asked and answered, the Committee noted the update.