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What we've heard
The 600 plus experiences of health and care from the public and patients we received during 2022-23 included good, bad and indifferent feedback, with many stories highlighting things that worked well and where improvement is needed.
We heard people experiencing challenges with basic issues such as booking appointments, communication within and between services, and challenges in understanding how services worked.
We also heard from an increasing number of people with complex stories and situations, often those with multiple needs and where more than one service was involved.
How we’ve helped
We've assist individuals and families in getting support that meets their needs, by providing information in various forms, signposting to other organisations and liaising with services directly. We have also engaged NHS, care and decision makers to embed best practice and to support change to meet the needs of service users.
During 2022-23, we:
- Developed advice articles, bulletins and newsletter items to keep people up to date with health and care issues and service changes.
- Distributed leaflets, posters and promotional materials on Healthwatch and Advocacy services to all GP practices across East Sussex to raise public awareness of these services.
- Undertook outreach sessions to hear from voices across the county.
- Commented on and contributed to the development of the Sussex Integrated Care Board’s [NHS Sussex] Complaints Policy.
- Liaised regularly with NHS Sussex and ESCC Adult Social Care services and staff.
- Changed our data recording and reporting processes so we are better placed to organise and interpret our insight.
What we’re planning in 2023-24
Over the next 12 months we have plan to develop our service so we can hear more experiences, and use these to support improvements in health and care across East Sussex.
During 2023-24, we aim to:
- Deliver our Information & Signposting outreach sessions at events and across a range of locations in East Sussex.
- Provide advice and information on health and care to residents of Lewes Prison through regular visits.
- Evolve the online advice section of the Healthwatch East Sussex website so people can access pro-active advice and guidance, and support self-care.
- Share the feedback we receive with key decision-makers and local services so they can use people’s experiences in developing local services.
- Increase awareness of the role of advocacy support for patients and the public, including amongst service commissioners and providers.
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