What Good Health and Wellbeing Looks Like to You What Good Health and Wellbeing Looks Like to You
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
What good health and wellbeing looks like to you What good health and wellbeing looks like to you This summary aims to offer an idea of what we heard when chatting to our community about what good health and wellbeing looks like to them. Background NHS West Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) works in a three-neighbourhood model. By this we refer to Ormskirk and Aughton; Skelmersdale and Up Holland; and Burscough and the Northern Parishes. Northern Parishes As commissioners of local healthcare, Ormskirk it’s important we Skelmersdale understand what local residents think of the health services Tarleton they use, what concerns they have and understand what factors affect their day to day health and Rufford wellbeing. Burscough Ormskirk Skelmersdale 2 Our conversations We wanted to talk with our community and one of the more effective ways we have found to do this is to simply visit places we know local people come together already, such as a cup of tea at the community centre, a weekly exercise class or a health condition support group. We had conversations with our This document aims to offer a community across the three snapshot of some of what we learned, neighbourhoods of West Lancashire it is broken down by each question we during July and August 2019. asked, and includes quotes alongside the summary to help paint the picture A list of the groups we visited can be of what we heard. found towards the end of this report titled ‘who we spoke to’. In the same way that we recognise everyone has different ways they We used a survey to help capture prefer to communicate, we also need views. We took this with us everywhere to carefully consider how different we went and also shared it through individuals and groups can be reached. various channels, these included: local media, stakeholders such as local For example, some of our community MPs and West Lancashire councillors, will be avid readers of the local paper, local partner organisations e.g. Edge some will be very active on social Hill University and West Lancashire media and others may frequent their Borough Council, Patient Participation community centre for a weekly class Groups of local GP practices, social or read the noticeboards in their local media, schools, the West Lancashire newsagents. Voluntary Community and Faith Sector (VCFS), CCG newsletters and board We therefore need to tailor how papers, My View (CCG’s public and we promote news, developments patient group) and GP practices. and opportunities to get involved in different ways so that we are reaching In total we had conversations with a cross section of our local community more than 730 people and received in West Lancashire. We try to do this survey responses from more than as best as possible with the resources 350 residents across a broad range of we have. We publish all our news interests and demographics. The age announcements on our CCG website range that we spoke ranged from 17 and social media, as well as distributing to 85 and over. them directly to our stakeholders. 3 1. What does good health look like? • The most popular option, as • Overall though, respondents had chosen by nearly a quarter of all two main perspectives – the first respondents was that good health is was concerned with being in good healthy eating/diet, regular exercise health, free from illness and pain; and good mental health and the second was concerned with wellbeing coping as well as possible with illness and pain. Both perspectives made reference to the need for good health services in order to provide or maintain ‘good health’. “The ability to lead an active life – to run and walk without pain. A positive mental outlook and a feeling of wellbeing. To have no medical conditions that limit my ability to experience life to the full.” “To me good health means or looks like avoiding any infections which may worsen my condition.” “Coping after being diagnosed.” “Having access to health services in a timely and appropriate manner. Having education about health and ways to either improve my health and/or have good control over long term conditions. Maximising my health to its full potential. Keeping up to date with immunisations, annual checks, smears etc.” 4 2. What are the things that contribute to current health and wellbeing? • More than half of all respondents felt that support/lack of support from and relationships with family and friends was key • Direct health matters; ‘having stress/anxiety/depression’ • NHS services – GP/physiotherapy/mental health services “Good food and a balanced diet. Freedom from anxiety e.g. finance, work, family. Ability to be physically active – run and walk. The money to participate in activities I enjoy. Love of my family and a good circle of friends.” “Finance, good family links, good job, owning my own house, living in a good area, good schools, low crime. Being able to afford good food. Being able to afford 2 holidays per year.” “Without my family I would be in dire straits. Anxiety and stress of finances. Mobility issues are causing me to put weight on. Being unable to work through ill health has created issues with social welfare making me feel socially isolated.” “Finance have a negative impact on my health and wellbeing, also stress/anxiety – negative impact. Housing is a nightmare. Family has a positive impact.” “Lack of time due to working hours. Stress brought on by family issues i.e. caring responsibilities. Sometime lack of time means not cooking proper meals or exercising.” 5 3. What are the things that matter to you the most? • Relationships (friends/family/spouse) • Health and healthcare remain a and keeping active were stated as strong motivator in people’s lives the most important. and raises expectations. • Access to medication was another • Almost a fifth of those who stated popular choice. that medication mattered most to them either said this exclusively • More than a quarter of respondents or said it first, indicating this was mentioned other health related their main priority. This has a strong matters as being of prime significance for the local health importance, including access to service. good medical services, staying healthy and having good mental health. “I have always received excellent care from my GP practice. I also make use of local pharmacies which I feel are an untapped resource.” “My GP is the best I have had for a very long time. Also, physiotherapy at the Ormskirk hospital was excellent.” “My new GP practice is fantastic. Staff so friendly, easy to get an appointment. Range of services brilliant.” “Our local GP practice is excellent. We can get appointments within 1-2 days and the GPs are all very good. Also, the hospital services at Ormskirk have been excellent when I have been referred there.” “NHS 111 has been invaluable to me and my family in terms of advice, out of hours help and appointments. It was NHS 111 operator that got an appointment for my teenager out of hours and in the nick of time.” 6 4. The NHS provides a range of services. What are the most important of these services to you and how has your experience been? • More than 90% considered GP • More than half of respondents in the practices the most important health Northern Parishes chose pharmacies service as an important health service, again this is higher than both Skelmersdale • This was followed by A&E, Pharmacy and Ormskirk (38 – 41%) and Dentist which were the next most important services, but only • More than 82% of people who considered important by just 40% of completed the survey said that they respondents had received a good experience of health services. • Nearly all respondents from the Northern Parishes (97%) chose GP practices as an important health service. This is slightly higher than in Skelmersdale (85%) and Ormskirk (86%). “Long term excellent care from the hospital clinic and consultant team I attend. It is what I would term “personalised” medicine and “preventative” medicine. Being able to regularly go to my hospital appointments and see the consultant has kept me relatively well for a long time. I would NOT welcome Apps or Skype or telephone appointments.” Further comments were made about other services, such as hospices, mental health services, the Falls Clinic, Mind Matters, paramedics and ambulance staff, the diabetes prevention programme, community restart, the Lancashire Wellbeing Service and Specsavers “The service which I have found most beneficial is ‘Community Restart’. During a time, I was unable to leave the house and felt like ending my life, they showed me patience, understanding, non-judgment and compassion. They supported me to not only leave the safety of my house but to attend appointments, visit gym classes, make friends and socialise in support groups.” 7 5. Are there any NHS services within your neighbourhood or surrounding area (or lack of services) that cause you concern? • People commented on the difficulty they face when trying to access their GP • This difficulty in accessing GP services was seen as a key factor in people using other services instead • Other services that people expressed difficulty in accessing (this includes lack of appointments / long appointments / delays) or were of poor quality, included A&E, mental health services, podiatry, dermatology, physiotherapy, ophthalmology, preventative services, little/no help for carers and NHS dentists. “Difficulty to get a GP appointment. Lack of communication / ineffective communication from the surgery regarding what services are available. Lack of information/referral to community groups / clubs that might benefit my health (yoga, walking, tai-chi, dance etc.)” “Having to wait three to four weeks to see a doctor, which is unacceptable.