You said, we did examples
2020-21
1. Supporting carers to get their flu and covid vaccination - January 2021:
- You said: We were asked by York Carers Centre to provide some information about the roll out of the flu and covid vaccinations so that they could share important information with their carers, families and networks
- We did: In November 2020, our Deputy Chief Nurse attended the York Carers Action Group (CAG) to encourage carers to access their free flu jab. She talked about the benefits of the vaccination, and how carers could have the flu jab for free to help keep themselves and those who they care for safe. In January 2021, our Head of Engagement attended the York Carers Action Group (CAG) to give an update about the COVID-19 vaccination, and the roll out across York. She talked about how people would be invited for the vaccination, where they would need to go and answered questions from carers.
2. Working with patients with Parkinson's to get localised care from a specialist nurse - December 2020
- You said: As part of an engagement piece looking at the experience of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s, we spoke to 21 patients over the phone to ask them about what was working well and what could be improved with their health care. Several patients told us they would like to have access to the local Parkinson’s nurse so they could discuss their condition and find out about support available.
- We did: With the permission of the patients, we put them in touch with the local Parkinson’s’ Nurse Specialist, who works within the South Hambleton and Ryedale Primary Care Network (PCN). She called up each of the individuals and arranged an appointment to discuss their care needs.
3. Shedding light on Primary Care Networks - November 2020
- You said: Feedback from various patient forums and Healthwatch highlighted that the general public did not understand what Primary Care Networks are, and how they would impact on patients.
- We did: We started a communications campaign to help explain the purpose of Primary Care networks and the benefits that they would bring to patients. You can find more information about Primary Care Networks here.
4. Listening to people with Dementia and rasising awareness with GPs about their condition - October 2020
- You said: We worked with a local dementia group called ‘Minds and Voices’ to ask people living with Dementia and their carers what would help them with their condition and improve their daily life. We attended two of their weekly online sessions to find out more about their experience of healthcare. They told us that they would like people to recognise them as more than a diagnosis, and raise awareness about the condition.
- Wendy, who has been diagnosed with dementia and attends the weekly group said: ‘It would be good if GPs could merge their medical way of looking at things with the emotional and practical advice they can give. All they can do is give us a pill, but they can do so much more and signpost us to the practical and emotional support that is available. It’s much more important than that pill.’
- They wanted more support from the GP and signposting to support groups and help to manage their health. They were keen for their feedback to get directly to GPs and Nurses.
- We did: In October 2020, we focused our Protected Learning Time (PLT) session solely on dementia. The event attracted over 300 healthcare professionals from across the Vale of York. The CCG invite Damian Murphy and the Mind and Voices group, a support network for people who live with dementia, to lead the keynote session. This humorous and compassionate session enabled participants to gain a unique insight into dementia through the stories of people with dementia and their carers. Comments from GPs illustrated that they were positively impacted by the keynote session. When we asked them what they would change in their practice they said:
- 'A more holistic and gentle approach to Dementia patient and family.’
- ‘Ask dementia patients how they wish to be cared for, not assume.’
- ‘Build up the relationship between the practice and patients with the role of the Care Coordinators to ensure the patients feel listened to, included in their care plan and reassured that we are there to help them, not simply place them in a nursing home if that is not their wish.’
- ‘Reminder to re-focus practice work on trying to diagnose the condition and maximise use of dementia support workers to ensure patients are connected to community support.’
2019-20
1. Work with our LGBT+ community: October 2019
- You said: In 2018 Healthwatch York produced a report about LGBT+ experience of accessing health and social care and the barriers they face. This report highlights that a quarter of the participants said they had experienced barriers to accessing health and social care services, over half felt reluctant to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity and a third had experienced negative attitudes when accessing services. There were several recommendations linked to increased training and awareness on the subject.
- We did:
- Brought in Yorkshire MESMAC to run a series of awareness raising sessions – invited Healthwatch, PPV carers, GP practices.
- Adopted the rainbow badges - an initiative that gives staff a way to show that we are open, non-judgemental and inclusive towards our colleagues, partners and our population who may identify as LGBT+. 48 members of staff signed a pledge.
- Work with a local GP to review the transgender pathway review and improve experience for patients.
- Rolling out training at our Protected Learning Time events in July 2020.
2. Helping maternity service users to have their say: September 2019
- You said: The York District Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP) is a group which comes together to ensure that maternity service commissioners, and the local maternity services hear and take account of the views of women and families using the service. The York District Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP) is a group which comes tgether to ensure that maternity service commissioners, NHS Vale of York CCG and the local maternity services hear and take account of the views of women and families using the service. However, members of the group didn’t feel that the meetings encouraged service users to attend as they were at inconvenience times and not in child friendly locations.
- We did: Through the appointment of the new lay chair Emily, the sessions are now held in family friendly locations. The first meeting in September took place in a community venue in York and Emily encouraged service users to come along with their children. We asked mums and their families what went well during birth and what could be improved and this is fed back into the maternity service. The group is now open to members of the public and aims to improve services for women and their families during pregnancy, birth and postnatal care. For more information on our Maternity Voices Partnership click here. Read about how your feedback influenced our engagement strategy.
3. Understanding the continuing healthcare process: August 2019
- You said: The local Age UK branch contacted the CCG to find out more about applying for funding through the continuing healthcare process. Many of the clients they help were confused about the process. Age UK wanted to be updated and trained so they could pass on information to their clients.
- We did: The CCG engagement, patient experience and continuing healthcare team met with volunteers from Age UK York in August 2019 to deliver a training session on continuing healthcare (CHC). At this very informal session we discussed the CHC process and checklist, complexities of care and finding packages of care for service users. We also had a good discussion about signposting and the information provided to patients. Age UK volunteers now feel more informed about the CHC process and can advise clients for where to find more information.
4. Influencing the local York response to the long term plan: April-August 2019
- You said: During April and August 2019 over 130 people (patients, public and partners) joined the conversation about the local response to the long term plan. At the August event our Accountable Officer and colleagues from across the York and North Yorkshire system to be part of an important conversation about the setting the future direction of local health and care and the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan.
- We did: All of the conversations have been captured and the feedback from this event has fed directly into the local Humber, Coast and Vale Partnership Long-term Plan. Both documents can be viewed here:
5. Raising awareness of support and signposting for carers within GP Practices: April 2019
- You said: At a carers advisory group in the East Riding, a local carer highlighted that her GP practice didn’t have enough information and support advice readily available for carers. She though that staff within GP practices should have better awareness of the challenges facing carers, and should help promote local carers’ services.
- We did: Our head of engagement met with the operations manager at the GP practice to explain the carer’s concerns, and she put the practice manager in touch with the carers groups. Two carers went to the GP practice to deliver training sessions to staff and patients about what it means to be a carer. The practice have since updated all its notice boards and website, and written to all carers on their register to offer them support and signposting to the carers centre.These improvements have been felt by other carers at this practice. Watch a video to see the impact that these changes have had on a local carer.
6. Updating our engagement principles and feeding into our strategy: What you told us is important about how we involve our population Jan 2019-October 2019
- You said: In 2019 we began to review our engagement strategy and spoke to key stakeholders: VCSE organisations such as Selby AVS and York CVS, Healthwatch York and North Yorkshire, Older People Advocacy York (OCAY), York Carers Centre, Patient Participation Groups, York College, as well as holding a number of public sessions.
- We did: Following a period of consultation, we returned to the October 2019 Healthwatch Assembly to explain how their feedback had been used in the development of the new engagement principles and strategy. Watch the video about what is important to our community about engagement.
2018-19
- Accessible Health Standards: December 2018
- You said: on a visit to the York Blind & Partially Sighted Society YBPSS, (now known as MySight York), that some members had recurrent issues in receiving information from the local hospital Trust in an accessible format they can read.
- We did: inform the patient relation team to investigate further. The concerns were escalated to York Hospital who resolved the issues for individual patients. York Hospital ensured that a patient identification system was added for partially sighted patients to ensure they received information in a way they can read as well as increasing staff awareness.
- Helping you stay healthy and well: July-December 2018
- You said: that you wanted help staying healthy and well, with more health information and advice to share within your communities.
- We did: take part in the self-care aware campaign, ‘Help Us Help You, which encourages people to take care of their health in the winter. We launched a multimedia campaign and partnered with GPs to create a number of self-care videos on common illnesses such as cold and flu.
- Improving access to GP services: evening and weekend appointments
- You said: we want better access to GP services.
- We did: invest more than £6.5million to provide improved access to primary care services in the evenings, at weekends and bank holidays.
- Working with carers in East Riding: October 2018
- You said: at a carer advisory group meeting in East riding that there was an issue with signposting and information available for carers through their local GP service. Staff within GP practices should have better awareness of the challenges facing carers, and should help promote local carers’ services.
- We did: contact MyHealth practice in Strensall and Stamford Bridge and met with the operations manager to discuss how we could help support carers. The operations manager was very proactive and began to implement some changes immediately, including training sessions and implementing a carers’ notice board in the surgery.
- Awareness of carers within GP practices 2018/19
- You said: there should be increased awareness of carers’ needs in GP surgeries across the Vale of York.
- We did: work with our local carers’ centre to provide 5 free training to healthcare professionals within GP practices to help raise awareness of how to identify and support unpaid carers.
- Change in continence products - feedback from the carers centre
- You said: that a change in incontinence products had been negatively received by service users (through the York Carers’ Centre) after York Hospital changed supplier.
- We did: organise a meeting between our Deputy Chief Nurse and the Hospital Trust’s Operational Manager to discuss the issue on behalf of carers and service users. Samples of like-for-like products were brought along for patients and carers to view and give assurance that the quality was the same as with the previous supplier. It was a proactive and positive event and the CCG were reassured that issues were being resolved swiftly, within individual issues looked into. Subsequent carers’ forums were more positive.
- Working with the Learning Difficulties and Disabilities community
- You said: that there are barriers to accessing healthcare within the Learning Difficulties community, including around communication to patients, women’s health and screening.
- We did: work in collaboration with the learning disability (LD) community, organising for a GP and nurse from the CCG to attend an informative session at the Learning Disability Forum as part of a question and answer session around screening, women’s health and what stops people from going to see their GP. We undertook a survey of LD patients and created an action plan to address these concerns raised and worked with our GP partners to take this forward. We also created a number of easy read documents for patients with a learning disability to help make important healthcare information more accessible. More information on health inequalities for those with a learning disability can be found here.
- Annual Health Checks - Easy Read Guide
- EasyRead body map and pain score
- EasyRead invite letter
- Cervical screening supporting women with learning disabilities
- Easy-read information and resources
- Involving children and families in our work around mental health.
- You said: there should be increased awareness of carers’ needs in GP surgeries across the Vale of York.
- We did: work with our local carers’ centre to provide 5 free training to healthcare professionals within GP practices to help raise awareness of how to identify and support unpaid carers.
9. Working with parent carers to improve communication and access to services
- You said: in a report to our Quality and Patient Experience Committee and Governing Body in April 2019 parent carers said that good communication, planning, joined-up thinking, and keeping the child or young person as the main focus of all service provision is critical in delivering good care.
- We did: employ a Senior Quality Lead within the Nursing and Quality team to lead the Children and Young People’s agenda, and included key aims and intentions in our commissioning intentions for 2019/20 aimed at improving services for children with complex health needs and disabilities. This includes strengthening relationships with key partners in children’s services and working more collaboratively in meeting children and young people’s needs in a variety of settings.
10. Patient Transport Services
- You said: In Jan 2019 we invited in a lady who had concerns with the changes in calling to book patient transport services. She came in to provide a view of the eligibility criteria from the side of the patient.
- We did: work with the Yorkshire Ambulance Service to review the questions that are asked when patients phone up to book transport.
11. Our commissioning intentions (priorities) for 2019-20
- You said: that there are a number key priorities that you would like us to focus on next year, including: better access to GP services, timely access to mental health services, improved cancer services, and an increased focus on prevention.
- We did: use the feedback from our NHS 70 celebrations engagement to shape our commissioning intentions to reflect the wishes of our population.
- We invested more than £6.5m in improved access to GPs on evenings and weekends
- invested £220k to improve access to ADHD diagnostic services and CAMHS
- improved cancer diagnostic testing, introduced cancer champions, and are working to improve survival rates and diagnostic times
- designing better personalised, preventative care to help people feel well through social prescribing.
Consultations and surveys
We regularly ask our population for their views, and from time to time this includes the opportunity to have their say about a number of consultations and surveys.
For information on current consultations and feedback from surveys, please click here.
