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Members Give Key Pointers For Improving Health Service
[ 23 Mar 2010 ]
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A successful NHS Stoke on Trent members meeting was held last month and gave the Trust key insights into how the health service should improve.
More than 130 people attended the round table discussion group of NHS Stoke on Trent's members' forum ‘Now Have your Say' and discussed a series of issues.
Topics included owning our own health and how best the community services can support this, whilst linked to the strategic goals.
Key findings from the event revealed there was a communications gap for the 40 - 60 year olds and it was felt there was an overwhelming amount of information in GP surgeries, as well as the need for better accessibility to GPs and health centres.
In addition, it was felt that the NHS does not fully understand the word ‘local' and that localised services really should mean there is access to the service within each community.
Furthermore, the Forum highlighted the need for more expert patient programmes, more community services and it was felt there was a lack of provisions for mental health.
Other suggestions to arise from the round table discussions was the need for better information regarding personal health and wellbeing, as well as the importance of referral programmes to improve health and lifestyle for the people of Stoke-on-Trent.
A survey was conducted at the end of the meeting to assess its effectiveness and a staggering 68% rated the ‘event overall as ‘excellent' with a further 32% rating the ‘event overall' as ‘good.' Colin Anderson, Engagement Manager for NHS Stoke on Trent, said:
"The event was about listening to the views of the membership who represent the public and where possible, implement changes and recommendations made by Now Have your Say.
"The day was extremely well supported with over 130 at the event. Now Have your Say members and their guests provided some really useful feedback that will help to shape the provision of healthcare for everyone who lives and works in Stoke-on-Trent.
"Going forward, key recommendations will be produced to feedback to our members and organisations and key partners whom we work closely with and ascertain where changes can be made or improvements made to the service NHS Stoke on Trent provides."
The event also recruited 51 new members to Now Have Your Say .
http://www.nowhaveyoursay.co.uk/gallery/Member's Event 26 February 2010
See below feedback from the roundtable group discussions:
The ‘Now Have your Say' members' event on Friday 26th February was a very productive meeting, highlighting some important areas where NHS Stoke on Trent needs to focus. Some of the key themes or "Golden Nuggets" of information fed back on the day included:
Ownership
- More emphasis on preventative health care as opposed to prescriptive medication / better information around self diagnosis & self testing / owning your own progressive ‘health' plan
Communication
- A better balance of health information required / there is a gap in communication to 40-60 year olds , particularly men/ too much information at GP surgeries & out of date / consider ‘health' volunteers in each street / ‘leaflets are not the answer' / need for more consultation with local community / better promotion of services / information that is accessible
Accessibility / Localisation
- Access to transport services is an issue / improved access to GPs and Health Centres / ‘consideration for greater provision of services within different wards within the City would improve access' / Decentralisation of NHS - localised services that are accessible / / NHS does not understand the word ‘local'
Services
- Lack of provision in mental health services / ‘more expert patient programmes' / more community centres / services to improve health / greater one stop shop provision / greater advice to people in their homes / more health checks / more screening programmes
Health & lifestyle
- Better information and advice regarding personal health & wellbeing / GP Referral programmes to improve health & lifestyle / subsidised leisure activities via outpatients / Education system ‘key' to future health & wellbeing / all GP surgeries to be linked & associated with ‘lifestyle' projects / focussing on mental and physical health.
Next stages
NHS Stoke on Trent will look in detail at all the feedback received from the event and feed this back to members. This will include suggestions for what can be put into practice.
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