Agenda item

To receive an update on the work of Healthwatch Wokingham Borough.

The Committee receive an update on the work of Healthwatch Wokingham Borough.

During the discussion of this item the following points were made:

·       Nick Durman informed the Committee of information that Healthwatch had received.  This included residents having issues in finding information regarding GP and dental services online. 

·       Healthwatch had heard that many unpaid carers had been caring for longer hours during the pandemic as some services had been reduced.  A survey had been undertaken to hear about their experiences during Covid.  Nearly 100 responses had been received.  Focus groups had also been held with carers.  The information was currently being analysed and the Committee would receive the review report once complete.

·       Following a review of GP websites, six recommendations had been made which the CCG had agreed to take forwards.

·       Disappointingly the Local Dental Council had indicated that they had no authority to ask the dental practices to amend their websites.  Nick Durman suggested that the Committee again invite a representative from dentistry to discuss local dental provision.

·       Dental services availability was a national issue and NHS England had produced a report following feedback from Healthwatches. 

·       It was requested that the dental surgery website report be sent to Members so that they could contact practices within their wards directly to encourage them to make changes to their website for the benefits of residents.

·       The three Healthwatches across Berkshire West had been involved in the development of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.  Each Healthwatch had assisted in public engagement by holding focus groups.  Healthwatch Wokingham Borough had held focus groups with adult and young carers and adults with learning disabilities.  Likely key priorities included adult and children’s mental health and health inequalities.

·       Healthwatch’s online reach had increased considerably during the pandemic.  In Q4 2019/20 1,800 had been reached via Facebook, Q1 2020/21 16,000 and Q2 15,000 people.  With regards to Twitter there had been 4,500 interactions in Q4 2019/20, Q1 12,000 and Q2 12,000.

·       A Member asked how the information around anxiety about returning to school would be shared with parents and schools.  Nick Durman indicated that the report had been publicised on Healthwatch’s social media and published on its website.  He indicated that national resources had been used and it would have been useful to have had a local video of a young person discussing their anxiety around returning to school during the pandemic.

·       In response to a Member question regarding the GP Patient Survey results, Nick Durman agreed to circulate the results to the Committee.  He indicated that there was no obligation for surgeries to publish the results of the survey on their websites, but that the CCG had agreed to implement this recommendation from Healthwatch.

·       A Member suggested that the Healthwatch reports contain a priority lists of matters to be considered in the future.  It was agreed that Healthwatch would discuss this suggestion further with the Member.

·       With regards to the perinatal report, a Member commented that multi births could be stressful for new mothers, and questioned whether this had been considered as part of the review.  Nick Durman agreed to feed back on this query.

·       A Member questioned what research had been carried out in relation to the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of NHS workers such as midwives and also the impact of large-scale development on residents’ mental health.  Nick Durman indicated that considerable work had been carried out in relation to the mental health of NHS workers. 

·       In response to a Member question regarding responding to the pandemic, Nick Durman commented that the response to the way in which the Council had responded to the pandemic, had been very positive. 

RESOLVED:  That the update from Healthwatch Wokingham Borough be noted.