NHS North West London has released its monthly insight report looking back at November 2022, informed by information provided by local residents.
The ICS notes that the November insights “continue to reflect the new approach we are taking to working with our residents: reaching as many communities as possible and asking what matters to them about their healthcare.”
It shares how November saw a “significant focus” on ongoing public consultation around creating a North West London elective orthopaedic centre, with feedback from the engagement work set to form part of a consultation report in the future.
Challenges around GP access are a recurring theme in the insight report and as a result the ICS is planning a public information campaign around general practice in the new year. Feedback indicated that residents can struggle with long waiting times for appointments, difficulty being referred to specialists, and inflexibility around appointment times; however, there was also positive feedback around use of e-consult services, particularly from young mothers who indicated that it helped them navigate busy work and childcare schedules.
The report also highlights mental health as a key area for further focus, with the public sharing concerns over a perceived lack of inpatient provision in Ealing, bed capacity and discharge speeds, with questions around readmission rates and increasing capacity in the community.
Another area explored in the report is that of digital inclusion, looking at the challenges that refugees and asylum seekers can face when trying to access the health care system. Issues around communication were reported including translation difficulties and lack of clear information around how to access services and what is available. The report recommends further work with voluntary, community and social enterprise partners to support healthcare promotion in target areas, along with continued work to supply translated materials.
Rory Hegarty, Director of Communications and Engagement at NHS North West London said: “Hearing from our community is an important aspect of our work to ensure that our services meet the needs of our residents and we continue to address issues which might be impacting health inequalities.
“The feedback received is shared monthly with senior leaders and service specialists within the NHS in NW London so they can see what our local residents are telling us and can use the information to support development work and wider service improvement.”
