Welcome to the latest update from Healthwatch Bradford and District, your voice on health and social care. This month: GPs in Bradford district answer your feedback and talk to us about how things are working for them. Plus: we share your views on mental health support with West Yorkshire NHS bosses, an update on NHS dentistry, news and information from local health and care services and the latest advice and support.
GPs in Bradford district - your feedback answered
Since the COVID-19 pandemic turned our lives upside-down early in 2020, access to services at GP practices has been one of the biggest concerns members of the public have shared with Healthwatch. Satisfaction with GP services is falling fast, and one of the most commonly asked questions is “when are things getting back to normal?”.
At Healthwatch, our job is to make sure NHS leaders and other decision-makers hear your voice and use your feedback to improve services. We also help people get the information and advice they need.
When discussing your feedback with local GPs, it became clear that for a variety of reasons beyond the control of individual practices and our local NHS, primary care all over the country is operating within a "new normal". The consensus is that it is not possible for the way in which we access care to go back to what we might have been used to before the pandemic, particularly in light of the rise in demand for services.
While ensuring your feedback is heard, our aim is also to support our communities by providing up-to-date information about how things are working and how to get the care and support you need.
How can you get the best out of your GP practice in 2023? Here, local GPs respond to common feedback from people in Bradford district and shed light on how they're working to meet rising demand amid a shortage of staff.
Your feedback on local GP practices helped to identify some key complaints and talking points, which we have put to two local GPs – Dr Junaid Azam from Park Grange Medical Centre in Bradford, and Dr Caroline Rayment from Grange Park Surgery in Burley-in-Wharfedale, doctors serving two very different parts of our district.
Key themes of feedback
- Many patients have told Healthwatch it’s been “impossible” to get an appointment, or that they’ve been stuck in endless phone queues when trying to secure an appointment.
- Some patients have reported experiencing rudeness from both receptionists and clinical staff, even suggesting that this would put them off seeking treatment.
- Many people have told us they wish they could have a named GP who they always see, who knows them and their history. They say they feel that in the current system they are “pushed from pillar to post” and that it’s inefficient and stressful to have to repeat their stories to different medical professionals.
- When getting in touch with their practice, some patients have reported experiencing confusion over who they’re dealing with, especially over the phone. Some are confused about the range of roles that now exist at their practice, such as nurse practitioner, physician associate, physiotherapist, pharmacist and “care navigator”.
- We’ve heard mixed feedback about the use of new technology and remote appointments in GP practices. Some people said they were treated very quickly and effectively with remote appointments, on the phone or using video technology. We’ve also had feedback – including from practice staff – that older people, those lacking in confidence using the internet, people in rural areas and with poor internet connections plus those with learning disabilities and visual impairments, have been or could be disadvantaged by the use of technology.
- We have also received lots of positive feedback, particularly at the height of the COVID pandemic from people who were made to feel safe in practices, had good experiences of accessing care and reported excellent service from staff who went above and beyond to support their patients.
Healthwatch Insight Report on Mental Health
Our latest report, a collaboration with Healthwatch Calderdale, Healthwatch Kirklees, Healthwatch Leeds, Healthwatch Wakefield and Healthwatch North Yorkshire, is a summary of the key messages around people’s experience of mental health support across West Yorkshire.
The data comes from a range of sources including previous engagement work and research carried out in local areas by Healthwatch and third-sector and statutory partners, enquiries received by Healthwatch, feedback shared with West Yorkshire Voice and reports produced in local places and at a West Yorkshire level.
Mental health has been highlighted as one of the priority areas for improving health outcomes in the joint forward plan published by West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership in April 2023.
Based on what people have been telling us about mental health support, there has been little improvement or change over the last few years and in many instances things have got worse. The issues outlined in this report come from different geographical areas, populations, and services; however, there are consistent themes throughout. These issues are further exacerbated for people experiencing the greatest health inequalities, with many facing additional challenges.
People have also told us that they are tired of being asked about their experiences of mental health support and not seeing real change. They want to see outcomes based on the many experiences and personal stories that have already been shared.
This week, Healthwatch took part in the latest meeting of NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board to share the views and experiences of our communities and help improve local services.
UPDATE: NHS pledges to make improvements after people in Bradford district share experiences of dentistry
Since July, NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board has had responsibility for planning and organising NHS dental services, taking over from NHS England. In May, people from across the region shared their experiences to help the board plan what needs to happen next to improve services.
- A range of recommendations has been approved that seek to improve dentistry, for both patients and the profession, including improving communications.
- A proposal has been developed to invest an additional £4.5m this year. This investment will continue to help access to urgent dental care for all people.
- Working to be more flexible when commissioning dental services to help prevent bad experiences and difficulties getting to see a dentist.
- Establishing a local working group, open to patients (including private dental users), people without an NHS dentist, educators, dentists, GPs and parents. This is an opportunity to have your say, share experiences, and influence the delivery of dental services (see below).
- A frequently asked questions page has been set up to offer information to patients.
Healthwatch online dentistry event: October 3
We need your help, experiences and ideas to help shape the future of dentistry.
We want to hear from people who:
- do not have an NHS dentist
- have a private dentist
- are dentists
- are professionals working with people who struggle to access NHS dentistry
- have loved ones who’ve struggled to access NHS dentists
- have new ideas to help people access dentists in their local area
West Yorkshire NHS managers have dedicated £4.5 million over the next 12 months to understand how people want to access NHS dentists. We need you to tell us what’s worked, what hasn’t, what matters to you and what you think should change to improve dentistry care for everyone.
This online event is the first of many opportunities for people to talk about their experiences and share ideas about how we can improve dentistry in West Yorkshire. Future events may be in person across our region, where like-minded people can chat about their challenges and how we can make plans to improve.
Do you want to get involved in our work?
ENTER AND VIEW: Healthwatch Bradford and District has a legal power to visit health and social care services and see them in action. This power to Enter and View services offers a way for us to meet some of our statutory functions and allows us to identify what is working well with services and where they could be improved.
Being an Enter and View (Authorised Representative) Volunteer involves visiting health and social care settings across Bradford district to gather feedback and see how well the services are working.
This is a great opportunity to get involved and influence improvements in local health and social care. Training and support will be given by Healthwatch staff.
We would like to hear from you if:
- You are interested in making a difference to local health and social care services
- You enjoy talking to people from all backgrounds
- You can listen to and understand other people's views and experiences
YOUNG HEALTHWATCH: Are you aged 16 to 24 in Bradford district? Are you a passionate voice for your community, campaigner for change, social media expert, video guru or just love talking to others and making connections?
We can give you a platform to make sure young people's voices are listened to when it comes to developing health and social care services in our district. If you're in education, planning a career in health and social care, journalism or digital media, we can help you develop your skills and give you experience which will look great on CVs and applications.
If you're not, but want to shine a light on the issues that matter in your community or give a voice to those who go unheard, that's great too. This is a chance for all of Bradford's young people to set the agenda and shape the future of health and care services.
Latest from Healthwatch England
Third of people in England lack confidence they can access critical NHS services
New research from Healthwatch England shows worryingly low public confidence in being able to access NHS services. A third of adults in England lack confidence that they can access timely care, including GP services, mental health support and hospital care.
NHS to introduce Martha's rule for hospital patients - our response
Healthwatch has welcomed the introduction of Martha's rule for hospital patients.
The rule would act as an extra safeguard for patients or their loved ones who want a second opinion about treatment options, particularly in the event of a suspected deterioration or serious concern on the part of a patient on a hospital ward, or their family or carer.
The introduction of 'Martha's Rule' follows the powerful testimony of Merope Mills, the mother of a girl – Martha – who died of a preventable sepsis infection in hospital aged 13. She has described how families can find it difficult to be properly heard when their loved ones are seriously ill, sometimes with tragic and fatal consequences.
Our response to NHS England’s reduction in the number of cancer waiting times targets
Healthwatch England welcomes NHS England’s simplification of cancer waiting times data. A simplified care timeline can help patients and their loved ones to have a better understanding of what milestones and timelines they can expect during their cancer treatment journey.
What are people telling us about accessing and paying for social care?
Social care is a vital service that provides long-term support to over 818,000 adults in England to live as independently as possible.
However, unlike the NHS, social care is not free at the point of delivery. It is a means-tested service, and once your local authority has assessed your needs, most people end up contributing to the cost of their care.
Three big challenges facing social care:
- Rising demand: In recent years, there has been a rise in demand for social care due to an ageing population and the growing number of adults with disabilities. Local authorities received nearly two million requests for adult social care in 2021-22.
- Delays: Waiting for assessments, reviews, care, and support or direct payments can take months, leaving almost 500,000 people waiting for more than half a year.
- Staff shortages: There is also a shortfall in social care workers, resulting in over half a million hours of care not being provided to people who need it. In the meantime, unpaid carers often bear the brunt of long waiting times and cuts to adult social care local authority budgets.
Latest news from local health and care services
Local services affected by latest strikes
Junior doctors, consultants and radiographers are taking industrial action in September and October.
These planned actions will cause a shortage of doctors, consultants and radiographers in local hospitals.
New app supports heart patients' recovery
The cardiac rehabilitation team at Airedale Hospital are offering a new app to the region, specially designed to support patients with heart conditions during their recovery.
MyHeart is an app which supports patients with heart disease or who are recovering from cardiac surgery and helps to empower patients to manage their heart conditions for a lifetime.
Become a patient assessor and have your say on Airedale Hospital environment
Volunteers are needed by Airedale Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to become patient assessors.
Assessments of the hospital environment will take place in October and November across a range of wards and departments to help improve the experience for patients and visitors.
As part of a team, patient assessors come into hospital to assess how the environment supports the provision of compassionate and safe care by looking at the following areas:
- Privacy and dignity
- Food
- Cleanliness
- General building maintenance (condition)
- How well the environment is supporting the care of patients with dementia or a disability.
Bradford to lead national research on blood pressure management in older people to prevent falls
Ground-reaking research looking at whether better blood pressure management in older people can reduce the risk of falls and subsequent frailty will be carried out in Bradford.
One in three people over 65 will fall this year – often leading to immobility, hospital admissions, poor quality of life and general deconditioning which severely affects the person themselves, their families, carers and puts pressure on the health and social care system.
Bradford breast cancer patients benefit from innovative technology
It’s good news for breast cancer patients at Bradford Teaching Hospitals with the announcement that the Foundation Trust has been successful in achieving ongoing funding for Magseed technology – an innovation that helps a surgeon locate a tumour and increases the probability of completely removing it.
The initiative is a painless alternative to a traditional process of placing a wire in the tumour to guide the surgeon to the lesion during the operation.
Diary date: Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
The annual general meeting and annual members' meeting of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will take place on October 11.
New non-executive director appointed to care trust board
Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust has appointed Sally Napper as non-executive director to its trust board.
A registered nurse, Sally brings considerable senior level clinical leadership NHS experience to the trust, which provides mental health, community and learning disability services across Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven.
Have you contacted 999 or 111 about your mental health?
If you've contacted 999 or 111 about your mental health, Yorkshire Ambulance Service needs your opinion. This survey is designed to get feedback from patients and their friends and family about their care under the ambulance service.
Campaign launched to recruit Suicide Prevention Champions across West Yorkshire
Health leaders in West Yorkshire have issued a clarion call to all to become a Suicide Prevention Champion and join the effort to reduce the area’s above-average suicide rate.
The campaign aims to recruit a growing cohort of champions who are willing to take an active role in challenging stigma and raising awareness to help create a world where fewer people die by suicide.
Thornton care home Rose Cottage is rated inadequate and placed in special measures by regulator the Care Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Rose Cottage in Thornton inadequate - and placed it in special measures - following an inspection.
Rose Cottage in Kipping Lane is a residential care home which provides personal care for up to 16 people, some living with dementia or physical disabilities. At the time of this inspection there were 14 people using the service.
Advice, information and support
Find out if you're eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine
NHS England is moving forward the timetable for the autumn/winter COVID-19 and flu vaccine rollouts.
The NHS has started inviting people in priority order of risk. Those who are eligible for a vaccine will be able to book an appointment on the National Booking Service.
What help can you get to pay for your prescriptions?
The cost-of-living crisis is putting many people under financial strain, and prescription costs are more than some people can afford to pay.
Find out what help is available to help you cover the cost of your medication.
What mental health support is available for children and young people?
75% of children and young people who experience mental health problems aren't getting the help they need.