Our work for the Integrated Care Partnership
In March, Healthwatch Lancashire, along with our partners in Healthwatch Together, took part in engagement on behalf of the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP). Healthwatch Together comprises of, Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen and Healthwatch Blackpool, Healthwatch Cumbria and Healthwatch Lancashire.
Healthwatch Together gathered feedback from members of the public about the draft ICP. This includes details about how the ICP will provide support to residents of Lancashire and South Cumbria over the next five years.
The priorities are:
Starting well
Living Well
Working Well
Ageing Well
Dying Well
Healthwatch Together engaged with a total of 387 people, with Healthwatch Lancashire engaging with 194 of these. Healthwatch Together engaged with members of the public through 38 public engagement events including focus groups, pop-up events and attending community groups/events.
Below are some of the comments received about each priority.
Starting well
“If people were to access services how would this link with things like social care? This needs to be clearer.”
“More involvement from independent services. The council always passes you from A to B.”
Living well
“Mental health is a key priority…….I think it should have a category of its own”
“There needs to be free school meals for all families. Some don’t get them in half term if you have two parents who work, they don’t qualify. Even though there is in work poverty.”
Working well
“I can’t see anything for children with learning difficulties. They need support too into employment/ training.”
“In care they promote looking after your wellbeing but don’t act on it. They will ask me to do overtime and phone me when I am off with no concern for my wellbeing.”
Ageing well
“A lot of people haven’t got transportation. There’s so many things to go to but they can’t get there.”
“Most old people want to remain in their own home. It is very difficult to get care. This is a very big issue.”
Dying well
“Being put in end-of-life care doesn’t always mean it is imminent. There is a spectrum, and it needs to be defined better and more person centred.”
“They just give you a book on what to do next. It is a bit impersonal. I was handed it on the way out of intensive care when my dad died and just left with it. It was a bit inappropriate”
Feedback was also gathered about the accessibility and readability of the document. Comments were given about the need for clearer language, simpler words, less writing, an easy-read version and and more pictures.
This feedback has since been presented to the ICP for their consideration. Hopefully, as a result, the document will be made more accessible for all members of the public.
Thank you to everyone who engaged with us. As always, your feedback is invaluable.
Do you want to leave feedback about a health or social care service? You can here on our Independent Feedback Centre.