How will we make a difference in 2024-25?

Report - 28 February 2024

Our workplan sets out the areas of health and social care we will be looking at over the coming financial year. It also outlines the research we plan to carry out in order to help improve local services.

Public feedback and people's experiences help form our work plan. The areas that we will focus on are decided by our staff and volunteers at meeting that is held every year.

What will be we focusing on in 2024-25?

North Somerset: pharmacies

In North Somerset, we will be looking at people's experiences of pharmacies and pharmacy services. We would like to find out more about:

Pharmacy First.
The impact of medication shortages.
The impact of local pharmacies closing.
The workload of local pharmacies and pharmacists, especially after the introduction of the Pharmacy First initiative.
GPs referring patients to pharmacies.
If people are aware of the services pharmacies offer.

Bristol: online health services

In Bristol, we will be looking at people's experiences of online health services. We would like to find out more about:

Digital exclusion. There are many reasons someone may not be able to access online health services. This includes not having a smart phone, not being confident or able to use the internet, and not having internet access at home.
Video/telephone consultations with a health professional, such as a GP.
How people feel about face-to-face and online triage services

South Gloucestershire: palliative and end of life care

Palliative care is available when you first learn you have a life-limiting (terminal) illness. You might be able to receive palliative care while you are still receiving other therapies to treat your condition.

End of life care is a form of palliative care you receive when you're close to the end of life.

Find out more about palliative and end of life care on the NHS website.

In South Gloucestershire, we will be looking at people's experiences of palliative and end of life care. We would like to find out more about:

Improvements that individuals and loved ones would make to palliative and end of life care.
How individuals and loved ones can share their feedback about palliative and end of life care.
The accessibility of palliative and end of life care for all, irrespective of age, area, condition, and local pathways.
How care can be personalised to meet the needs of every person.

Enter and View visits

As a local Healthwatch, we are able to visit health and social care services (such as hospitals and GP surgeries) and see them in action. This is called 'Enter and View'. Our goal is to identify what's working well and where improvements are needed.

Find out more about Enter and View.

In 2024-25, we hope to visit:

A pharmacy, to learn more about communication between pharmacies and patients.
A pain clinic, to better understand what support is offered to patients.

Research in 2024-25

We also plan to look at the wide-ranging concerns from patients about NHS dentistry:

Patients being 'deregistered' from their usual NHS dentist.
Dental care for children, with a focus on children in care and care leavers.
Prevention of dental issues.
Inequalities in access to NHS dentistry.
Orthodontal care and orthodontal care for teenagers.
Dental school training.

If you are affected by any of the issues above, please share your feedback with us. Click here to complete our online feedback form.