Reflecting on 2019, and what we achieved
Mental Health Priority
In 2019, we have worked with young people to design, produce and pilot an interactive ‘Youth Activity Pack’ with a focus on young people’s health, wellbeing and, their mental health, self-esteem and resilience.This year, we will be sending out our pack to schools, colleges, youth groups, clubs and organisations to raise awareness and listen to young people’s voices.
General Practice and Community Care
In 2019, our local NHS Commissioning Groups and GP Surgeries across the county worked together to establish ‘Primary Care Networks’ (PCNs).
Our ‘Guide to PCN’s’ explains who these new GP groups are and what their role and function will be. You can see/download here our guide here: http://bit.ly/2s65iCc
In 2020 we will continue to work with our partners in Primary Care (GP Surgeries and Commissioners) as they develop the PCN’s further, recruit new staff and deliver their services in different ways – making sure that patients are informed and involved at every stage.
Adult Social Care
In 2019, we worked with partners in Adult Social Care and listened to service users and their families to look at the issues faced by Residential Care Homes who are ‘Requiring Improvement’ (according to the Care Quality Commission).
Our Care Home Project has been co-designed with our Authorised Representatives (Volunteers) and other stakeholders.
We aim to work closely with a small number of homes on their journey of improvement and solution-seeking. This year, we will mobilise our project teams in two local homes to pilot this project.
Hot Topics
In Spring 2019, Ofsted published a report following an inspection, which rated the Children’s Services delivered by West Sussex County Council as ‘Inadequate’.
A Sussex-wide Independent Review into Children and Young Peoples’ emotional and mental health service has formed, engaged with local people and is now looking at the themes, with the Chair drawing together findings and recommendations.
We have worked extensively with local people to ensure that we listen to and collect the views and lived experiences of those who have used – or tried to use – the services in question, feeding all our insight and evidence into the Review.
This year, we will continue to work with stakeholder partners as the recommendations and actions from the review are implemented, ensuring that the voice of local people and young people in particular, are integral to future plans and developments.
Pop-Up Events
In 2019, our Engagement Team has been visiting the length and breadth of the county, talking and listening to local people.
We have collected many hundreds of voices and lived experiences which we have fed into the health and care systems to influence decisions and plans.
We have popped-up at 16 libraries and attended/delivered more than 50 events.
In 2020, we will continue our pop-ups by visiting as many communities as we can, so we can listen and understand local issues. We already have events planned for the new year, see them here: http://bit.ly/36WBUgx
In 2019, our Liaison Representatives and Board Members attended many meetings and forums where discussions about the design, delivery, commissioning and transformation of health and care services were had.
With all the insight and lived experiences we hear from local people, our team has been able to take local people’s voices to these meetings and discussions – ensuring that those voices are heard and influence decisions.
We will continue to represent local people in this way into 2020!
Hospital Visiting Programme
In 2019, our Authorised Representatives (Volunteers) visited more than 40 hospital services in our county, looking and collecting insight about the environment, the patient experience on the quality of their care and the patient journey through the health care ‘system’.
Through these regular visits our team has been able to highlight issues raised by patients, influence improvements and follow up / monitor as improvements and changes have been made.
In 2020 we will continue to visit hospital services regularly.
Join our team! If you would like to join our hospital visiting team, please get in touch or click here for more information: http://bit.ly/2sKEhEm
Community Partnerships
In 2019, our Partnership work has taken off! We can only succeed in identifying the issues local people are facing and finding solutions or influencing decision-makers, if we work together with our community partners.
We worked with more than 50 local groups and organisations and have published 41 Spotlight Reports. See them here: http://bit.ly/2MueokH
We will continue to build on this valuable work in 2020 – If you know a group or organisation who would like to work with us, please get in touch!
Listening Tours
In 2019, we delivered two ‘Listening Tours’ which is an intensive engagement programme where we put our spotlight – and all our resources – into visiting and listening to one community.
Our two areas of focus this year were Broadbridge Heath and Bewbush. We also revisited other areas where we have published ‘Listening Tour Reports’ previously.
Our tours always bring us surprises and highlight issues that would otherwise remain hidden and forgotten.
You can see/read some of our tour reports here: http://bit.ly/2tDH3Ma
