Agenda item

Update to be provided on:

·       Patient experiences from Healthwatch (Olivia Clymer, CEO of Healthwatch)

·       Experiences from the Local Account Group (Rachel Dickinson, Community Liaison, Adult Social Care, and 2-3 members of the Local Account Group)

Healthwatch Patient Experiences of COVID-19

6.1      Olivia Clymer (CEO, Healthwatch Central West London) and Carena Rogers (Programme Manager, Healthwatch Central West London) presented a report detailing resident experiences of Covid-19 from July to September 2020. It was explained that a variety of methods and channels had been used to gather the insights set out within the report with an additional focus on young people and local BAME communities.

6.2      The following key findings from the report were highlighted and discussed by the Board:

·                 Mental Wellbeing – this was an important issue being captured in all aspects of the survey responses. A particular concern was the impact on the mental health of young people and those vulnerable to the virus.

·                 Social Isolation and Loneliness – This was another important issue identified which related not just to a person’s home environment but also other aspects such as a person’s lack of outdoor space.

·                 Social Distancing – Many concerns were raised by respondents over the stress caused by people not social distancing or wearing face masks in their local area and how this would impact on them.

6.3          The Board discussed the impact of Covid-19 on the mental wellbeing of young people and how the BAME community had been disproportionately affected. It was also recognised that areas such as body image, social image and worries over academic achievement were particularly very high amongst young people and causes of severe stress. The Board noted that in addition there was a concern within the BAME community regarding the stigma of an individual, or family member, having received a positive Covid-19 test result. The importance of ensuring these areas of the community were supported was highlighted and noted by the Board.

6.4      Further concerns raised by local people included a lack of appointments at dentists and a lack of knowledge about Covid-19 and vaccines. It was explained that different options were being explored to ensure adequate information about services and support was disseminated to those areas of the community identified. This could potentially include information being provided at supermarkets, pharmacies or local faith groups to help assist and support those people requiring it. The Board thanked Healthwatch for producing a very informative report which highlighted the challenges faced by local people in terms of their social wellbeing and mental health.  The report’s findings were noted and would greatly assist in the process of engaging and supporting local communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

           Local Account Group Experiences of COVID-19

6.5      Rachel Dickinson and Nick Marchant (Community Liaison, Adult Social Care) provided a brief background to the Local Account Group (LAG) and introduced the following three members of the Group to discuss the challenges, difficulties and opportunities presented by Covid-19: Mike Hagan, U Hla Htay and Michael Wills.

6.6      In terms of challenges the Board was informed by the three members of the following difficulties experienced:

·       Lockdown had resulted in a lack of opportunities to participate in physical activities due to not being able to leave their house and the temporary closure of leisure centres and gyms;

·       Emotional challenges due to being unable to meet regularly with family members, in addition to the impact of deaths and the inability to see loved ones at their final moments;

·       Social isolation made worse for some by financial issues and poverty,
immobility and a lack of access to resources; and

·       Mental Health and well-being: an increase in anxiety and mental health issues where underlying disorders have been elevated. Also, people who were not aware they had mental health problems, now might develop mental health issues.

6.7      Despite these challenges the three LAG members explained that the Covid-19 pandemic had also presented opportunities, such as the following:

·       Taking advantage of technology: using Social Media apps to stay in touch with family and friends;

·       Spending so much time indoors was an opportunity to decorate their homes, do some gardening and meditate more;

·       It provided a chance to become more involved with community groups such as the Local Account Group, enabling members to share their lockdown experiences; and

·       Engaging with friends. Members were able to share their experiences and help support each other generating a greater community spirit.

6.8      The Board expressed its thanks to Mike Hagan, U Hla Htay and Michael Wills of the LAG for attending the meeting and sharing their experiences. The contributions the LAG provided to help improve the social care system in Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea was recognised by the Board as being particularly valuable.