Agenda item

To receive an update from Healthwatch Wiltshire.

The Board received a report and update from Stacey Sims (Manager, Healthwatch Wiltshire) Zoe Millington (Wiltshire CIL) and Amanda Attwood (Mental Health Forum). The item covered the following matters:

Work around Autism spectrum conditions

·       Joint work was conducted with the Wiltshire Service Users Network (WSUN) in late 2020/2021, with 2 surveys ran for people with Autism spectrum conditions and then one for their carers. The surveys gained feedback from 102 people, which included the experiences of service users, highlighting that people had felt that they didn’t get enough support in terms of their condition. Potential solutions to improve experiences were suggested, such as an easy-to-read directory of services offered as well as site maps and additional staff training.

Wiltshire Mental Health Open Forum

• The Forum was established in July 2020, ran jointly between Healthwatch Wiltshire, mental health service users and the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP). The Forum runs monthly and offers a space for service users as well as those who support them, to speak directly to those running mental health services, allowing them to get involved in the designing of services whilst identifying potential gaps. The Forum also created a resources list which having been downloaded over 400 times,  sharing information about the local support available.
• Over the past year, the Forum has met 12 times with a guest speaker each time, averaging an attendance of 25 people, which with the feedback provided has helped to shape 4 services.

The future of mental health support

• Healthwatch Wiltshire has hosted workshops with the Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living (CIL) as well as the Wiltshire Parent Council; with 3 sessions were held online, in Banes, Swindon and Wiltshire. The workshops identified prevention as a key theme; a need for local communities to utilise local assets; for support to be provided on a variety of platforms in a timely, realistic and sustainable manner; with support provided co-produced and strengths based.
• Since the workshops, a number of recommendations have been identified and a number of organisations have reached out to share experiences through a workshop specifically for organisations. The feedback provided was similar to what was presented from those with lived experiences and a report is now being produced.

Evaluation of Wiltshire Council’s Advice and Contact Service

• A survey was sent out by the Advice and Contact team to callers, as well as the completion of telephone interviews. A mystery shopping exercise was also completed, with volunteers making calls to the Advice and Contact team based on 5 differing scenarios. In total the survey received feedback from 44 people.
• Overall 63% of those surveyed were very satisfied or satisfied with the service, however some were dissatisfied in follow up support or the advice and information given.
• As a result Healthwatch have since worked with the team to produce a checklist to add consistency to calls.

In addition, the Board noted comments on the following matters:

• It was clarified that in regard to the Forum, there is no limit to who can attend, with positive engagement from partners to work with those with lived experiences.
• Reassurance was provided that the Forum concept could potentially work in areas other than mental health.
• The Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living has a contract for youth engagement and over the past 6 months a project has taken place looking at themed areas. A report is due to be released in early 2022, with their being an opportunity for the Health and Wellbeing Board to pose questions.

Decision – The Wiltshire Health and Wellbeing Board accepted the following recommended proposals:

i) Notes the key messages from the report.

ii) Confirms its commitment to listening to the voice of local people to

influence commissioning and service provision.