Reaching out to our local community
There are a huge number of factors that can influence your experience of health and social care services. Culture, location, wealth, education, environment and discrimination can lead to worse health outcomes. This must change, which is why we strive to make sure we hear from as wide a range of our diverse community as possible.
Our goal is to help services improve the care they provide. We use your feedback to let people with the power to make key decisions understand where things are working well and where change is needed. Our dedicated and committed volunteers play a vital role in assisting our staff team in all our work, by listening to and collecting your experiences, connecting with people in the community, and supporting our in-depth research.
Making a difference to our local community
Improving your care while waiting for surgery
Our work with a local hospital trust has led to a range of measures to improve the experiences of people on a waiting list for surgery. Keeping people updated about their place on a list and taking personal needs (such as housing and social support) into consideration are two of the steps that are being taken.
Supporting older adults to access online health services
In 2022-23, we supported more than 1000 people and held almost 150 learning sessions to help older adults learn about the NHS app and develop the skills to order prescriptions, view test results, book GP appointments, and access online consultations.
Helping new parents access local support services
Becoming a new parent comes with challenges, and it's important to get support from your health visitor. We've been working with Bristol's health visiting team, who have now improved the information they give to parents, particularly around feeding.
Improving the hospital discharge process for patients
After collating the experiences of experiences of people involved with hospital discharges, local NHS leaders have pledged clearer information, better communication with patients and carers, and £17m investment into the discharge to assess model.
Putting patients at the heart of general practice
Patients have long valued the relationship between themselves and their doctor, but during the pandemic it became clear that people wanted greater opportunities to have their say in the way services are delivered. We helped establish a new network of patients and professionals across Bristol.
Making GP websites easier to use
Many of us use our GP practice website to find out vital information such as out-of-hours care and making a complaint. When we discovered that many were difficult to navigate, we created a tool to help practices improve their websites for patients.
Caring for someone with dementia? You can now find support more quickly
Caring for someone with dementia can be challenging, and carers often report feelings of guilt, confusion, and anger. We spoke to carers across Bristol to find out what help they needed, and put together a resource to help them access support.
