Mental Health in Bristol - a year long project
had used in the 12 months, how beneficial they were to them, what works well, and what could
be improved.
Key Points
- 1. Waiting times to access services were consistently mentioned. More needs to be done to promote other services or give people the tools to support themselves during waiting times – “a lot can happen to a human in 6 weeks”.
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2. There is a need to consider alternative therapies to medication, such as ‘green therapies’ and social prescribing, and giving patients more choice in the treatment(s) they would like to receive.
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3. Social connectivity, peer support, physical activity and learning new skills were consistently and positively mentioned. It was felt that these can help prevent issues arising, help accelerate recovery, and in the long term ease pressure on primary care services.
WHAT NEXT?
Healthwatch Bristol will share the findings of this work with mental health commissioners and providers in order to highlight what is working well and what could be improved. Where specific services have been named, we will seek a response to the points that have been made and track further activity taken to address concerns and improve services.
