Each month Healthwatch Sheffield collate enquiries from members of the public, feedback from voluntary sector colleagues, and stories shared on Care Opinion about issues Sheffield people have faced while trying to access health and social care services during the pandemic. Here’s what they’ve been hearing about in October.
Healthwatch Sheffield also conducted a survey from late May to late July to find out how changes in Health and Social Care services caused by the pandemic affected local people, and the way they access support.
A total of 567 people completed the survey through a variety of methods. Among the findings were that:
*Shielding was difficult and distressing for a lot of people, many of whom didn’t know what to do or where to seek support.
*The pandemic has had an impact on people’s mental health more so than their physical health. For those who needed mental health support, there were issues accessing services due to cancelled appointments, or feeling lost in the system.
*Many people couldn’t access support, due to appointment cancellations and service changes, as well as a fear of catching the virus in healthcare settings. Delayed treatment has left some people in pain.
*Remote appointments – lots of people have welcomed telephone appointments and the flexibility this offers, but others particularly those with communication needs like language barriers or sensory have found it difficult.
*There were issues with people’s social care support. Some people’s support packages were disrupted. Others struggled to access needs assessments, and there was a lack of clarity around funding. Front-line staff, however, were praised for their hard work.
Now Healthwatch has made recommendations to the people who design, pay for and deliver health and social care services. They realise that services will probably have to adapt again. and hope that these recommendations will help them to adapt in a way that meets the needs of Sheffield’s population, both in the short and long terms.
You can read the full report ‘Experiences of health, care and support services in Sheffield during the Covid-19 pandemic’ here. There is also a two-page summary of the findings.
If you need the report in a different format you can email info@healthwatchsheffield.co.uk or telephone 0114 253 6688.
