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Care Through Communications
In autumn 2021, we commissioned the independent charity Healthwatch Essex to support the creation of a joint patient engagement strategy. This comprised of patient focus groups and interviews. Our new strategy includes a citizens panel led by MSECC and our partners to ensure our information is accessible and represents a wide demographic of patient voices.
Mid and South Essex Community Collaborative
For every UCRT referral, an average of 7.2 acute bed days are saved, with an estimated cost avoidance of £308 per bed day.
In December last year, UCRT was featured on ITV News, for which they interviewed a 77-year-old patient who described the service as “amazing”. The service has also been commended by central government, with Health Secretary Sajid Javid visiting UCRT at Rochford Community Hospital. He described the work
A series of focus groups were conducted across all service user demographics, including:
Young Mental Health Ambassadors Sensory Impaired service users
LD and Autism service users
Carers
Physical impairment service users
Service users who have accessed mental health services
Elderly and frail service users
We now have a strategy that represents the voices of the citizens of Essex. Community engagement feedback examples:
Accessible information is vital. The number of times I have been sent a letter providing me an update or appointment. I’m blind, how am I supposed to know what it says?
Person with sensory loss
I am fine meeting face to face, but I do not have the confidence to use Zoom and Teams by myself. I have found it difficult recently.
Person with learning difficulties
I don’t always access my emails and don’t use any social media. I much prefer a phone call or a letter with a name of a person I need to speak to if I need help.
Service user and lived experience volunteer I just feel sometimes we carers are excluded; we are experts in caring for our loved one but it seems we aren’t important and are forgotten about.
Person with caring responsibility
