By Tanya Camberwell, Healthwatch Somerset Engagement Officer Imagine my surprise when in the third week of July, I received a letter that I wasn’t expecting, and from the outside, appeared to be from NHS England.  I was being asked to participate in a COVID-19 testing national study to help measure the frequency of cases.  The test would only show if I had COVID-19 at the time of my swab, this is an antigen test so would not show if I had previously contracted the virus. The study is being conducted by the Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI, (an independent research organisation), on behalf of the Department for Health and Social Care. How I got involved To participate I had to register and agree that I was willing to take part; I chose to sign up online but there was also the option to register over the phone.  It was a straightforward process that took me less than five minutes, I had a unique code to register with and was asked a few general questions. Taking the test The test kit and instructions were delivered to me the following week, the kit included: one swab, a swab container, collection labels, a biohazard bag, a collection box (flat packed but really easy to assemble), a security seal for the box, and instruction booklet (pictured right). The test needs to be done on the day of the collection, so the very first step was to book a collection date.  Once again, I did this online and selected a day suitable for me from a choice of dates, (these did include a Saturday collection too).  It was not possible to book a time slot for the collection, but the instructions advised I would be contacted with given slot on the chosen day of collection. The booklet that came with the test gave clear and simple instructions about when and how to take the test on the day of your booked collection.  There is also the option to watch a video online about how to take the test correctly.  The instructions would not have suited people with sight or reading difficulties and were only written in English, however I did not investigate if there were any other formats available and there is a helpline telephone number that maybe able to assist with these needs. The test must be performed before 08:00am, (which is the earliest collection time), then it must be bagged, boxed, and stored in the fridge until it is collected.  The trickiest, and slightly uncomfortable, part of the whole process was the throat swab which couldn’t touch any other part of your mouth or teeth and was a bit scratchy.  I had to swab both sides of the back of my throat where my tonsils are for about 10 seconds and then swab both nostrils (about 2.5cm up) for the same length of time.  As you must use the same swab for both areas it is really important to do your throat first… The swab has a break off point, this is so it fits in the container and the sample is not contaminated by the end that is held in your fingers.  I then put my unique identifying label on the container and put the container in the biohazard bag which also had to be labelled.  The final step was to put the bag in the, now assembled, box then seal that with the security seal and add the final unique box label. The whole process took a lot longer to explain than it did to perform including the final step of completing the online survey which consisted of questions about my weight, height, age, and so on.  There is the option of ‘prefer not to say’ for each question and measurements did not need to be exact.  This type of information is important for research to help identify any trends in different groups of people such as location, ethnography, and social determinants of health. Test collection Just after 8am on the day of my collection I received a text message that gave me a time slot of two hours for the collection of my test.  The courier arrived within the timeframe and was wearing PPE, they kept a two-metre distance and I had to place my sealed box in the container provided.  They were polite and courteous, and I wasn’t required to sign or touch anything that they were handling. Receiving the results Three days later I received a text and email with my test results, I had tested negative and this was confirmed with a letter though the post a few days later. Making a difference Taking part in this study has been interesting and I feel like I have contributed to a wider cause.  A little bit of my time and insignificant tickle on my throat is the least I can do to help, it is nothing compared to the difficulties key workers, unpaid carers, and some family members have faced during such challenging times.  I have even signed up to take part in further research, so who knows I may get a chance to do a bit more in future.

We gathered the views of those currently using the District Nursing Service. We wanted to know what the current strengths and weaknesses were in the delivery of the service to patients in Somerset. Recommendations It is clear throughout the experiences we gathered that the current service provided by Somerset District Nurses is very well received by patients, their carers, and family members. Maintaining and building on this level of service should be at the heart of any proposed changes to the DNS. Increasing the hours of service, so that routine visits can take place during weekends and evenings where appropriate, would be beneficial for both service users and staff. Consideration into the suitability of the appointment day/time must be given on an individual basis to maintain equal access for all. The data suggests that, at present, any move to digital appointments would need to be sympathetic of those who are digitally excluded, such as those who do not have an internet connection or a device for accessing the internet. Investigate the possibility of introducing a time slot system such as AM or PM where capacity allows, this would be especially useful for patients with memory loss or mental confusion. Improving continuity of care by providing a consistent nurse, or group of nurses, for long term service users and those with cognitive impairment, should be given significant consideration. Read our report If you need this report in a different format, please email  info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk  or call 0800 999 1286.

In our recent survey, patients who are waiting for planned surgery in Somerset reported a lack of communication from hospitals and many felt their health and wellbeing had deteriorated while waiting for treatment. Earlier in the year, Somerset’s NHS leaders asked us to help them understand how people are being affected by waiting for surgery to inform their ongoing work to improve support for patients. We ran an online public survey from July to September 2021 and carried out phone interviews with patients from Musgrove Park and Yeovil District Hospitals who responded to an invitation to take part.  Seventy-two people provided feedback about their experience of waiting for treatment. At the end of March 2021, a total of 6,382 people in Somerset were waiting for planned surgery, which is a 62.1% increase compared to March 2020, just before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.  Despite the backlogs and other challenges faced by the NHS, there were 2,568 completed surgeries in Somerset during March 2021.  Nationally there are 5.7 million people waiting for hospital care. Key survey findings 48 of the 72 patients who responded (65%) said they had been waiting over 40 weeks for surgery and many did not know how much longer they would have to wait.  (The NHS performance standard is a maximum 18 weeks waiting time from referral to treatment.) A common theme among those who completed the survey was a lack or absence of communication by specialists with patients who were waiting. Many survey respondents reported that while waiting they felt they had experienced a deterioration in their condition, reduced mobility, and mood changes, which impacted on their daily lives. 35 of the 46 people who commented said they had to rely on family and/or friends to help them manage their daily tasks. We shared detailed findings with Somerset NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and Yeovil District Hospital, and made several recommendations on how to improve support for patients while they wait for treatment. Healthwatch Somerset recommendations for change and improvement Improve communication: Specialists and their teams should communicate frequently with all patients waiting for treatment and provide them with information about plans for their care. Patients should be given an up to date ‘package’ of information, including FAQs, advice and contact details for a wide range of useful health and community care services and support groups. Provide more support to meet individual patients’ needs: Patients should be treated as individuals with specific needs. Specialist treatment teams should work with GPs to check on patients’ health and wellbeing regularly and systematically, to quickly identify potential issues and provide timely intervention, treatment, and support. Patients who are unpaid carers should be identified and additional supported should be provided to help them manage their own health and wellbeing, which also affects those they care for. In our new report,   The impact of waiting for NHS surgery in Somerset , we suggest practical solutions to help services achieve these improvements and presents patients’ experiences and feedback.  The report also includes a response to our recommendations from Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group and a joint response from Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and Yeovil District Hospital. Gillian Keniston-Goble, Healthwatch Somerset Manager said : “Measures are being put in place by the NHS to tackle the backlog, but long waiting lists look set to continue for some time due to increased unprecedented demand on services.  There is particular concern for people who experience long waits as this increases the potential for patients to develop additional issues with their physical health and emotional wellbeing.  Although long waits are not the norm, we heard from many people waiting longer than the NHS maximum wait of 18 weeks from referral to treatment.  While waiting lists are inevitable, it is clear from our research in Somerset, and from national  Healthwatch England research , that what matters is how waiting lists are managed – patients need more information and better support while they wait, to prevent deterioration in their health and wellbeing.” NHS Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)  thanked Healthwatch Somerset for providing “valuable insight into the impact that long waiting times can have on our patients within the system.”  They continued: “The CCG and health and care partners recognise that waiting for planned care can be an anxious time for patients.  Alongside our recovery plan programme, we have been working together to develop our preventative programmes to help support people as they wait for treatment… the survey has already had a significant impact on the improvement work that is being carried out by our Acute Trusts and the CCG will continue to work with all providers in supporting further improvements for the benefit of our patients.” Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and Yeovil District Hospital Foundation Trust , welcomed the Healthwatch Somerset research, commenting: “While the increases in the length of time patients are waiting for their planned surgery have been unavoidable, it is important that we remember the very real impact these waits have on each patient individually and we welcome the Healthwatch report in providing this snapshot of people’s experiences and the recommendations on how to improve our communications with these patients. “Reducing these waits is a key priority and we would like to thank all our staff who are working exceptionally hard to implement practical steps to make a difference in these extraordinary times.  We acknowledge the importance of communicating well with our patients and, since the report was concluded, we have taken a number of steps for those waiting the longest, with plans to develop this further, while balancing the demands on our services.  We are committed to working in partnership with patients and their families.” Sybil, age 86, from West Somerset: 17-month wait for hip surgery Sybil, a former nurse, is 86 and lives alone in West Somerset.  She has always been active and drives to see her friends and to the shops.  Driving allows her to maintain independence and to provide help to others – in fact, she is the go-to person for her friends who ask for lifts for things like shopping and appointments. She had a lower leg amputated in 2008 and was waiting for a hip replacement surgery on her ‘good’ leg.  After her first X-ray, Sybil was referred in October 2019, to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.  She saw the surgeon in February 2020 but then, the COVID-19 pandemic began and so did the delays in treatment. Sybil wasn’t told when the surgery would take place or provided with support.  She phoned the hospital admissions line and the surgeons office every two weeks to check on progress and to remind them she was in pain.  She eventually had surgery in March 2021, 17 months after being referred for treatment. Sybil said: “The waiting time was dreadful.  I was in constant pain and at times thought I couldn’t go on any longer.  I felt suicidal in December 2020.  Due to my amputated leg, I use mobility aids to get around, but I developed a shoulder injury that was so painful I couldn’t move.  I had lost a lot of my independence and had to turn to painkillers to ease my pain while waiting for surgery.” Sybil’s outcome is good.  She said: “When the day finally came, I felt extremely well looked after by the NHS.  The surgery went very well too.  I have now regained my independence and joy of life.  You wouldn’t even know there had been anything wrong with that hip.”

A new public survey has been launched to find out more about local people’s experiences of using the NHS 111 service in the region. 111 is the NHS non-emergency number. When you call 111 you speak to a highly trained telephone adviser, supported by healthcare professionals (nurses or paramedics). They ask you a series of questions to assess your symptoms which allows them to direct you to the best medical care for your needs. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with calls free from landlines and mobile phones. NHS 111 is also available as an online service:  111.nhs.uk . Devon Doctors is the lead provider for urgent care in the region, offering 24/7 access to urgent care services including NHS 111 and Out-of-hours services in the South West. We are the local consumer champion for health and social care services, and will once again be independently collating public feedback from anyone who has recently used the NHS 111 service in the Somerset, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay areas. In Winter 2020/21 local Healthwatch in Somerset, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay conducted a similar public survey and published a  report  which showed that the accuracy and quality of the service people received was not consistent, despite many people rating their experience highly. At the time, Devon Doctors supported recommendations made in the report, and said it would help shape an improvement plan to address public concerns. Local Healthwatch have joined forces again to launch a follow up survey to see if improvements have been made, and to ensure that the people using the NHS 111 service have their say on the way it is delivered to them. All responses will be anonymous, and the information provided will be used to inform a new joint Healthwatch report which will be shared with NHS 111 and the health and social care regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The Healthwatch online survey runs from 13 September to 24 October 2021. It only takes a few minutes to complete. [Survey closed] Members of the public can also speak to their local Healthwatch directly to share their experience of NHS 111 or receive support completing the survey. For Healthwatch Somerset call Freephone 0800 999 1286, or for Healthwatch Devon, Plymouth and Torbay call Freephone 0800 520 0640. Judith Goodchild, Chair of the Healthwatch Somerset Board, said: “Understanding people’s experiences of using vital health and care services such as NHS 111, allows us to highlight where there are areas for improvement as well as areas of strength. By sharing this insight with those responsible for commissioning and delivering services, we can drive positive change and improve standards of care. Your feedback really will make a difference to the quality of the local NHS 111 service and to people’s lives, so do please share your views with us by completing our survey or contacting your local Healthwatch.” A spokesperson for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) commented: “Local Healthwatch in Somerset, Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay are working in partnership with CQC to invite members of the public to tell us what they think of the services provided by Devon Doctors. Their views and experiences will help CQC inspectors decide what to look at when they inspect the services provided by in the future. People are being encouraged to tell the team about their experiences of services provided by Devon Doctors in the past year and to say where they would like to see improvements made in the future.”

People who use NHS 111 in Devon and Somerset have reported ongoing concerns about the quality of the service, with the most common complaints being about long waiting times and difficulty getting through on the phone. This is a follow up to the original report published January 2021. Recommendations Recommendations that require NHS England action Reducing waiting times for arranged call-backs and inbound calls. Improvements to the call-handling procedures and staff training surrounding these processes. Review the pre-recorded messages and frontline options for patients before they are connected to a call operator. Recommendations that may be actionable locally Ensure that training is consistent for all staff so that delivery of the assessment and conclusions are of the same standard for all patients. Improve procedures surrounding calls relating to patients with mental health problems to ensure they are handled with empathy and diverted to the correct support. Consider the viability/benefits of a call-logging system that provides a point of reference, so that if patients need to call back, a record of their previous call is easy for the call operator to access and review. Read our report If you need this report in a different format, please email  info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk  or call 0800 999 1286.

Healthwatch Somerset Annual Report 2021-22: A review of our work over the past year and its impact, plus our work planned for 2022-23. Message from our Chair About us Highlights from our year Listening to your experiences Advice and information Volunteers Finances and future priorities Statutory statements Read our report If you need this report in a different format, please email  info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk  or call 0800 999 1286.

By Gillian Keniston-Goble, Healthwatch Somerset Manager Healthwatch Somerset staff and volunteers took to the road during May, visiting community locations to talk to people in 12 of the 13 Primary Care Network areas across the county. The aim of our roadshow was to tell people about Healthwatch Somerset and the service we offer, and we were also carrying out a survey to find out about people’s experiences of using GP websites to access information. We were joined on the roadshow by staff from the Somerset’s NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, who were asking the public about communications around the new Community Pharmacy Service in Somerset. We launched the roadshow in Taunton on Monday 9 May, with a visit from the Mayor of Taunton, Cllr Sue Lees.  She kindly came along to meet staff and talk to the Chair of our Board Judith Goodchild. We wanted to reach out and speak to as many people as possible over the two weeks of the roadshow.  We visited a variety of venues, including community hospitals, medical centres, supermarkets, street markets, garden centres and town centres; in a variety of locations across the county including Minehead, Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea, Wellington, Shepton mallet, Cheddar, Chard, Yeovil, Wincanton, Street, Frome and Somerton. We were incredibly lucky with the weather, mainly dry, a couple of days of lovely sunny days, and a nice breeze on the coast. We met some wonderful people who shared their experiences with us, so thank you to you to everyone who took the time to come along and have a chat. We spoke to 363 people across Somerset and 242 people answered our survey about GP websites. We are currently analysing everyone’s feedback and will publish our report later in the summer.

Healthwatch England, is warning that six-week postnatal checks – required of GPs in England – are failing many new mothers. As part of their review of maternal mental health care, the patient champion has analysed experiences of pregnancy and post-natal care since April 2020, shared by 2,693 new mothers and birthing parents from across England. The analysis suggests that not all GP practices comply with the requirement to provide six to eight-week postnatal checks. And where those checks take place, it is not clear that GP practices are aware of NICE guidance which tells them in detail how to spot mental health problems and provide help. Healthwatch is now calling for improved consistency of postnatal six-week checks, monitoring of their delivery, and boosting support for GPs to provide quality mental health care for new mothers. Key findings The experiences of 2,693 new mothers and birthing parents were reviewed in a deep dive analysis of maternal mental health support in England. Over one in 10 women (16%) of new mothers and birthing parents who shared their experiences said they hadn’t received the six to eight-week postnatal check, which NHS England established in 2020 to make sure new mothers feel well and are recovering properly. Of those who received the six-week checks, only one in five (22%) said they were satisfied with the time their GP spent talking to them about mental health. Nearly half (44%) of all respondents felt that the GP did not spend enough time talking to them about their mental health, while a third, 30%, said that their GP didn’t mention this during the check. One in seven (15%) said they had had their six-week check over the phone, with many new parents finding it hard to verbalise their mental health struggles and discuss physical issues. In the worst cases, respondents felt the way their mental health issues were discussed was inappropriate and potentially harmful.   Whilst the survey participants were self-selected, their views are likely to reflect those of a significant group of recently pregnant people. In April 2020, the Government introduced the six to eight-week postnatal check after Healthwatch England shared the experiences of almost 1,800 women on mental health during their journey to parenthood. General practitioners in England have since been contractually obliged and paid to assess new mothers’ mental health and wellbeing, providing an opportunity for referral to specialist services and additional support. Crucially, the checks must take place separately from a postnatal check focused on the health of the baby. Healthwatch England undertook this research between October and December of 2022 to find out to what extent mental health support has improved during and after pregnancy. Their analysis also found the following:   Two-thirds (1,800) of the women and birthing parents who shared their experiences had struggled with their mental health during and after pregnancy. Nearly half of those (41%) received no support to help with their mental health during and post-pregnancy. Delays in accessing mental health support can have a devastating impact on new parents, with some reporting they had struggled to leave the house, bond with their child and maintain relationships. First-time mothers are particularly vulnerable to developing mental health problems and are less likely to access timely care. The findings come after the Care Quality Commission warned  of a “concerning decline” in women’s experiences with maternity services due to a shortage of frontline staff. Also, last year, a report by MBRRACE highlighted that in 2020, women were three times more likely to die by suicide during or up to six weeks after the end of pregnancy, compared to 2017-19.  This is equivalent to 1.5 women per 100,000 giving birth. Louise Ansari, National Director at Healthwatch England, said: "With mental ill health affecting up to a third of new and expectant mums, six-week postnatal checks are key to assessing their wellbeing after the birth. If left untreated, poor mental health can have a devastating impact on new parents and their families. "Unfortunately, our findings show that although most new mothers and birthing parents are likely to be invited to a postnatal consultation, these are frequently carried out as a tick-box exercise, where mental health is not treated as a priority or not assessed at all. "Monitoring the delivery of six-week checks should be the first step to ensuring there’s a consistent approach to offering quality mental health support to all new mothers. NHS England should consider what additional support and guidance it can provide to GPs so that the help new parents get is of the best quality. "We also need to ensure that maternal mental health and peri-natal services continue to remain on the government’s agenda and a priority in workforce planning and funding budgets." Healthwatch England have made five recommendations to help ensure every new mother and birthing parent receive the six-week check, and that it is of the highest quality: Integrated Care Systems should monitor the delivery of six- week postnatal consultations as part of their primary care commissioning responsibilities. NHS England should update the GP contract to make clear that mental health reviews at the six-week postnatal check should be part of an open-ended discussion. NHS England should update the GP contract to include mention of signposting to specialist and community mental health support services at the six-week week check. As part of its Maternity Transformation Programme, NHS England should consider what additional support and guidance it can provide for GPs to have quality conversations about mental health at the six-week postnatal check. Deliver the Long-Term Plan commitments on improving access to perinatal mental health services, including through more perinatal mental health outreach clinics around the country.

It's so important that you feel supported as a new parent. Read the article below to find out where you can go to get the help you need. Your mental health is important, both for your wellbeing and your child’s. It’s important that you feel supported throughout your journey of becoming a parent and have a safe space to talk about how you are feeling. Take a look at the information below to find out where you can go to get the support you and your family need.  Are mental health problems common during and after pregnancy? Yes, you are not alone in how you feel.  NICE guidelines  say that depression and anxiety are the most common mental health problems during pregnancy, with around 12% of women experiencing depression and 13% experiencing anxiety at some point; many women will experience both. Depression and anxiety also affect 15‑20% of women in the first year after childbirth. How will my mental health be affected during pregnancy? How your mental health is affected during pregnancy depends on many things. These include: The type of mental illness you have had already. Stopping medication for a mental health problem - you have a high risk of relapse if you do this when you become pregnant. This is more likely if you have had a severe illness, several episodes of illness or a recent episode. Recent stressful events in your life (such as a death in the family or a relationship ending). How you feel about your pregnancy - you may or may not be happy about being pregnant. Upsetting memories about difficulties in your own childhood. Where can I go for support? In our report -  Mental health and the journey to parenthood  - a third of women (33%) who had a diagnosed mental health condition said they were not given any advice about maternity and mental health at any point. If you live in the UK and are looking for extra support or advice urgently, whether it be on behalf of you or a loved one, there are a number of services you can approach.  If you're in a crisis and need urgent help: If you don't feel you can keep yourself safe right now, seek immediate help by visiting your nearest  Accident & Emergency (A&E) department  or call 999. If you need urgent support but don't want to go to A&E: call Samaritans on freephone 116 123 – they're always open and are there to listen contact your GP surgery and ask for an  emergency appointment contact  NHS 111 visit  Mind's website  for more information  Talk to your health professional During pregnancy, you can talk to your midwife, GP or health visitor at any time if you're worried about your mental health. They should ask if you have ever had problems with your mental health in the past, and whether you have been bothered by feeling down, hopeless or unable to enjoy things lately. Don't be afraid to tell your midwife or health visitor how you're feeling. This can help them to identify if you are unwell or might become unwell. Questions to ask about mental health problems in pregnancy and the year after birth Knowing the right questions to ask can be difficult, particularly when you are feeling worried or stressed. Take a look a these questions put together by NICE to help you discuss your condition or the treatments you have been offered. Find support local to you Netmums provide a search for local mental health support by area or postcode. Take a look at the mental health support available in your area using the link below. If you need further help in finding the right support get in touch .  Other services that can provide you with support Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) Postpartum psychosis is a rare but serious mental health illness that can affect a woman soon after she has a baby. Find out more about the symptoms  here .  APP offer a peer support service, connecting women and families to recovered volunteers, via: an online peer support forum; one to one email support; meeting a volunteer programme (Skype and in person); social groups and creative workshops. Guidance for women and their partners that have experienced Postpartum Psychosis can be found  here . www.app-network.org app@app-network.org Association of Postnatal Illness Postnatal depression is a type of depression that many parents experience after having a baby. It's a common problem, affecting more than 1 in every 10 women within a year of giving birth. It can also affect fathers and partners. Find out more about the symptoms  here . Get in touch for some friendly advice, or just to talk.  10am – 2pm – 0207 386 0868 info@apni.org apni.org Maternal OCD Maternal OCD  refers to new mums experiencing obsessions and compulsions. Whilst they may vary from patient to patient, a common underlying factor is high levels of responsibility for preventing harm or mistakes. Get in touch with Maternal OCD for more information and to enquire about their peer support.  www.maternalocd.org info@maternalocd.org PANDAS PANDASD help to support and advise any parent experiencing a perinatal mental illness. They can also advise and guide family members, carers, friends and employers as to how they can support someone who is suffering. www.pandasfoundation.org.uk/ 9am-8pm daily – 0843 2898 401 info@pandasfoundation.org.uk Tamba Twinline is Tamba’s listening service for parents of twins, triplets and more. All the calls are answered by volunteers who have multiples themselves. 10am - 1pm and 7pm - 10pm daily - 0800 138 0509 www.tamba.org.uk/support/twinline asktwinline@tamba.org.uk Tommy’s Tommy’s offers support to women who have suffered the loss of a baby as well as support for those who have had a difficult or traumatic pregnancy, birth or postnatal period. Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm - 0800 0147 800 midwife@tommys.org www.tommys.org/about-us Thank you to the Maternal Mental Health Alliance for working with us to put this list together. Take a look at their work  online .

Our Enter and View Team engaged with members of public at Musgrove Park Hospital. We spoke to people and recorded their comments about health and social care services, and we gave out dozens of leaflets, and ‘How Connected Are You?’ Surveys. Key findings Commentator said that they had suffered with mental ill health, and had recently been treated at Rydon. Despite being a condition that needs hospital input they informed us they had been discharged by West Somerset CMHT this year, and had to go back to the GP for a new referral to Somerset Partnership when they next become unwell with this condition. This takes time to process. The commentator felt they had been discharged as the care co-ordinator had left and had not been re-recruited, and that they had not been discharged based on assessment of clinical need but rather by internal vacancies. The commentator had heard that the service use an orange card system which acts as a fast track back to help with mental health from the Somerset Partnership, however they were not offered this. Commentator told us they had nothing but praise for the Beacon Centre and the staff who work there. Their partner had been efficiently diagnosed referred and treated. Commentator said that they are visiting their husband daily, as he is critically ill and the parking charges are over £80 per week. Commentator thought this was awful. Commentator told us that they had observed poor cleaning and handwashing from staff on Dunkery Ward when moving between patients. Commentator said the floors did not seen to be mopped for days. Commentator said his father had a stroke, but symptoms were not picked up by the GP, only later when he took him to A&E. Commentator said that his relative’s needs were not addressed and that they had not been treated with dignity and respect while currently being treated on Dunkery Ward. Staff had hurried him to eat and not taken advice from relatives about things that distress the patient. The commentator had raised concerns with ward staff and found their response hostile. The commentator was advised to talk to PALS and given information about SWAN Advocacy. This report was produced by the previous Healthwatch Somerset service provider, The Care Forum. Read our report If you need this report in a different format, please email info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk or call 0800 999 1286.

Early Supported Discharge is a service that aims to help patients who have suffered a stroke to be discharged from hospital sooner and to carry out rehabilitation at home rather than in hospital. Four focus groups were held across the county: 21 April - South Petherton Community Hospital 26 April - Williton Community Hospital 3 May - Sydenham Community Centre, Bridgwater 11 May - Shepton Mallet Community Hospital We supported facilitation and gathered feedback to record anonymously. In total we heard from 19 patients and 20 carers. An overview of the information gathered is in the two appendices below. This report was produced by the previous Healthwatch Somerset service provider, The Care Forum. Read our report If you need this report in a different format, please email info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk or call 0800 999 1286. Early support discharge - independent patient engagement Appendix 1 - all feedback comments Appendix 2 - survey responses

In this Annual Report we share our key challenges and successes, as we continued to engage with the public to understand people’s experiences of health and social care to make a difference. This report was produced by the previous Healthwatch Somerset service provider, The Care Forum. Read our report If you need this report in a different format, please email info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk or call 0800 999 1286.