‘You Said – We Did’ – March 2024

Our activity in March 2024

You Said:

We heard from an individual who needs an interpreter to book a GP appointment, but struggles to organise one at short notice if they need to call the surgery at 8am for a same day appointment.

We Did:

We highlighted the issue with NHS Sussex, and asked them to clarify whether it is possible for GP surgeries to access interpreters on behalf of patients who will ‘miss out’ on a same day appointment if they can’t call in at 8am.

You Said:

We spoke to an individual who cares for her disabled son who has recently been discharged from hospital. They think he needs extra support, but has not received any.

We Did:

We told them they can ask ESCC for a needs assessment for their son, and a carers assessment for themselves. They could also complete a mobility and home adaptations assessment to help maintain independence in the home.

You Said:

We were contacted by an someone whose dentist has stopped offering NHS dental services. They have multiple problems with their teeth and cannot afford private treatment.

We Did:

We shared the Sussex dental helpline contact details, and information of the Additional NHS sessions available to those with an urgent dental need so they can receive support in accessing alternative dental services.

You Said:

We heard from an individual whose request for an interpreter at their medical appointment was denied. They couldn’t understand what was discussed during the appointment.

We Did:

We explained the patient’s right to have an interpreter at their appointment, and that it is the duty of the NHS to provide this. We gave them details of a complaint advocacy service should they choose to complain.

Our Contributions and Interventions

• We attended two health information events for the migrant community in Eastbourne and Hastings, organised by Diversity Resource International (DRI).  We offered Information and signposting support to help attendees navigate health and care services and listened to people’s experiences in East Sussex. We identified several areas for further interrogation, including access to translation and interpretation services, especially in primary and acute settings.
• We met with the patient experience lead at HMP Lewes to understand more about how healthcare is delivered in the prison, and the process residents should follow to communicate their needs or raise concerns. We identified future opportunities to collaborate with the patient experience team to gather residents’ experiences of healthcare, and work towards identifying any further areas for improvement.
• We visited St. Wilfrid’s Hospice to learn about the services they offer to the community. This supported our Information & Signposting Service in providing up-to-date and tailored information to enquiries we receive. We also shared experiences we’ve heard of difficulties accessing out of hours end-of-life-care with Hospice staff so they are aware of these experiences and can adjust their services appropriately.
• During 2024-25 we are working with other Sussex Healthwatch to undertake short polls on hot topics and themes where we received less feedback. Our March 2024 poll captured  experiences of Hospital Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS). PALS were most identified as Not at all helpful in: resolving problems, signposting outside the NHS, explaining complaints advocacy and listening to feedback.

Tell us your experiences of local health and care services

We always want to hear the experiences of local people when they use health and care services.

You can share your experience by leaving a review on our Feedback Centre at any time and tell us how things were for you. What was good and what could be improved?

You can also share your experience or seek further support with health and care enquiries from our Information & Signposting service via:

Email: Enquiries@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk

Telephone: 0333 101 4007 Monday – Friday (10am-2pm)