‘You Said – We Did’ – November 2023

Our activity in November

You Said:

We heard from an individual who experienced trauma and neglect. After re-locating they felt lonely and isolated. They had sought mental support but were concerned about the wait.

We Did:

We listened to their needs and discussed the national and local support options available, giving details of the Sussex Mental Healthline. We also gave details of Eastbourne Samaritans who offer drop-ins, which the enquirer said they will attend.

You Said:

We heard from a vulnerable housebound enquirer seeking a COVID-19 vaccination at home. They had contacted their local NHS services, but not managed to arrange a visit.

We Did:

We acknowledged the caller’s anxiety and shared details provided by NHS Sussex indicating housebound patients will be contacted to arrange a visit by the Vaccination Team by the end of December 2023, which reassured them.

You Said:

We were contacted by a person with mental health issues, who wanted to discuss their medication with their GP and explore further support, but who was struggling to access appts.

We Did:

We suggested persevering with seeking an appointment with their GP to discuss their medication and needs, but also provided contact details for urgent mental health support options, which may help in the short-term.

You Said:

We received a request from a health and care service asking us to share any information we hold on a specific individual, especially their medical history.

We Did:

We clarified that Healthwatch doesn’t provide clinical services, nor do we hold or manage any patient records. Our role is to gather patient and public experiences and offer information and signposting support.

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)