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Gloucestershire Business News

Stressful hospital discharges flagged in new report

Patients and carers have said the experience of being discharged from hospitals in Gloucestershire can be confusing and stressful.

The problem was flagged up in a report by Healthwatch Gloucestershire which gathers feedback from the public to help improve NHS and social care services in the county.

It said the issue is being monitored by governors at the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust as it links with concerns around delayed discharge due to the difficulties in social care provision.

The annual report for April 2021-March 2022 showed 1,790 people shared their experiences of local health and social care services with Healthwatch and 1,068 people asked for information, advice, and support on how to get the care they need.

Using the feedback, it published six reports about the improvements people would like to see to health and care services in the county.

Issues raised included how better to support people suffering social isolation and loneliness which is now being looked at by Gloucestershire Healthy Communities. The need for more practical advice for those with long Covid, prompted Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust to make changes to assessment forms and the referral process.

Healthwatch used feedback from young people to suggest improvements to Gloucestershire's Integrated Care System and shone a spotlight on the challenges faced by the deaf community and hearing impaired when accessing health and care services. The Care Quality Commission is using people's feedback to inform their future strategy for tackling health inequalities.

Finally it looked at people's experiences of blood pressure monitoring at home. NHS Gloucestershire CCG has now commissioned Healthwatch Gloucestershire to carry out an in-depth project on digital inclusion.

Nikki Richardson, chair of the Healthwatch Gloucestershire board, said: "As the health and care system in Gloucestershire puts into effect plans for recovery following the pandemic, Healthwatch Gloucestershire has been a key player in ensuring that local voices have been heard and responded to.

"This annual report shows some of the ways we have done this throughout the year to help create positive change in services.

"Going forward, we are committed to championing better care for everyone, including those who often go unheard. We will continue to work closely with the NHS, local councils, care providers and the voluntary sector, sharing people's concerns and queries to help improve access to services and quality of care."

In 2022-23 Healthwatch Gloucestershire will be looking to understand the health and care experiences of people living with autism, refugees and asylum seekers, and young people with mental health issues.

Read the full Healthwatch Gloucestershire Annual Report 2021-22 here 

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