Digital Exclusion project launched by Healthwatch Darlington & Darlington Primary Care Network
In 2019, 430 patients in Darlington shared their GP experience with Healthwatch Darlington. We spoke to patients about booking appointments, waiting times, communication and accessibility. You can read the Darlington Primary Care Report 2019 here.
The story continues. We have continued listening to the voices of patients during the pandemic and we have worked with Healthwatch England to plan a research project which will help us to understand your experiences further. We have teamed up with Darlington Primary Care Network to make this happen.
It’s important for us to understand new barriers that some patients may be facing as health professionals adapt to using ‘digital’ appointments within primary health services.
What do we mean by Primary Health services?
Primary healthcare is the first contact a person has with the health system when they have a health problem. Your general practitioner (GP) is a primary healthcare provider, and so are nurses, pharmacists and dentists.
We wish to explore the potential inequalities surrounding the shift to ‘online’ or ‘telephone’ GP appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic and to consider the impact of the new ways of working on people who may find it more challenging to access care remotely or virtually.
Who can get involved?
We will be providing 15 patients with the opportunity to share their experiences. We will be focusing on the following groups of people during our project:
- Older patients (Over 65 years old)
- Black, Asian, Minority, Ethnic (BAME)
- Disabilities (For example; hearing impairment, visual impairment and learning disability)
How can you get involved and why does your experience matter?
You will be invited to take part in a telephone interview (as we can’t meet you face to face) with a trained and friendly team member from Healthwatch Darlington. Your experience will help Healthwatch Darlington, Darlington Primary Care Network, Healthwatch England and the NHS to understand the needs of patients who do not use the internet or telephone for appointments. This will help services in your area to make improvements and to consider how services can deliver in the future.
Will my experience be confidential?
All experiences shared remain anonymous.
Contact:
If you or someone you know would like to share their experience then please get in touch.
01325 380145 or 07525 237723
info@healthwatchdarlington.co.uk
