Experience Matters: Annual Report 2020/21
I called you last week to find how to get a dentist. It worked really well for me. I got an appointment with a local dentist and was able to solve my dental issues very quickly. Thanks to you I am not in pain anymore.
Outcomes from our year
Improving Care
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2,438 people engaged with us through our projects and outreach and we published 6 reports raising issues with providers and commissioners with impacts including:
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Our work was instrumental in identifying the crisis in dental care and pressing NHS England for improvements. We've also helped 75 people to access dental care through our signposting service
- Urgent Dental Care Hubs set up in response to us and our network raising concern about national crisis in dentistry
- Improved access to medication deliveries for vulnerable people across Richmond and beyond as a result of our work to influence a national pharmacy chain
- Maternity care significantly improved as a result of a comprehensive review we undertook.
- Ensuring people felt safe enough to attend appointments. The NHS launched a communications campaign explaining how people are kept safe from the virus at appointments.
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In the past fortnight I have spoken to 111, 119, GP, Nurse at Vaccination Centre, Richmond Council, West Mid and the Community Hub. Everyone was very sympathetic but they couldn’t help.
You provided a clear understanding of our situation and how to proceed. When that didn’t work you connected all of these unfathomable dots on our behalf and this morning I had a call & text confirming an appointment for a vaccination. Thanks again for everything, we appreciate it enormously.
Highlights from our year
Helping people to get information
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100,000+ people engaged with communications (15 x last year)
- 78,000 people used our website
- 87,000 Guides to NHS, Care & Support delivered to homes across Richmond
- 864 people got answers to their questions:
- 414 via our signposting service, up 29% from last year
- 450 people got answers to their questions about vaccinations through our events
Responding to the pandemic
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225 DBS checks processed for volunteers working with local charities to support our community
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9,000 additional shopping trips or other support were made by these volunteers to vulnerable local people
- We set up a Community Hub phone line providing a direct line for vulnerable people to community support
I just wanted to comment on how helpful the NHS and care guide is which just came through the door. It is incredibly reassuring to know there is such a breadth of support and care - and it’s so clearly put together in the guide.
Downloads
Read our full Annual Report below
