Experience Matters: Annual Report 2020/21

2020/21 was our busiest and most successful year to date. Find out more about it here

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.

Feedback from a person using our signposting line

Outcomes from our year

Improving Care

  • 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:

    • 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.

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.

parent of a 16-18 year old with a serious medical condition who was eligible for, but could not access a vaccine

Highlights from our year

Helping people to get information

  • 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

  • 225 DBS checks processed for volunteers working with local charities to support our community

  • 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.

Feedback from a member of the community

Downloads

Read our full Annual Report below

Experience Matters: Annual report 2020-21

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