A Message from Our Chief Executive

I hope you and your families have kept safe and well at this unprecedented and challenging time.

When I last wrote a news article it was April, lockdown was in operation, and the NHS and Social Care focus was on managing the pandemic. Three months on, our health and care services are implementing ‘restart’ and this includes addressing people’s non-covid health and care needs, alongside continuing to manage covid-19.

In this article, I have reflected on learning from the pandemic from a Healthwatch and patient perspective. I have also written about the disparities of the impact of the virus particularly on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. I also cover the other big international development of the last few months – the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Learning from the pandemic…

So what have the last three months shown us?

• The huge commitment and great courage of health and care professionals, volunteers, patients and communities who have faced unprecedented risks selflessly.
• Some lasting and poignant memories of communities appreciating sacrifices demonstrated nationally by clapping on a Thursday evening and locally Watford football club’s work with West Herts Hospitals Trust staff.
• That the NHS and Social Care can transform services quickly and very effectively and in a crisis, patients are very receptive to these changes as shown by our positive survey results on patient’s perspectives of electronic appointments.
• That there could be a risk and the patient perspective might lessen as the NHS embraces new approaches (understandable in a pandemic but not appropriate for business as usual).
• That new, often very effective approaches, might not work for people who have less access to online information and procedures. This is something we are exploring.
• That people are still showing some reluctance to use health services, despite the safety measures implemented and with capacity in some hospitals.
• That evidence and data are vital to help our understanding and need to be seen in context.
• That the patient and community voice will be crucial to aid learning. Our patient surveys have already highlighted key issues such as the mental health challenges faced during the period and the need for clear guidance.

The disproportionate impact of covid-19

Healthwatch Hertfordshire has a duty to help tackle health inequalities and we were understandably concerned about the findings shown in Public Health England’s report Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19 published in June.

This report compared mortality rates in previous years with the pandemic. Some of the findings mostly replicate existing inequalities in mortality rates and whilst they are troubling they would be expected with the following examples: mortality rates amongst older people are higher than younger people, higher in men than in women, higher for those living in more deprived areas than those living in the least deprived. However, during covid-19 mortality rates for those in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups are higher than those in White ethnic groups are – mortality was previously higher in White ethnic groups.

Healthwatch England Director Imelda Redmond, who many of you met last year at our AGM, expressed her concerns saying:

Within Health and Social Care, some important actions are being implemented including extra support provided for BAME staff in health and care roles, and fully assessing the higher risk for BAME staff fulfilling front line duties.

Black Lives Matter

Of course, Imelda’s words also echo the Black Lives Matter Movement protests and the need to combat inequality and injustice. County and District Council leaders in Hertfordshire have issued a statement on behalf of the County:

“Hertfordshire stands united against every form of discrimination, racism and injustice. The killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis has reminded us once again that we cannot and should not tolerate racism in any form or from any person. There are still many injustices to overcome but as leaders in our communities, we have an important role to play in challenging inequality. We will work with our communities to bring about meaningful change. We don’t have all the answers yet but we are committed to listening, and to learning how we can most effectively challenge inequality and stamp out injustice.”

Healthwatch Hertfordshire’s role

Healthwatch echoes both Imelda and the leaders’ sentiments and our role is to help ensure that the views of all our communities are heard. We have been working with partners to help promote our surveys to encourage responses from BAME communities.

In our meetings with commissioners and providers, we will be raising any relevant issues or concerns from those surveys. We would also be keen to hear from you, as our members, about how we can further represent the views of all of our communities.

A strand running through this article is about the importance of patient voices and hearing people’s experiences to help learning for the future. Please do share your experiences – good and bad – to help identify issues and insight on health and social care services locally and nationally.

Our research and engagement work has restarted, and our signposting service remains available and we want to hear your views though much will continue to be done virtually and we think face-to-face work is still some way off…

Please continue to take care, everyone.

Geoff Brown

Chief Executive Healthwatch Hertfordshire