Healthwatch Wolverhampton | Evolving Communities

Share your feedback about adult social care in Wolverhampton

Evolving Communities — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 15:06:56 +0000

Adult social care services in Wolverhampton provide essential support to many people, including older adults and those living with disabilities or long-term health conditions. However, recent feedback from the community has raised concerns about the effectiveness and coordination of these services.

What’s working well and what needs to improve?

Working with One Wolverhampton, Healthwatch Wolverhampton will use a community-based approach to gather people’s views through:

An online survey asking residents about the type of care they receive, how well services communicate with one another, and what changes they would like to see.
In-person focus groups and conversations, offering people the chance to share their experiences in more detail.
Attendance at community forums and local events, to ensure a wide range of voices are heard.

Stacey Lewis, Healthwatch Wolverhampton Manager, said: “We know how important adult social care is to individuals and families across Wolverhampton. By listening to people’s experiences, we can identify where services are working well and where things need to improve. This project is about giving residents a stronger voice and helping create more joined-up, person-centred care.”

All data will be collected confidentially, and the findings will be used to inform Healthwatch Wolverhampton’s recommendations. This report will be shared with One Wolverhampton integrated neighbourhood teams – who are professionals from various sectors, including healthcare, social care, and community services, working together to provide proactive and personalised support. The report will help influence improvements in the way local adult social care is coordinated and delivered.

Healthwatch is still here for you

Evolving Communities — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 09:22:52 +0000

Following publication of its 10 Year Health Plan, along with the Dash review of patient safety, the government has announced plans to abolish the Healthwatch network as a part of broader organisational changes and planned legislation.

For Healthwatch, at this stage, while no official timeline has yet been confirmed, it is business as usual and your voice still matters.

Since the formation of Healthwatch in 2013, we’ve helped many thousands of people raise concerns, access vital advice, and influence real change in the local services they rely on. The legal duty of Healthwatch – to listen to your experiences and make sure your voice shapes the care you receive – currently remains unchanged.

What facts we know

The government has announced that it wants to change the law to:

Transfer the work of Healthwatch England to the Department of Health and Social Care.
Transfer the work of local Healthwatch services to the NHS and local authorities.

Until legislation is passed, the Department of Health and Social Care will advise local authorities to continue commissioning local Healthwatch services. We will work with commissioners, system partners and community stakeholders on a smooth transition in due course.

What does this mean right now?

While these changes will happen over time, the law has not yet been changed. This means local Healthwatch is still here, open, and working for you. Our teams will continue to:

Listen to your experiences of health and social care.
Share what we hear with those in power to help improve services.
Provide advice and information to help you find the support you need.

We remain dedicated to championing people’s voices in health and social care and will provide updates on our local Healthwatch work as more information becomes available.

Evolving Communities Chief Executive, Lucie Woodruff, said:

“As an organisation we remain committed to our purpose of ensuring patients and the public have meaningful opportunities to speak out, be heard and influence health and care services through the important work of our Healthwatch teams. This remains our number one priority at this challenging and uncertain time. I want to thank our staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly over the past 12 years to champion and support local people and their communities, working with their local health and care systems to ensure views and experiences make a difference.”

Healthwatch Wolverhampton Annual Report 2024-25: Unlocking the power of people-driven care

Evolving Communities — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 09:32:57 +0000

Here are some of the ways Healthwatch Wolverhampton used your feedback to help NHS and social care decision-makers prioritise the issues that matter most to local people to help make care better.

Improving patient experience of mental health services: Based on feedback gathered via a survey and during a visit to Penn Hospital from patients, family, carers and mental health professionals, their report highlighted several recommendations report to improve people’s access to and experience of mental health services. Through continuous collaboration with public health teams, their recommendations are being considered. Read the report
Better support for adults with autism: Following community engagement to understand the impact of barriers faced by people waiting for an autism diagnosis or living with autism, their report is helping to inform the ICB’s work looking at coordination of autism services and policies at Black Country level. Read the report
Reaching out to those communities whose voices may go unheard: This continues to be achieved locally by partnering with organisations active in equality and diversity, and through initiatives reaching people struggling with socio-economic deprivation. Healthwatch Wolverhampton has investigated access to social care for the South Asian community and also helped refugees feel more confident in accessing NHS care and to share their experiences.
Making hospital care more accessible: The Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust responded to Enter and View recommendations to improve the physical environment at one of their inpatient services.
Improving the quality of care homes: They carried out Enter & View visits as part of their joint working with the City of Wolverhampton Council and the Care Quality Commission to support quality monitoring of residential care homes; their reports informed the care home improvement plans.

Healthwatch Wolverhampton projects for 2025-26

In 2025-26, Healthwatch Wolverhampton will continue to engage with communities across the city, and make sure those in power hear the views and experiences of our diverse communities. The top three priorities for the year are:

Continue working to address access needs for those with sensory loss.
Tackling health inequalities further by reaching areas of the community they don’t currently hear from.
Ensuring a positive and joined up experience for those receiving adult social care by working with partners implementing integrated neighbourhood care.

Announcing the annual report, Mandy Poonia, Co-Chair of Healthwatch Wolverhampton’s Oversight Group, said: “We strive to listen to our local communities in making a difference to health and social care services. We base our work priorities on what local people are telling us about their experiences, so it is important that you share your feedback with us about accessing services in Wolverhampton.”

More information

Read the full Healthwatch Wolverhampton Annual Report 2024-25 to find out more about their work.

Keep up to date with Healthwatch Wolverhampton’s news and events and get involved:

Sign up for regular updates
Visit our website, where you can also share your feedback about Wolverhampton’s health and care services: Share your views

Healthwatch Wolverhampton report underlines need to improve patient access to mental health services

Evolving Communities — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 09:49:49 +0000

People’s experiences of mental health services in Wolverhampton draws on feedback from patients, family, carers and mental health professionals, gathered via a survey and during a visit to Penn Hospital, and provides key recommendations to improve service provision and patient experience.

Growing demand for mental health services

In 2024, the proportion of feedback we received about mental health services continued to increase and an increasing number of residents are seeking support and signposting for mental health care. People’s concerns range from difficulties accessing support through GPs and community services, lack of patient information, and issues with care provision at Penn Hospital.

The Wolverhampton Adult Mental Health Needs Assessment 2023 estimates that by 2025, over 30,500 adults in the city will experience a common mental health disorder, highlighting the urgent need for high-quality, accessible services.

Key findings

The report identifies three major themes based on public feedback:

Limited choice of support – Many residents struggle to access timely mental health care and are often passed between services without clear direction or support.
Lack of empathy from some healthcare professionals – Patients reported negative experiences due to perceived indifference and poor attitudes from some staff.
Poor communication – Many service users felt uninformed about their treatment options and lacked opportunities to engage in decision-making about their care.

Recommendations for change

Healthwatch Wolverhampton set out several recommendations in the report to improve people’s access to and experience of mental health services and they are very pleased to see that the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHFT) has already made improvements such as taking onboard our feedback to improve the activities area.

A call for action

Commenting on the report, Stacey Lewis, Manager of Healthwatch Wolverhampton, said: “This report amplifies the voices of Wolverhampton residents who have struggled to access the mental health care they need. We recognised that many people do get the help they need and that there is excellent work taking place through the One Wolverhampton partnership but we hope that our recommendations will be taken on board by decision-makers to bring about meaningful improvements in local mental health services and support so that everyone can get the help they need. We will continue to monitor progress and do all we can to influence positive change.”

Healthwatch Wolverhampton has shared the report findings with the BCHFT to inform their development and improvement work.

Responding to the report, Carolyn Green, Chief Nursing Officer from the Trust said: “We are very grateful to Healthwatch Wolverhampton for their visit and feedback to the service. We were also grateful to hear the positive feedback regarding the areas that we have made progress with, when we met with the Wolverhampton Health Scrutiny Panel in March 2025.

“I would like to thank Healthwatch for undertaking your latest survey in addition to your previous work. We have shared this feedback with the services and will continue to use it to explore with our colleagues how they can continue to work sensitively and collaboratively and in equal partnership with individuals who are seeking support for their mental health conditions.

“We absolutely want to ensure that clarity is available for all people accessing our care, and this includes whether our services are accessible and regarded as compassionate.

“One of our foundation values at BCHFT is that our care is person centred. For us, this means that active involvement in collaborative decisions, promoting patient choice, and autonomy is embedded across our services as routine practice.

“We would always welcome any participants who took part in the Healthwatch survey to connect with our Service Experience Desk and I would like to offer an open invitation to any participants of the survey to join our team so we can listen, learn and improve.

“We are also very proud to have a very active Lead Experience Consultant group that has substantially increased its work with the Trust over the last year to work in a coproduced manner. If you, or someone you know, would like to join this network, or find out more about it, please contact us on bchft.getinvolved@nhs.net.”

More information

Find out more about the BCHFT coproduction standards, which outlines the Trust’s current work and future ambitions, and also feature as a core component part of their emerging clinical strategy.

Read the reports

People’s experiences of mental health services in Wolverhampton

See the detailed findings from the Enter and View visit to Penn Hospital

Report highlights the need for improved support for people with autism in Wolverhampton

Evolving Communities — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 08:41:24 +0000

The report, based on feedback from 70 people gathered between January and March 2024, outlines key issues such as long waiting times, lack of information and communication, and insufficient support during and after the assessment and diagnosis process. It provides a series of recommendations to enhance autism services and improve the wellbeing of those affected.

Understanding the challenge

Healthwatch Wolverhampton has consistently received feedback from people facing extended delays for autism assessments, a lack of support and
communication, and difficulties getting care and medication, all of which have a detrimental impact on their mental health.

NHS England statistics reveal that as of June 2023, over 143,000 people in England were waiting for an autism assessment, with 83% experiencing delays beyond the three-month guideline set by NICE for initial appointment. Recent studies by UCL and the National Autistic Society estimate that the number of people in the UK with autism may be much higher than the government’s 2021 figure of 700,000, estimating that in England alone there may be as many as 1.2 million autistic people (diagnosed and undiagnosed).

Healthwatch Wolverhampton’s report sheds light on the real-life experiences of people waiting for assessment and post diagnosis, identifying key issues and concerns and how these affect people’s mental health and wellbeing. The goal is to inform local decision-makers and advocate for improvements in autism services and support.

Key findings

Key themes identified include:

Long waiting times: Many people wait significantly longer than the recommended time for autism assessments.
Lack of communication: There is inadequate communication with people while they are on the assessment waiting list, leading to uncertainty and stress.
Insufficient information: There is a lack of easily accessible information on autism and the diagnosis process, leaving people to conduct their own research.
Limited support: Both before and after diagnosis, people are not provided with the support they need, including for mental health; some search for support themselves.
Need for tailored adult support: Adults with autism expressed the need for peer support groups and services to help with employment and social opportunities.
Impact of stigma: Stigma around autism continues to contribute to the challenges people experience in their lives.

Recommendations for change

In the report, Healthwatch Wolverhampton makes several recommendations to help the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board and the Wolverhampton Autism Board improve support for people with autism, including:

Improved information and communication: Regular updates for people on assessment waiting lists and accessible information materials, including in various languages, to be available at community hubs and health care settings.
Expanded support services: Increased funding and availability of mental health support and peer support groups for those awaiting or living with a diagnosis, and better promotion and signposting to these services.
Employment assistance: A review by the Council of employment support for adults with autism.
SEND support for parents: A review of access to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support for parents while they are waiting for and following their child’s autism diagnosis.
Tackling stigma: Launch of a citywide autism awareness campaign and co-production of educational resources with people with autism; and design training to help employers and their staff better understand how to support people with autism in the workplace.

One response to the Healthwatch Wolverhampton survey, summarises the wide range of issues and support needs raised by people with autism:

“The main issues for autistic adults mirror those of people with disabilities in general. Namely, accessing education and training; finding suitable employment and succeeding within a workplace (employment figures for autistic people are shockingly low, also underemployment is equally a significant problem); finding somewhere to live (most autistic people don’t have financial independence and are therefore excluded from the housing market, often leaving them vulnerable to homelessness); loneliness and social exclusion (autistic people are far more likely to be isolated from the rest of society, spending much of their time alone and prone to developing depression and suicidal thoughts as a consequence). There’s also an issue with, and/or a lack of, widespread understanding within the medical community about the additional health needs, associated medical conditions and co-morbidities that autistic people experience.”

Stacey Lewis, Healthwatch Wolverhampton Manager, announced the new report: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who shared their personal
experiences with us. You have helped shine a spotlight on gaps in communication, support, and awareness for people with autism in Wolverhampton. We hope this report will serve as a catalyst for change, supporting service providers to improve the autism diagnosis process and provide the necessary support to those who need it. Together, we can create a more inclusive community where people with autism feel understood, supported, and empowered to live well.”

Read the full report which includes powerful accounts of people’s personal stories:

Improving support for people with autism.

Share your feedback about mental health services to help shape better care in Wolverhampton

Evolving Communities — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:20:51 +0000

If you have used local mental health services, including as an inpatient at Penn Hospital, the local Healthwatch want to hear your feedback. They also want to hear from people supporting those with mental health, including family, friends, professionals, unpaid carers and support workers. All feedback can remain confidential.

The aim is to use the information and insight gained from local people to advise those responsible for Wolverhampton’s mental health services how they can improve patient access and experience.

They will also evaluate how the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (which is responsible for mental health services in Wolverhampton), is involving service users in the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework to improve the experience for people from racialised communities (Black, Asian and minority ethnicities).

Stacey Lewis, Healthwatch Wolverhampton Manger, explained why your feedback matters: “It is clear from the feedback and enquiries we receive that demand for mental health care is growing in Wolverhampton, and mental health services remain an area of great concern for local people. Concerns range across services including difficulties accessing primary care, lack of patient information and involvement at in-patient settings, and health inequalities around physical health checks. Alongside the closure of some local services, this is affecting the quality of patient experience and satisfaction. We will use what we learn from you to help services understand how to improve mental health support, so do please get involved and share your feedback.”

Healthwatch Wolverhampton Annual Report 2023-24: The value of listening

Evolving Communities — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 10:47:15 +0000

Here are some of the ways they used your feedback to help NHS and social care decision makers prioritise the issues that matter most to local people to help make care better.

Improving access to GP appointments: They evaluated patient experience of booking GP appointments by phone and online and identified areas for change and improvement. The Black Country Integrated Care Board is using their report to guide development work to improve access for everyone, online and offline.

Better support for adults with autism: They investigated people’s experiences of mental health support while waiting for an autism assessment and highlighted ways to help people manage better while they wait. Their findings aim to inform Wolverhampton’s new Autism Strategy and the work of steering groups looking at health inequalities and pathways for diagnosis.

Improving patient experience and safety at Wolverhampton’s hospitals: They supported the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust with hospital PLACE assessments to guide improvements to patient safety, reduce risk and improve care. They also assessed patient experience of the urology service at Wolverhampton’s News Cross Hospital, advising on areas for improvement.

Improving the quality of care homes: They carried out an Enter and View visit as part of our joint working with the City of Wolverhampton Council and the Care Quality Commission to support quality monitoring of residential care homes; their report has informed the care home improvement plan.

Highlighting health inequalities and influencing positive change: By working with local partners they influenced strategy and decision-making to help address health inequalities, guiding improvements in digital access, physical health, mental health and autism support.

Working together to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities: They established new partnerships and worked together with the Council and local health, care and community organisations to raise awareness of the challenges impacting people’s health and wellbeing and the support that makes a positive difference, including around mental health, sexual health, oral health, women’s health, lifestyle and physical activity.

In the annual report, Healthwatch Wolverhampton’s Co-Chair, Mandy Poonia, looks ahead to work planned for 2024-25, commenting: “We are facing many challenges, such as the rising cost of living, health inequalities and the continued impact of the pandemic. It is imperative that we continue to listen to our local communities, particularly those we do not often hear from, and that we relay information about their needs and work with local organisations to inform positive change in local services. In the coming year, we will visit health and care settings, including hospitals and care homes, and report on patient experiences, and look in more depth at mental health services.”

Read the full Healthwatch Wolverhampton Annual Report 2023-24 to find out more.

Keep up to date with Healthwatch Wolverhampton’s work by signing up for regular news updates.

You can also share your views and experiences of Wolverhampton’s health and care services.

Improving access to GPs in Wolverhampton – new report

Evolving Communities — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 17:35:54 +0000

In recent years there has been increased pressure on GP services and a growing demand for appointments to be offered in a variety of ways, with rapid acceleration of digital methods due to the pandemic. The NHS England recovery plan for primary care (published May 2023) includes funding for GPs to develop their use of digital technology to improve patient access to appointments and services.

In response to concerns about access to GP services in the city, we have been tracking the quality and consistency of GP phone booking systems for some time and reporting on areas for improvement.

Our most recent investigation also asked local people about their experience of using GP websites, to understand if GPs are using digital technology to make it easier for patients to book appointments and use their services.

Key findings

Booking by phone:

Many people prefer to book appointments by phone, even if they have to wait to speak to someone.
Although more GP practices are using call-waiting phone systems since December 2022, the waiting time for calls to be answered had increased for many GPs.

GP websites and digital options:

Not all GP websites provide booking for appointments, and not all types of appointments can be booked online.
Digital booking systems are often poorly designed and can be hard to use.
People aged over 65 are less likely to use GP websites to book appointments.
People would like more support from their GP practice on how to use the website, particularly how to book appointments.
People whose first language is not English need information and support in other languages.

Recommendations

The report outlines our recommendations to improve access to GP services which include:

Provide a variety of appointment booking methods (online, over the phone and in-person), so that people can use the option they prefer/find the easiest.
Make it easier for patients to book appointments via GP websites, by:
– Involving patients in the design of GP websites
– Adding a language translation function to websites
– Creating and promoting a simple step-by-step guide to using the website and online booking
– Linking with community digital support services to help people who lack the confidence or the means to use online services.
Communicate better and more regularly with patients to make sure they are aware all the ways they can book appointments and access services, including the website.
Implement the Accessible Information Standard, which requires all NHS services to make sure people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss can access information and services in a way that suits for their needs.
Make sure all patients are aware of GP Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) and encourage people from different communities to get involved to help advise how to improve access to GP services.

We presented the report to Wolverhampton’s Health Scrutiny Panel in January 2024, and findings about individual GP practices have been shared with Primary Care Networks to encourage improvements across all their GP practices.

Announcing the report, Stacey Lewis, Healthwatch Wolverhampton Manager, said: “It’s clear from the feedback and enquiries that we receive that access to GP services remains an area of great concern for local people. There is also growing evidence that when people have difficulties accessing primary care services, such as GPs, this leads to increased pressure on other acute services, such as hospitals. We have written this report to make sure those responsible for GP services in Wolverhampton understand how to make it easier for everyone to get the care they need.”

In the report, Paul Tulley, Wolverhampton Managing Director for the Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), outlines work being undertaken by the ICB to address issues raised by the public, commenting: “The ICB welcomes the feedback and insight from our stakeholders and public. Primary care services in Wolverhampton continue to face a high demand on their services and we work closely with GP practices to support them in improving access for patients, including – introducing a wider variety of different roles in general practice, improving practice websites, new telephone systems and other digital solutions, and using triage to ensure patients are seen by the most appropriate professional. We are working with our GP practices to make sure that, whichever way you choose to get in touch with your surgery, you will receive a response from the practice based on your individual circumstances so you can be seen by the right healthcare professional.”

Read the full report – Improving access to GPs in Wolverhampton: An evaluation of phone and website booking systems

How can mental health support be improved for adults with autism in Wolverhampton?

Evolving Communities — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 17:09:20 +0000

If you are waiting for an autism assessment, or you have been diagnosed and are waiting for support, we want to hear from you. We are also seeking feedback from health and care professionals who provide services and mental health support to people with autism, and those providing unpaid care, including family, friends and volunteer support workers.

The aim is to understand the current support available in Wolverhampton and to identify areas for improvement to enhance people’s mental health and wellbeing while they are waiting to get the care they need.

Stacey Lewis, Healthwatch Wolverhampton Manger, explained why your feedback matters: “Early diagnosis and support for autism and mental health issues can prevent escalation and crisis, but we know waiting times are increasing as demand for services grows. We will share your feedback and our recommendations for change with those responsible for developing Wolverhampton’s new autism services strategy, including the Wolverhampton Autism Board, Black Country Health Care (Black Country mental health provider), Black Country Integrated Care Board, and One Wolverhampton. We will use what we learn from you to help them understand how to improve mental health support for people with autism.”

Share your views

What’s your experience of booking appointments on your GP website?

Evolving Communities — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 13:40:01 +0000

Concern about access to GPs continues to be one of the most common issues people raise with Healthwatch Wolverhampton. National and local evidence underscores the challenges people face when booking a GP appointment, including the use of digital technology, GP phone systems, long waiting times, and limited face-to-face appointments.

Healthwatch Wolverhampton has previously investigated how easy it is for people to access GP services by phone, regularly reporting to the NHS in Wolverhampton to support improvements to GP phone booking systems.

As patients are increasingly encouraged to book appointments online, Healthwatch Wolverhampton is expanding its investigation to evaluate people’s experiences of booking appointments on GP websites.

They want to find out if you use your GP website to book appointments, with your GP and other health professionals. If you don’t, they’d like to understand why? If you do, they want to know how you book appointments online, what you like about the process, and whether you think there are things that could be done differently to make it easier to get the care you need.

Your feedback drives change

Good access to GP services is an important measure of the quality of care being provided locally. Your feedback will help Healthwatch Wolverhampton identify the strengths and weaknesses in current GP website booking processes. They will use this insight to inform those responsible for GP services in Wolverhampton how to make it easier for you to get the care you need.

Share your views