Evolving Communities worked with Gloucestershire County Council to gather the views of local residents aged over 65 as they related to care home provision in the county. We worked with our Healthwatch Gloucestershire colleagues to speak to a variety of people, ran an online survey and held one-to-one discussion groups.

Caring for Gloucestershire’s ageing population

There is a drive both nationally and locally to keep people in their own homes and out of residential care.  However, the number of over 65s with dementia and/or living with a long-term illness is predicted to rise significantly in Gloucestershire, as it is nationally.  Also, as the population ages, so too will the number of older carers aged 65, and many may require extra support to provide care.

Gloucestershire County Council and other local health and social organisations want to enable older adults to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible, and to provide more choice for older people than traditional institutional care.

Our work

Evolving Communities Consultancy was commissioned by Gloucestershire County Council to gather the views of local residents aged 65 years and older on care home provision in the county.  They wanted their new care home strategy to meet the needs of all Gloucestershire residents, and were particularly interested to find out more about the needs of those of minority ethnic faiths as well as those who identify as LGBT.  They also wanted to understand care home resident’s perspective on what it is like to live in a care home.

We worked closely with our local Healthwatch Gloucestershire colleagues and volunteers to collect the views of people from across the county.  We ran an online survey, and we talked to a wide range of people through one-to-one discussions and focus groups.  We spoke with care home residents and their families, and we visited several local community and voluntary sector led groups, including lunch clubs and support groups.  Using interpreters, we worked with local minority ethnic faith organisations to access the views of older members of their communities.  We worked with local LGBT groups to explore their needs and wishes for future care provision.

Other consultancy projects

Other consultancy projects

Working with:

Evolving Communities worked with the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) to carry out stakeholder engagement to inform a systematic review of mental health statistics in England. We ran a series of focus groups, hosted an online survey and spoke to a variety of stakeholders as part of the project.

National review of mental health statistics

In June 2019, the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) launched a systemic review of mental health statistics.  The aim was to look across the spectrum of mental health statistics in the UK and explore whether the statistical system is providing the information required to support individuals and policy makers.  OSR wanted to ensure that national statistics relating to mental health in England meet the current and future needs of those who use them.

Our work

In October 2019, Evolving Communities Consultancy was commissioned by the OSR to carry out stakeholder engagement to inform the review.  Over a three-month period, we engaged with people from across England who use mental health statistics to learn about their experiences and views of the current statistics landscape and their future needs.

We organised, promoted, and ran a series of four regional focus groups in Bristol, Birmingham, London, and Leeds.  We spoke with representatives from charities and the voluntary sector, universities, NHS professionals, Clinical Commissioning Groups, NHS Trusts, local authorities, and mental health service users.  We also designed and hosted an online survey and carried out one-to-one interviews.

We delivered our report to the OSR in 2020 and it will feed into their final systemic review of mental health statistics in England.

Other consultancy projects

Other consultancy projects

Working with:

Evolving Communities worked with Gloucestershire County Council as part of an engagement project which aimed to understand the impact of a proposed closure of two care homes in Stroud.

Background to the work

Gloucestershire County Council were looking into the potential closure of two care homes in the Stroud District – Southfield House and Wyatt House.  The County Council acknowledged that any potential closure would have an impact on residents and their relatives/representatives.

What did we do?

They asked Evolving Communities to independently attend two engagement meetings to speak with residents and their relatives/representatives about the impact a potential closure may have on their health and wellbeing.

An independent engagement report was produced which was taken to Gloucestershire County Council cabinet on the 24th July 2019.

Other consultancy projects

Working with:

Evolving Communities worked with Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust to evaluate an early supported discharge service for patients at Salisbury District Hospital. Our support included focus group delivery and a comprehensive report.

Hip fractures in the UK

About 70,000–75,000 hip fractures occur annually in the UK (NICE).  The average age of a person with hip fracture is 77.  Getting patients home as early as possible post-surgery is always the best option.

Early supported discharge post-surgery

We were approached by Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust to evaluate an early supported discharge initiative for patients at Salisbury District Hospital with fractured neck of the femur.  The aim of the initiative was to discharge patients from hospital as soon as they were medically fit.  Each patient received a programme of supported rehabilitation and reablement in their own home.

Our work

We designed and delivered a patient focus group for the hospital to gather views on the service.  The hospital contacted a random selection of hip fracture patients and invited them to take part.  We ran the group and wrote a report detailing what they had told us, including key themes and recommendations for how the service could be further developed and improved.

Other consultancy projects