Help Healthwatch Darlington shed light on GP services

Healthwatch Darlington have launched a research and engagement project exploring local GP services across the Borough of Darlington.

The engagement project will be a chance for stakeholders and individuals living in Darlington to share their views on the local GP services on offer within the town.

Healthwatch Darlington is a statutory organisation who have a duty to listen to the voices of service users, carers and their families. Earlier in the year the people of Darlington took part in Healthwatch Darlington’s annual survey called ‘What’s important to you’? It was highlighted by our survey respondents that GP services was an area of priority they wished to be explored.

The Healthwatch team will be visiting community groups and settings across the town to provide individuals with an opportunity to share their views and experiences of GP services.

It’s important Healthwatch Darlington can find out a broad range of views and experiences from different groups of people and the team will be working hard to target key groups across the town. Some of these groups will be homeless patients, patients with a learning impairment, LGBT+ patients, BAME patients and patients with a hearing/visual impairment. The team will be offering the opportunity to visit these groups and to provide them with a focus group session to listen to their views and find out what they want to see from GP services.  

An online campaign ‘Help Healthwatch Darlington shed light on GP services’ #lightbulbmomentgp has been launched to encourage as many people as possible to have their say. To get involved with sharing social media posts online please find some examples below:

• Help Healthwatch Darlington shed light on GP services in your town! Get involved and share your views: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GPDarlo                                               

#lightbulbmomentGP

• Tell Healthwatch Darlington what you think about local GP services. Your views matter: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GPDarlo                                 

#lightbulbmomentGP

• It’s your chance to have a say on the things that matter to you the most, when it comes to your GP services: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GPDarlo                       

#lightbulbmomentGP

The engagement project and survey will close on 31^st October 2019. The findings will then be analysed and presented anonymously within a report which will be presented to commissioners and providers.

If you would like Healthwatch Darlington to speak to a group of people you work with or you would like us to visit your service please contact the team on 01325 380145 or email j.austin@healthwatchdarlington.co.uk for further information.