Annual Report 2023-2024

Key Findings:

• Mental Health Service Gaps: The report on mental health highlighted serious deficiencies in access, coordination, and patient experience, which resulted in ongoing discussions with service providers and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
• Access to Care: Community concerns about inadequate access to NHS dental services, physiotherapy, GP appointments, and phlebotomy services were escalated, leading to interventions from healthcare commissioners.
• Patient Empowerment: HWNN’s advocacy on patient autonomy, particularly regarding insulin management, resulted in policy changes within hospitals.
• Healthcare Inequity: Persistent issues with health inequity, especially in marginalized communities, were evident. HWNN’s focus on underrepresented groups enabled them to raise issues such as digital exclusion, service accessibility, and social care challenges.

Key Priorities for 2024:

1. Empowering Communities: Expanding the Community Roadshow Model to enhance engagement with seldom-heard groups.
2. Enter and View Program: Strengthening the Enter and View function to assess more health and social care services, particularly in social care settings.
3. Reaching Underserved Areas: Increasing outreach efforts to engage communities that have not been heard from sufficiently, particularly those in the most deprived areas.
4. Focus on Social Care: Enhancing understanding and advocacy in the social care landscape of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.