A report on the views and experiences of children, young people and families of health and social care in Northamptonshire
Healthwatch Northamptonshire held a range of activities including:
- surveying 53 people directly on the service they receive
- holding focus groups with families and young people at Time 4 Support, Dreams Youth Café and New Ark Foundation meetings
- attending a range of events
- talking to health and social care professionals from both statutory and voluntary organisations
- using Facebook and Twitter to promote engagement
The questions covered a range of services including:
- mental health
- autism spectrum disorder
- coordination of support for disabled children and their families
- social activities and respite care
- care pathways
- accessibility of services
- child and young people friendly services
The main findings concluded that many children and young people don’t get the right support at the right time and often had to ‘struggle’ or ‘fight’ to get services.
Other issues include:
- lack of continuity of care between services
- lack of professional time or perceived commitment
- gatekeepers/criteria which block access to services
- weak partnership working
- lack of information
- long waiting times
A joint response from theNene Clinical Commissioning Group, the Corby Clinical Commissioning Group, and Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust welcomed the report saying:
“The NHS within Northamptonshire puts the voice of children, young people and their families at the centre of everything we do.
Working with Healthwatch Northamptonshire has enhanced our knowledge and is very helpful in guiding us as we look to improve Community Health Services for Children and Young People.
Consequently we will, through our transformation programme, work to develop and deliver services so that they are available where and when they are needed the most. By working together we aim to ensure children and young people are happy, healthy, safe and resilient, and are able to grow and become adults with a future.”
