Patient Experience Team

The team carried out a whole-systems review focusing on informal unpaid carers living in Tower Hamlets. The team identified the importance of looking at the needs and support that was available to carers with a particular focus on the pandemic as this had created new carers and put additional pressure on those already identified.

Interviews were undertaken with local carers, voluntary organisations, the local authority and commissioners for Carers Services using various methods, like online using Zoom, telephone and in person.

Data captured from national and local surveys also helped reveal insight.

Following a research study undertaken by UCLH, the team focused on Admission Avoidance and Discharges to examine awareness of the role and function of services and their contribution to the prevention of admission, perceptions of effectiveness and how the services work in an integrated way across Tower Hamlets.

The team looked at referral systems, access to and types of services and support available to promote wellbeing and prevent avoidable admission across the health and social care sectors.

They sought the views of service users, carers, citizens and those working in Tower Hamlets to understand how they maintained their health, identified gaps in or access issues relating to existing provision and what is working well and what required improvement.

The PET team carried out a whole-systems review of continence service to identify issues and how it impacts wellbeing. They talked to service users, carers as well as staff and stakeholders across the borough to find out what worked well, and reasons for why it was effective and identified ways of improving pathways.

Due to the changes in criteria for accessing foot health services, the team explored the impact of the implementation of a new model of care in the Foot Health Service on staff and patients in Tower Hamlets.

They identified ways of promoting good foot health and self-care from a young age and increased awareness of effective ways of preventing, promoting and maintaining wellbeing in relation to feet.

The team undertook a piece of work to talk to patients in the UTC about their experiences and understanding of the pathway and possible improvements.

They also talked to staff about their experiences of delivering the service amid such high demands. Suggestions for improvements were made resulting from feedback gathered.

The team focused on the Social Prescribing Service which operates from various GP surgeries within Tower Hamlets. This work took account of the fact that many social prescribing patients have complex needs and may be in receipt of support from various service providers following signposting by the service. The rationale behind this was to enable feedback that was richer and better reflects the range of input provided by the Social Prescribing team. These interviews proved to be detailed and helpful in identifying the role played by the Social Prescriber, the value of the service and opportunities for development and improvement.