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As the date of its annual conference approaches, the borough's health service watchdog identifies the issues that most concern residents and promises 'GP access made simple'. But is this a realistic vision?

flyer advertising healthwatch enfield annual conference 2024Healthwatch Enfield's Annual Conference is open to all and will be held at Community House in Edmonton on Wednesday 27th March from 11am to 2pm.

By pretty much whatever measure you choose, the NHS in England is currently at the lowest point in its entire history. There are, of course, a number of reasons for this, but chief among them are the failure, for nearly a decade and a half now, to pay and treat its staff fairly and, most importantly, to fund it and invest in it properly - even though investment in the NHS has been shown to have an economic multiplier effect, that is to say that money invested in the health service boosts the economy by a greater amount than the sum invested. And if you thought a likely change of party occupying the government benches in Westminster might rescue the NHS, don't hold your breath...

Here in the London Borough of Enfield there were, until a couple of years ago, local NHS bodies that were involved in deciding how to spend the diminishing amounts of money (in real terms) that were available. However, Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group has now been absorbed into a body responsible for NHS services in five boroughs and we find ourselves at the mercy of NCL ICS - the North Central London Integrated Care System.

However, when it comes to "watchdog" functions, we do still have a borough-level organisation:  Healthwatch Enfield, "an independent, statutory organisation dedicated to improving health and social care services in Enfield". On its website it describes its role as being "the eyes and ears of the community [...] here to ensure that the local people get the best quality of care from their Primary and Secondary Health services in Enfield".

In the run-up to its annual conference, which will be held in Edmonton on 27th March and is open to all, Healthwatch Enfield has been surveying the borough's population to determine their greatest concerns relating to health services. The issues that came top of the list include dentistry and cancer screening (both of which have been very badly affected by the sharp deterioration in NHS performance which I mentioned above) and young people's mental health. But - unsurprisingly, since it's something that affects pretty much everyone - the issue that tops the list is the difficulty in getting appointments to see a GP without waiting too long.

Accordingly, Healthwatch Enfield have chosen for the conference the theme "GP Access Made Simple", reflecting, they say, "our commitment to addressing one of the most pressing issues facing our community today - the accessibility of GP services".

But is it actually within the power of Healthwatch Enfield to do anything about the shortage of appointments, other than trying to divert some patients to alternatives, such as asking pharmacists for advice or searching for information online, neither of which are entirely satisfactory?

If, like me, you're keen to know the answer to this question, and many others, then register for the conference (which includes a free lunch!). If you have any questions for the presenters, you'll need to submit them online when you register.

Healthwatch Enfield Annual Conference: details and online registration

Listening to Enfield: Community Priorities for 2024–2025 identified by Healthwatch Enfield

Healthwatch Enfield is all about making sure your voice is heard when it comes to health and social care services. We approached the residents of Enfield to ask what our engagement priorities should be for 2024–2025.

Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts by completing our online surveys and our jar surveys at local events.

From the 258 responses we received, this is what you told us our priorities should be:

Priorities Bar Chart 24-25

Priorities Pie Chart 24-25

Top Health Priorities

GP Access

Nearly one in three of you told us that getting to see your GP is harder than it should be. With 33% highlighting this, it’s clear that easier access to doctors is a must-have for Enfield.

Young People's Mental Health

Next up, many of you are worried about the mental health of our younger residents. 19% of residents think we need to do more to support them, showing how important our young people’s wellbeing is to our community.

NHS Dental Care

Dental health isn’t far behind, with 19% concerned about the difficulty of seeing a dentist or having trouble registering with an NHS practice.

Cancer Screening

17% raised cancer screening as a key area. Catching problems early can make all the difference.

Housing Health & Wellbeing

Although it wasn't as reported as much, the quality of homes affects residents' health and wellbeing. 7% brought this up, reminding us that it’s an ongoing concern in Enfield.

Other Concerns

And it’s not just these areas. Some residents (5%) shared other concerns such as financial struggles and adult mental health, which tells us about the complex challenges local people are facing within our borough.

Source: www.healthwatchenfield.co.uk/news/2024-02-01/listening-enfield-community-priorities-2024-2025

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