10 Year Health Plan Engagement Blog

As part of the 10 Year Health Plan, it is vital that we ensure that everyone's voice is heard.  Here you will find updates on the engagement work our team has been running with various groups and communities across Somerset. If you would like to find out more on how you can share your views click here.

Yeovil Veterans Breakfast, Saturday 11 January 2025

As part of our 10 Year Health Plan engagement, Kat Tottle, our NHS Somerset Engagement Lead and Teri Underwood, Armed Forces Project Manager, spent some time with Yeovil veterans at their Veterans Breakfast.  

This was a really interesting and informative engagement session, learning more about veterans’ experiences of healthcare services and their thoughts about the future of the NHS.  

 Teri was able to highlight important support services available to veterans across the county.  

Many members provided Kat with useful feedback about their positive experiences of interaction with NHS staff but also their concerns around long waits for ambulances and appointments.  Kat & Teri were also able to support individuals with their specific queries and concerns.  

 If you would like to find out more about Somerset’s Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast, please visit:  Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Clubs (AFVBC), By Veterans For Veterans 

 

Yeovil Association of WRENS, Tuesday 14 January 2025

Kat Tottle, NHS Somerset Engagement Lead and Teri Underwood, Armed Forces Project Manager, both attended a meeting of the Yeovil Association of Wrens, at the Quicksilver Mail pub in Yeovil, to gather feedback as part of the 10 Year Health Plan campaign. 

The Wrens were able to contribute lots of feedback, based on their wide range of experiences of healthcare services in the county. The group had lots of feedback and useful ideas about improvements for the NHS both nationally and in Somerset. 

Some Wrens raised concerns regarding the lack of cohesiveness and communication across different NHS services, as well as compliments for individuals and teams who had provided excellent, high-quality care.  

It was also interesting to hear from members who lived on the border of Somerset and Dorset and who used Somerset’s healthcare services.  

To find out more about the Association of Wrens, please visit:  Branches & Groups - Association of Wrens 

 

Somerset Youth Parliament, Sunday 19 January 2025

On Sunday 19 January, the ICB Engagement Team visited the Somerset Youth Parliament, at Donyatt Village Hall. The group is organised and supported by Kate Darlington, Area Youth Worker, who has many years of experience in preparing and enabling these young people to become the voice of young people in Somerset.  

In discussing the engagement questions, the young people present were able to highlight some key areas of concern or for develop, such as long waiting lists, dental services and provision for young peoples’ mental health.  

To learn more about the key role played by Somerset’s Youth Parliament, please visit:  Somerset UK Youth Parliament and  Somerset Youth Parliament 

 

Minehead Talking Café, Monday 20 January 2025

As part of our 10 Year Plan Engagement, we went along to Minehead Methodist Church to join Village Agents Ellie and Wayne, and to talk with people about the 10 Year Health Plan. 

Many people at the morning’s session talked with Kat about the challenge of transport to medical appointments, particularly when these were at one of the two main hospitals in the county. Often, an appointment at a hospital would become an all-day round-trip.  

 People gave a positive response to the Government’s proposal to focus on the shift from hospitals, to community-based services.  

 Residents who attended also shared their concerns about the increasing use of digital technology. Whilst they recognised that technology could have beneficial advantages, they highlighted that many people do not use the internet, or devices that connect to the internet (the ‘digitally excluded’). Others were concerned about the number of NHS apps and how complex these appeared to be. 

It was interesting to hear positive feedback about some local Pharmacists in Minehead, as well as the organisation and efficiency of local GP practices.  

 During each conversation, Kat recorded everyone’s feedback and this will now be submitted for the national campaign, as well as forming part of a SW regional analysis and learning in Somerset. 

 If you are interested in finding your local Talking Café in Somerset, please visit:  Village Agents | Talking Cafes 

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Online ICB Colleague Engagement, various dates, January-February 2025

To enable engagement with our ICB colleagues, directorates and teams have been invited to contact the Engagement Team to arrange 30-minute engagement sessions.

Colleagues have learnt more about each of the three key shifts fundamental to this campaign, have had the opportunity to ask questions, to discuss their ideas and to use Mentimeter to share their experiences, thoughts and ideas as NHS professionals.

If you would like to know more about NHS Somerset’s 10 Year Health Plan engagement activity, please visit: 10 Year Health Plan Engagement   - NHS Somerset ICB

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ICB Lunch & Learn sessions, MS Teams online engagement sessions, January 2025

To engage with our ICB workforce, three ‘Lunch and Learn’ 20 minutes engagement sessions have been running across several weeks.

These short bitesize engagement sessions have provided colleagues with a valuable opportunity to discuss the three key shifts, to hear more from colleagues from other ICB teams about initiatives related to the shifts in Somerset and to leave their feedback and ideas for the national and Somerset campaign.

Glastonbury Veterans Breakfast, Mamf’s Café, Glastonbury, Wednesday 22 January 2025

The Glastonbury Veterans Breakfast group, who meet at Mamf’s Café regularly were keen to talk to us regarding the 10 Year Health Plan. Our team went along to hear about members’ experiences of healthcare services and to gather their feedback as part of the campaign.  

 Key themes which emerged from the discussions included; funding options for various types of healthcare, waiting times for GP appointments, concerns regarding dental treatment for children and adults and the importance of nurses in both school and acute (hospital) settings. Many members also shared their frustration with the cost of hospital parking.  

 For more information about Glastonbury’s Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club (AFVBC) please visit:  Glastonbury Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Clubs | Glastonbury AFVBC | By Veterans For Veterans 

Children and Young People Participation Worker's Online Workshop, Thursday 23 January 2025

Kat Tottle, Engagement & Insight Lead for NHS Somerset ran an online workshop for those work to support young people across Somerset.

 

Key themes in feedback included:

• How vital it is for children and young people to have their say
• How the voluntary, charity, faith and social enterprise sector (VCFSE) often ‘plug’ the gaps in current NHS provision
• The increasing need for mental health support for young people
• How important it is that the future NHS needs to develop more integrated and joined-up working between healthcare, social care and VCFSE

If you would like to know more about NHS Somerset’s 10 Year Health Plan engagement activity, please visit: 10 Year Health Plan Engagement - NHS Somerset ICB

 

You can also find out more about the VCFSE (voluntary, charity, faith and social enterprise) organisations who work hard to support young people across Somerset:

• Spark Somerset's The Somerset Youth Work Alliance - Somerset Youth Work Alliance - Spark Somerset
• Space Somerset -The Space – Preserving and protecting the mental health of children and young people living in the Cheddar Valley, Somerset
• In Charley’s Memory - In Charley's Memory

 

Taunton Library Public Drop-in Session, Tuesday 28 January

We visited Taunton Library and together with Gill from Healthwatch Somerset, Kat spoke to a number of residents about the 10 Year Health Plan. We heard from some residents that:

• There was an issue with the sharing of medical records between regions, ICBs as well as healthcare organisations within Somerset
• Residents were concerned about the number of questions asked by GP Receptionists
• Musgrove Park Hospital are very good at supporting adults with learning difficulties in feeling less anxious and more informed about their treatment
• Some GP practices are very good at making reasonable adjustments, to improve the patient experience for those who may have difficulty going for a face to face appointment

 

We also bought delicious coffees, made by young people working in the fantastic ‘Bold and Brave Café’ run by Young Somerset. To read more about this enterprise, please visit: Bold and Brave Cafe - NOW OPEN | Young Somerset

Burnham-on-Sea Library Public Drop-in Session, Tuesday 28 January

Kat from our Engagement Team and Sheila from Healthwatch Somerset ran a drop-in session at the library.

It was interesting to hear from some ex-NHS nurses about their experience working in the health service and also now as patients. We heard that

Also present and engaging with the public were Catherine and Jan from Somerset Care, who were very interesting to talk to about carers and care provision in the county. For more information about Somerset Care, please visit: Somerset Care | Specialist Care Home & Home Care Services

 

 

Wiveliscombe Talking Cafe, Wednesday 29 January

Kat attended the thriving Talking Café session at the Silver Street Centre, run by Sharon, the Village Agent. Also present and very welcoming, was Steve and the Rev Parry.

This was a great opportunity to sit with different attendees at the session, to talk through their personal health experiences, to hear about the challenges they’d faced and also, how they envisioned the NHS working in the future. All feedback was recorded.

Kat heard some very sad stories from residents about how they perceived that there had been missed opportunities for vital health tests and possible delays in diagnosis, which have had life-altering consequences. Also, attendees were keen to discuss long waiting times for appointments. Kat shared contact details for both the ICB and Somerset Foundation Trust's Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and Complaints Teams.

Some members wished to share their concerns regarding the move to digital solutions and how this may cause issues around accessibility for those without the internet.

Sharon highlighted the incredible community spirit and support available in Wiveliscombe that really helps to support the residents. For example, Kat heard about Wivey Kitchen, where local residents volunteer to cook in the pub, The Bear’s kitchen and fill fridges with food, that was then delivered to those who needed it in the local area. There is also ‘Wivvy Link Community Transport - Wivey Link Community Transport - Wiveliscombe Area Partnership

Kat also learnt more about the fantastic work of Wivey Cares - Wivey Cares – Connecting our Caring Community

It was really interesting to learn more about the great work that community volunteers do and vital community support initiatives around Wiveliscombe.

 

Bridgwater Library Public Drop-In Session, Thursday 30 January

Kat from our Engagement Team and Sheila from Healthwatch Somerset ran a drop-in session at Bridgwater Library.

We heard a range of feedback from those who came to speak to us, which included:

• An ex-Nurse who told us about her experience as a patient at Somerset hospitals
• One gentleman shared his feeling that the NHS was free so therefore felt that people shouldn’t complain as they are lucky, compared to other countries where people pay on the point of access
• Feedback about local GP practices
• Thoughts about where money could be saved in NHS funding
• Ideas around taking examples of healthcare systems and payment for healthcare from other countries
• How young people find the NHS often complicated to navigate
• How digital solutions such as photographs of skin conditions has worked well for some

Minehead Library Public Drop-In Session, Friday 31 January

Kat, our Engagement Lead and Gill from Healthwatch Somerset ran a drop-in session at Minehead Library.

We heard a lot of feedback regarding:

• Local GP practices, changes in management and reduction in full-time doctors
• The high number of locum GPs
• Ideas about where cuts to NHS spending could take place
• A belief that the NHS was a large bureaucracy and so cuts needed to be made in management wages
• Travel as a challenging issue for those living in West Somerset
• Positive examples of empathy, kindness and care by individual members of staff
• How the NHS model should borrow from healthcare organisations in other countries

It was really interesting to have some conversations around what might be needed to attract doctors and other clinical staff to work in more rural areas of Somerset and what incentives could look like.

We also heard about how people wanted continuity of care and to see the same GPs, rather than different locums.

This feedback will also be shared in the 10 Year Health Plan findings report that will be produced and shared with key individuals, teams and Integrated Care System (ICS) organisations.

Kat gained some really useful feedback about where to promote NHS drop-in sessions such as this one, in the local neighbourhood, to ensure that more people were aware of the opportunity.  Kat will use this information for planning future NHS Somerset engagement across the rest of the year. We are committed to ensuring we hear everyones voices across the whole of the county.

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Farmers Market, Bath & West Showground, Thursday 30 January 2025

Jacquie from our Engagement Team joined with Diana from the Rural Health Hub in Frome and Beth, an NFU representative to talk to members of the farming community attending a conference at the Bath and West Showground.

This was a great opportunity to talk to farmers and their families, to gain a better understanding of the challenges they face when it comes to their own health and wellbeing.

A key theme we heard, was the need for easier access to mental health support, especially for arable farmers who can often go weeks without any human contact apart from their immediate families.

Somerset’s Health Hubs for Farmers were praised, but some felt that there is a need for these vital services to be expanded, offering more frequent clinics and a broader range of care to better serve the broad needs of the large farming community across the county.

If you would like to find out more, please visit Health Hubs for Farmers - Our Somerset

Royal Marines Norton Manor, Armed Forces Engagement, Tuesday 04 February

Kat from the Engagement Team and Teri, Somerset’s Armed Forces Project Manner, visited the Royal Navy’s Norton Manor Camp, to speak with currently serving forces about their experiences, views and ideas for the NHS in Somerset and nationally.

We met and talked with Sophie, who works as part of the Family and People Support team on site and Aggie’s, who are an organisation who provide pastoral support for members of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and their families.

Currently serving members of the armed forces have access to healthcare provided by the DMS – Defence Medical Services. However some are dual-registered with NHS GPs if they need medical treatment whilst recovering at home for periods of time. Forces’ families use the NHS and have specific needs, given the nature of their lifestyle and moving around the country and having to change NHS ICB catchment areas, to register with new GPs or to access healthcare waiting lists for acute or community treatment.

We heard some positive feedback regarding healthcare treatment for Marines’ families at both acute hospitals in the county. We also heard about the difficulties of Marines’ families moving from waiting lists in one area, to the bottom of a waiting list in their new area.
Teri has been working hard with GP practices and other healthcare providers across the county, to ensure that they are aware of which patients are either serving members of the armed forces or are families of service members.

This was a really interesting visit and we will be returning to engage further, as Teri is working collaboratively with the Commanding Officer and other relevant individuals, to ensure that the NHS is supportive, as per their commitment as part of the Armed Forces Covenant signed in May 2023.

To find out more about the base, please visit: RM Norton Manor | Royal Navy

To discover more about the work of Aggie’s, please visit: Aggies

To read more about Teri’s work and the Somerset’s Armed Forces Covenant: Armed Forces - NHS Somerset ICB

 

ARK at Egwood, Merriot, Veterans Engagement, Wednesday 05 February

Kat from our Engagement Team and Gill from Healthwatch Somerset, visited the fantastic ARK at Egwood. The ARK is a community therapeutic day service provision in Merriott, Somerset, offering offer counselling, psychotherapy & equine therapies.

ARK at Egwood is an inter-generational land-based day service for people of all ages, needs and abilities. Based upon 12 acres of land and woodland, ARK creates a safe, outdoor space for people to relax, engage with others and improve their overall health and wellbeing. We grow our own produce, vegetables and flowers, and offer a number of rural based arts and crafts, cooking, hedge laying and other activities on site.

Kat and Gill joined some veterans for their breakfast of delicious sausage baps, cooked on a barbeque and with hot tea and coffee, to discuss their ideas and views for the future of the NHS.

We heard feedback regarding the cost of healthcare services in other countries such as Canada, ideas about the need for better travel arrangements. Some veterans also shared their interesting and important lived experiences about treatment in both of the acutes for serious conditions such as cancer, sharing what worked well and areas that could be improved.

It was also really interesting to hear about veterans’ experiences of mental health support from the NHS and some examples of the failure of these services to support young members of their families.

All feedback has been recorded by Kat and will be submitted for the national campaign, regional analysis and also work in Somerset to improve healthcare services.

If you would like to find out more about the work of ARK, please visit: Ark at Egwood - Changing Lives Within Our Community

 

Dulverton Talking Cafe, Thursday 06 February

Kat from our Engagement Team drove to Dulverton Talking Café – possibly the most beautiful drive, with frosted fields and bright, golden early-morning sunshine.

The Talking Café is run by Village Agents Nikki and Chiara in the Fishers Meads Community Room and given the temperate outside, the heating and hot drinks available made this a welcoming, safe and friendly session.

Kat spoke with a number of residents about the NHS and ideas for the future.

Kat heard feedback from an ex-Staff Nurse who is incredibly passionate about the NHS but had lots of ideas for improvements needed, based on her experiences of working in highly-pressured acute hospital wards and seeing changes to staff-patient ratios.

It was also interesting to hear about travel challenges of living in Dulverton and surrounding areas, due to the poor bus service. Volunteer drivers are available but need to be booked in advance and can be expensive. This is significant when people need to get to Musgrove Park Hospital for appointments.

The local GP was next door to this building and Kat heard peoples’ thoughts about digital solutions used to reduce waiting lists and times, as well as ideas for incentivising working in more rural areas of the county.

Members were very keen to praise the NHS as providing healthcare free at the point of entry, but a discussion was had around a means-tested version of the NHS, to solve the current financial crisis it is experiencing.

If find out more about Dulverton Talking Café, please visit: Talking Cafe - Dulverton - Somerset Carers

Wells City Practice Patient Participation Group (PPG) Public Workshop, Monday 10 February

Wells Medical Practice Patient Participation Group (PPG) invited our Engagement Team to help organise and run a 10 Year Health Plan workshop at Seager Hall, Wells, on the evening of Monday 10 February for members of the PPG and its networks.

GP practices in Somerset have Patient Participation Groups who work in partnership with their GP practice and are vital in ensuring that the patient voice is heard.

Kat, Alex and Jacquie from the team worked alongside Wells Medical’s PPG leadership to run an evening workshop, discussing and recording the three key shifts, or changes, proposed by the government. Members of the public worked in small groups to discuss their views and to propose ideas for change.

Mandy from Healthwatch Somerset attended and supported the engagement workshop, as well as providing support for individuals who wished to share their lived experiences.

This was an interesting and useful opportunity to share and voice experiences, views and ideas for the future of the health service both in Somerset and nationally.

If you would like to find out about Somerset’s Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) and how you can get involved, please visit: How can you get involved - NHS Somerset ICB

Williton Talking Cafe, Tuesday 11 February

Kat from our Engagement Team attended the Talking Café held in Williton Pavilion, Killick Way, run by local Village Agent Issy.

Some people at the Talking Café had some very interesting lived experiences of healthcare services in Somerset and highlighted challenges to receiving joined-up, continuous care. Experiences shared with Kat included recovery support back at home when discharged from hospital following major operations, Dementia support available for patients and carers, Smoking Cessation health support and healthcare for those with acquired brain injuries. It was really interesting to hear the thoughts and views of such a wide range of experiences, including feedback on a number of healthcare services across the county.

If you would like to find out more about Williton Talking Café, please visit: Talking Cafe - Williton - Somerset Carers

Wincanton Library Public Drop-In Session, Wednesday 12 February

Kat, our Engagement Lead, arranged a 10 Year Health Plan public drop-in session at Wincanton Library.

Interestingly, the library was also hosting two Village Agents who were running a Talking Cafes aimed at supporting carers.

As well as hearing some general public feedback on the key shifts that underpin the 10 Year Health Plan, it was really interesting and informative to speak with a leading member of ‘Wincanton Cares’, a charity that was founded in 2022 by a small group who are passionate about wanting to help the people of Wincanton to live their lives as fully as possible. On their website, they offer practical advice and links to organisations who offer support and resources.

To find out more about Wincanton Cares, please visit: Wincanton Cares | Connecting people with what they need

Glastonbury, The Red Brick Building, Public Community Engagement, Thursday 13 February

Kat, our Engagement Lead, visited Glastonbury’s The Red Brick Building, a community-owned social enterprise, to run a 10 Year Health Plan public drop-in session.

Kat spoke to volunteers and attendees of the community centre and discuss a wide range of healthcare experiences and views about the focus on the 3 key shifts.

It was particularly interesting to hear about healthcare provision for homeless communities and challenges with accessing dental services.

Kat has some useful conversations with ex NHS Mental Health professionals around the need for more community services and support, taken out of acute settings, as well as shorter and faster waiting lists for adults, for a diagnosis of Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other conditions that can often be mistaken and diagnosed for depression and anxiety.

If you would like to know more about The Red Brick Building, please visit: The Red Brick Building - Community Benefit Society

Bruton Library Public Drop-In Session, Friday 14 February

Kat visited Bruton Library to run a 10 Year Health Plan public drop-in session.

It was really interesting talking to a member of the public who worked closely with farmers and those in agricultural professions and how the shifts would impact their lives.

Kat also has a useful conversation with another member of the public about the changes in the local area, the increase in housing and the perception that there is no expansion of infrastructure to support the increasing local community. This included a discussion around local, community-based healthcare services, one of the key three shifts.

Frome Library Public Drop-In Session, Friday 14 February

Kat’s final 10 Year Health Plan public drop-in session was at Frome Library in the afternoon of Friday 14 February.

To add to the warm, welcoming ambiance, the library had arranged for a local musician to play the guitar and sing songs about love, as it was Valentine’s Day! The library was bustling and is clearly very popular with a wide range of people coming to use the computers, read or to seek information.

In terms of 10 Year Health Plan feedback, it was interesting to hear from some current NHS employees about control of funding, use of digital technology and ideas for streamlining often complex, disjointed communications pathways.

Members of the public also shared their thoughts regarding dental services, the need to focus on prevention of both mental and physical health and the advantages of mobile health units appearing in local supermarket car parks.

Some members of the public are going to share their thoughts online, through our 10 Year Health Plan Somerset survey, which closes on Friday 21 February.