Our work with people and communities
Find out more about our continuous engagement work
Engagement news and updates
Smokefree Somerset 2024 - 2025
As part of the national drive for a Smokefree 2030 where no more than 5% of the population smoke, Somerset need to do more to continue driving down our local smoking prevalence.
To achieve our 5% target for 2030 we need around 45,000 to quit smoking by 2030 in Somerset.For this campaign to succeed we need to understand what motivates people to quit smoking and how to best communicate with them.
Somerset's Big Conversation 2024 - Findings Report
As part of our engagement roadshow, Somerset’s Big Conversation, which took place between May-October 2024, we have analysed all of the feedback we received and have produced a findings report. This report has been shared with collegues across the Somerset system, partners, stakeholders and the public. The findings will help to shape our strategy for healthcare services in Somerset.
10 Year Health Plan Engagement in Somerset
As part of the government's 10 Year Health Plan national campaign, it has been vital to ensure that everyone's voice in Somerset is heard. Feedback we hear will be submitted to the national campaign, for part of a South West regional analysis and will also be used to shape the strategy for healthcare services in Somerset. By clicking on the link below, you can find out more about the reasons for the campaign, how we have engaged with people and communities across Somerset, where we have been engaging and read our engagement blog to discover key themes and ideas for the future of the NHS, shared by people across the county.
SW Regional Hypertension (High blood pressure) Survey
The Somerset ‘Know Your Numbers’ and ‘Take the Pressure Off Hypertension’ (high blood pressure) campaign is an initiative dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of regular blood pressure monitoring. We have worked collaboratively with NHS England and our SW regional partners, to design an online survey that will give us more insight into people’s lived experiences. This will help us to better understand the challenges people experience in getting their blood pressure tested and factors which may motivate them to take this important step.
Vaccinations During Pregnancy
NHS England and NHS Somerset are interested in increasing vaccination uptake. Through a range of communications and engagement activities, our aim is to reach groups and communities where they are at particular risk and/or uptake rates are lowest. One group we are aiming to engage with is pregnant individuals and new mothers in the community, to better understand their experiences. We will use this feedback to shape our communications and strategy, to improve the uptake of vaccination opportunities.
Remote Monitoring Online Survey (Aug 2024) - You Said, We Did
In August, the ICB Engagement Team supported colleagues in developing an online survey around the use of digital technology and remote monitoring. The use of digital technologies is increasingly playing a part in our lives, including in healthcare. The concept of remote monitoring has been around for some time and involves use of devices to enable people to receive, record and relay information about their health and wellbeing in real time.
The online survey has now closed and we have started to analyse all feedback. Your thoughts, views and experiences of remote monitoring are now going to help us to plan our next steps.
Shaping Somerset - Engagement Annual Report 2023-24
The NHS Somerset Engagement Team are proud to share NHS Somerset’s Shaping Somerset - Engagement Annual Report 2023-24, highlighting the wide range of engagement that has taken place over the last year.
Engagement ensures that the voices of diverse people and communities from across the whole county are always at the heart of what we do. Continuously engaging and communicating with patients, families and carers, community groups, partners, stakeholders and the public in the planning, design and delivery of health and care services is essential in shaping our work.
Somerset's Big Conversation (May - Oct 2024)
Somerset’s Big Conversation roadshow took place from May-October. We aimed to engage with residents across the whole county about what matters to them and their priorities. The roadshow was also an opportunity to raise awareness of key campaigns. The NHS Somerset Engagement Team and colleagues from across the health & care system engaged with people about our ICS (Integrated Care System) Strategy, posing broad questions to gain a better understanding about what matters most to people in Somerset.
Neurorehabilitation Services Review 2023/2024
NHS Somerset is currently reviewing neurological rehabilitation services across the county. Neurological Rehabilitation (Neuro Rehab) focuses on enhancing functionality, alleviating symptoms, and improving the overall wellbeing of individuals with conditions, injuries or disorders affecting the nervous system.
Somerset Research Engagement Network - Findings & Recommendations Report (Oct 2023-April 2024)
Following a successful bid in securing funding from NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care in October 2023, ICS partners have delivered a Research Engagement Network (REN) Project in Somerset and the findings & recommendations report is now available.
Vaccinations Engagement (May-July 2024)
NHS Somerset Communications & Engagement colleagues are working closely together on a series of engagement projects, working alongside our VCFSE partners who already have trusted, established relationships in their communities, to improve vaccination communications.
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) ‘Take the Pressure Off’ Campaign - Survey Findings & 'You Said We Did'
The Integrated Care System (ICS) partners are currently involved in working collaboratively on our “Take the Pressure Off” campaign, an initiative dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of regular blood pressure monitoring.
Musculoskeletal Digital 'getUBetter' App Engagement (June-July 2024)
The NHS Somerset Engagement Team have been supporting colleagues with engagement around an app, designed as a self-management digital support platform to enable people with common musculoskeletal injuries and conditions to self-manage.
Personalised Care Branding Survey Findings & You Said, We Did (June-July 2024)
The NHS Somerset Communications & Engagement Team have been supporting our personalised care colleagues with their branding - a personalised care design and logo which people to feel they can connect with.
NHS Type 2 Pathway to Remission Programme - Diabetes Engagement (July 2024)
The Engagement Team is currently supporting colleagues with engagement planning around a 12-month programme to help people lose weight and potentially go into remission from having Type 2 diabetes. Somerset is one of 21 areas in the country to offer the Programme.
Personalised Care - Survey Findings & You Said, We Did
Personalised Care represents a new relationship between people, professionals and the health and care system and provides a positive shift in power and decision making that enables people to feel informed, have a voice, to be heard and to be connected to each other and their communities.
Taunton and Bridgwater Deaf Club October 2023
Our Engagement team were invited by Healthwatch Somerset to attend the October meeting of the Taunton and Bridgwater Deaf Club.
Our Engagement annual report 2022-23
Our People and Communities: annual engagement report 22-23 provides an overview of our engagement work from July 2022 to April 2023.
NHS 75th Birthday - Engagement across Somerset
Our Engagement team and Healtwatch Somerset travelled across the county, gathering NHS stories from the people of Somerset as part of our NHS 75th birthday celebrations.
Pride in Priorswood 2023
Our Engagement team attended this summer's Pride in Priorswood 2023 events.
Neuro Rehabilitation Services Engagement 2023
Our Engagement team have been engaging with people with lived experience of neuro rehabilitation services in Somerset including carers, family and support networks.
Hyper acute and acute stroke services review
We are currently reviewing our acute hospital based stroke services in Somerset, which includes hyper acute stroke and acute stroke services.
This is the specialist hospital care people receive in the first few days and weeks after a stroke.
To find out more about the review visit the Our Somerset website stroke pages.
Children and Young People's emotional health and wellbeing
We are pleased to share our full report on our findings following our engagement about Children and Young People’s emotional health and wellbeing in Somerset 2020.
307 people completed a survey to tell us what they think of children and young people mental health services. The survey was designed in partnership with Young Somerset, the largest youth work charity in Somerset. Key findings from the report tell us that people would like to see easier access to services, increased availability of sessions, more suitable services for specific needs and better communication about the services that are available.
Engagement report on the closure of Victoria Park Medical Centre
NHS Somerset has published an engagement report describing the feedback given by patients and residents, following the closure of the Victoria Park Medical Centre.
Over 100 people gave us their feedback through three drop-in sessions and an online survey. All the information provided was analysed by an independent expert, who has written a report.
The report includes details of people’s experiences of their new GP practices, their views about what NHS Somerest needs to consider when planning for future local health services and suggestions about possible solutions.
A copy is available here.
Mental health services review
Following a public consultation, on the 24 September 2020, the Governing Body of Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) approved a proposal to relocate adult mental health beds from Wells to Yeovil.
