Seeing the bigger picture: Circle Integrated Care and Bedford Borough Healthwatch
Meeting the needs of our patients is of paramount importance to Circle Integrated Care (CIC). Not only does it ensure that the people we see and treat receive the best outcomes, but it also guarantees that our services remain relevant, helpful and effective. We commissioned Bedford Borough Healthwatch to undertake an in-depth survey into the experiences of our patients in Bedford.
As a service provider to Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board with over 40,000 referrals a year we want to make that we are capturing as much data and insight as possible into how our patients use and ultimately benefit from using CIC. Our own reporting is extensive, and we are acutely aware of how important the patient experience is. However, we may not be capturing the whole picture and that is why working with Healthwatch is so important. Their independent survey gives us a complete picture of how our service is used by patients, while also providing recommendations and crucially – actionable changes we can implement that are based on real experiences.
The impact of the pandemic placed immense pleasure on every part of the healthcare system. This in turn, has doubled the volume of patients that need seeing. Our work with Healthwatch has been vital in shaping our strategy to reduce waiting times and improve the experience our patients have from the CIC services available to them. There is still a lot to be done, and we are aware that due to Government guidance, we were unable to see patients physically and that some received multiple appointments either online or eventually in person. We are delighted that 94% of our treatment pathways are now back within the target range. This is a clear indication that the work we are doing is making a positive and sustained impact.
A key takeaway from our work with Healthwatch is that patients want a greater understanding of their treatment journey. To meet this need we have commissioned an extensive suite of resources from leaflets to dedicated information packs. These resources will provide patients with detailed guidance on how to manage the early stages of their condition. This is being supported with an easy-to-use app, providing flexibility and accessibility when the patient needs it the most.
To support the role out of these resources our clinical team are looking into a more extensive package of support we can offer to patients during and after their care. Involving the patient in the journey and fundamentally, the recovery, is essential to creating a smooth and efficient service. We are exceedingly grateful to Healthwatch for their support in this endeavour and are confident that we will continue to make good on our commitment to patients across Bedford and further afield.