News and reports

This report recorded the experiences of homeless people who were referred by the council into support hostels in November 2017. It found that adult homeless, particularly those with complex needs, were not supported by GP practices as well as younger homeless in similar accommodation and suggests considerations for service providers.

This report focuses on how well GPs in Croydon have supported BME carers both in terms of their own health and wellbeing and in their caring role.

Our study raises both areas of concern and highlights good practice in terms of the support that GPs are offering BME carers in Croydon.

Three GP hubs were opened in Croydon in April 2017 offering walk-in services and booked appointments with GPs.

Healthwatch Croydon visited the hubs over a two-week period in the summer to understand how the service was perceived by patients.

Healthwatch Croydon conducted a survey at the Healthy Living Hub (HLH) between 23 and 30 March 2017.

It had been advertised that some of services at the Healthy Living Hub were being reduced and given previous reductions in service, HWC were keen to understand how the service was perceived and experienced by the users.

Our snapshot report aimed to register views on the current service and also understand where service users might go if this service did not exist. Engaging with 124 service users in total, we asked how they found out about the service, how often they use it, and which aspects they find most useful. We also asked where they would go, if they could not access the service.

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In this report we research the experience of refugees and asylum seekers. During the autumn of 2016 we engaged with 105 people of all ages, visiting organisations including Croydon Refugee Day Centre, Linguahouse CIC, British Red Cross and Tamil Family Association. We also talked to frontline staff at Crisis and the British Refugee Council.

Comments from GP Experience Feedback Workshop conducted at the Annual Meeting 5 October 2016.

Croydon has 57 GP practices, with 403,045 registered patients according to NHS England. Healthwatch Croydon, the local champion for better health and social care, heard the views of over of 1,856 patients across Croydon from 1 September 2015 to 31 August 2016 with every practice represented. This report is reflective of their views, experiences and expectations of a service that nearly every resident uses.

Residents are seeing Croydon’s GP services as less personal. Issues include difficulties in booking appointments by telephone, clinical judgements made by receptionists, and weeks of waiting for routine appointments with a preferred doctor. Many residents do not get to see a GP of choice, or a GP at all, with many not knowing who their GP is.

This report looks at Croydon’s mental health services. It calls on health and social care providers to make the changes needed to deliver better care. This includes improving accessibility to services, users and their carers more involved in decision-making, more support and less emphasis on medication.

Carers of people aged 65 and over in Croydon need far better support, according to a report by Healthwatch Croydon. This includes better communication between health providers and carers, more home support, better care planning, and better promotion of rights of carers.

There are over 50,000 people in Croydon over 65. Croydon has over 33,000 carers, with a significant number looking after over-65s. Around 35% of those registered as carers with Croydon Carers Support Centre look after over-65s.

Healthwatch Croydon, the local champion for better health and social care, heard the views of over 45 carers in Croydon in June 2016 gaining over 130 items of feedback.

The survey took place at Boots Coulsdon, Boots Lower Addiscombe, Boots New Addington, Boots Old Coulsdon, Boots Parchmore Medical Centre, Boots Purley, Boots Whitgift Shopping Centre and Queenhill Medical Practice between 24 April and 20 May 2016.

Our response to Croydon Health Services NHS Trust Quality Accounts 2015/16.