What we have heard about local health and social care
Healthwatch Birmingham and Healthwatch Solihull are proud to be the voice of people who use local health and social care services.
Thanks to everyone who shares their opinions with our community engagement teams and volunteers, as well as through our online Feedback Centre and Information and Signposting service, we are able to learn what patients and the general public truly think about the services they use.
We share this information with organisations like the CQC and the local NHS who decide how care is delivered, so they can make the changes people have told us they need. If we have particular concerns about a certain service, we may investigate further and work with the service to help them improve.
Healthwatch Birmingham and Healthwatch Solihull received feedback from over 6,500 local people between April and September 2024. You can read more about the main issues they raised below. We must stress that the overall majority of feedback we hear is positive, most often about the caring attitudes and professionalism of staff, who we recognise are working hard in services often under great pressure.
HOSPITALS
What have we heard?
- Problems with maternity services – staffing/inequality/continuity of care
I visited the maternity triage unit because my baby had not been moving. I was left waiting for over 6 hours and was not seen or monitored by anyone. No assessment was done and I was told by a midwife that I had to wait for a doctor and that they were understaffed and sharing doctors with the labour ward. I ended up leaving the hospital as I was alone and it was very late at night. The staff let me leave and told me to come back in the morning. Looking back I know I should not have left and should have insisted on being seen. The triage unit was full and other women had been waiting longer than me without being seen or assessed by anyone. (Solihull)
- Waiting times for gynaecology appointments
I had a great experience at maternity. I am still waiting for gynaecology appointment for over 42 weeks now. It’s difficult. (Birmingham)
- Wheelchair availability
There are a lack of wheelchairs for patients to use at appointments. I had to hunt the hospital to find one in order that I could bring my husband into his appointment. There were no staff to help or assist me and I was not the only person trying to find one. There needs to be more available at such a large hospital. (Solihull)
- PALS
I was referred for surgery specified as highest priority and for the shortest waiting list. I’ve contacted the admissions office at ROH on three occasions and have been told contradicting stories on each occasion, and still I’m waiting for a date. The last time I tried contacting them I was on the phone for 55 minutes, then when the call was finally answered the call was ended. I have tried contacting their PALS team and had no reply and finally I have emailed the complaints office and yet again have received no reply. (Birmingham)
- Support for people with autism
There needs to be more training for all departments and receptionists on different people and certain conditions like autism and how to deal with those people. (Birmingham)
- Access and waiting for hospital appointments
5 weeks wait for heart scan [and I am] on the waiting list for an appointment for respiratory clinic, been told it’s 52 weeks wait. No support or info provided in the meantime. (Birmingham)
What have we done?
We have investigated maternity services for Black African and Black Caribbean women, support for young people with autism and/or ADHD and the referral process from GPs to secondary care in Birmingham. You can read more about our recommendations and changes made here:
Local people’s views on the referral process from general practice to secondary care
GP PRACTICES
What have we heard?
- Access to appointments
You can’t get an appointment here. You have to phone at half 8 in the morning and by the time you get through all of the appointments are gone. When you do eventually get an appointment you can only discuss one thing with the doctor and have to book another appointment for anything else. (Solihull)
- Digital exclusion
Many elderly patients who do not have access to a computer will have no alternative than to try and use a telephone or go into the surgery at 8am which isn’t always possible. Even if you go in or ring up they just try to talk you through how to book an appointment online. (Solihull)
- Customer service
Very difficult to get an appointment and the reception staff are very rude. They need training in how to deal with service users. (Birmingham)
- Registration
Has not had her previous GP records transferred to her new GP and she registered with new one over 8 months ago. She has not been getting her anxiety/depression medication. (Birmingham)
- Support for people with autism
I went there for support for my 14 year old who has autism. They told me to see the social prescriber who gave me links for spoons and devices for the child to use but didn’t know any information or support services. The GP just says go to support services. (Birmingham)
- Referral from GPs to secondary care
The waiting times and lists are too long. They’ve told me the list is 63 weeks long at the moment and that was even after the doctor sent an expedite letter for an urgent referral, but it’s still 63 weeks. The GP is good and helps me but it’s far too long of a wait for a referral. (Solihull)
What have we done?
We have investigated access to GP appointments, support for young people with autism and/or ADHD and the referral process from GPs to secondary care in Birmingham. You can read more about our recommendations and changes made here:
Impact report: Changes to accessing GP practices in Birmingham
Local people’s views on the referral process from general practice to secondary care
PHARMACIES
What have we heard?
- Shortages of medication
I am having lots of problems with my repeat prescriptions. They don’t give me my medication on time and sometimes items are missing or not available and have to be reordered. (Birmingham)
What have we done?
We have investigated community pharmacy services in Birmingham and Solihull. You can read more about our recommendations for change here:
Access and barriers to NHS Community Pharmacies in Birmingham
DENTISTS
What have we heard?
- Access to NHS dentists
Have struggled to find an NHS Dentist, even tried going to the Dental Hospital walk in to be told they need a referral for them and people can’t refer themselves. (Solihull)
- Cost of treatment
Dental surgery said she needs a deeper clean and it is not covered by NHS. My dad used to go for severe cleaning and didn’t have to pay. I spoke to the practice manager who sent me the bands which didn’t really show much. They are saying my mom needs 3 sessions and I just need to know if what they are doing is right. They did get a bit technical, they told me it was a BPE level but I didn’t really know what that meant and I am getting confused. Why is it not covered by the NHS, should it be part of the NHS treatment? If it was your knee or something they wouldn’t say only part of it will be treated on the NHS, why’s it like this for teeth? (Birmingham)
- Support for additional needs
They are not understanding or sympathetic with sensory difficulties encountered by children and how difficult it is for them to brush their teeth. The dentist has been quite rude to me in front of my children and has belittled me. I have been told about a specialist dentist in Smiths Wood but need this dentist to refer us and they refuse to. (Solihull)
What have we done?
We have investigated NHS dentists in Birmingham and Solihull. You can read more about our recommendations and changes made here:
Impact report: Changes to accessing NHS dentistry in Birmingham and Solihull
EMERGENCY & URGENT CARE/TRANSPORT
- Ambulance waits
My wife fell and called an ambulance at 8:30pm they didn’t arrive until 3:45am. (Birmingham)
- Confusion about how to access minor injuries units and urgent treatment centres
The information provided online is very unclear. You can’t walk in and have to book an appointment. This meant that I had to walk out and book an appointment for an insect bite. When I explained that I had been sent by the pharmacist I was seen very quickly but they would not provide antibiotics so I had to go to my GP. (Solihull)
- Lack of access to GPs leading to increased pressure on A&E departments
Very difficult to get an appointment. We prefer to go to the A&E most of the time. I have not seen my GP in the last years. (Birmingham)
What have we done?
We have investigated urgent care services in Solihull. You can read more about our recommendations and the changes made here:
Impact Report: The experiences of Solihull residents who try to access urgent care
MENTAL HEALTH
What have we heard?
- Access to services
I hadn’t been seen in a while and had suicidal thoughts coming back, turned up and was seen by a locum who treated me like dirt on her shoe and tricked me into being chucked off the service by telling me that my next (previously arranged) appointment had been cancelled. I then got a letter saying I had not attended and I got thrown out of the service. Tried to kill myself because of her treatment of me and very nearly succeeded. I was physically forced to have liver damage treatment at hospital. The mental health nurse contacted them 19 months ago to report and to make sure I got seen. I have heard nothing. (Birmingham)
- Over-reliance on medication over talking therapies
I have received a significant lack of mental health support over the last few years. I have been on medication for my PTSD for years with no other treatment options offered. (Solihull)
What have we done?
We have investigated community mental health services and mental health support for young people in Birmingham, and services supporting young people who self-harm in Solihull. You can read more about our recommendations and changes made here:
Impact report: Improving NHS Community mental health services in Birmingham
Impact report: Better mental health support for children and young people in Birmingham
SOCIAL CARE
- Poor communication
I am getting nowhere with care for my wife who has a brain injury. I have to chase things up all the time and I am not being given clear information. I am at a complete loss. I have been paying privately but can no long afford to fund it. (Solihull)