Your views have the power to make change happen – #ItStartsWithYou

By sharing your views of getting an emergency GP appointment, Healthwatch Birmingham is now highlighting the impact of how such appointments are managed across the city.

As part of the national Healthwatch campaign #ItStartsWithYou, we are celebrating you, the people who have taken the time to share your experiences. Healthwatch Birmingham has published our first two patient stories, which highlight how we are using your feedback to drive improvement in local health and social care. You can view and download them in full below.

#ItStartsWithYou

Thanks to the many people in Birmingham who, over the past year, have shared their experiences of getting an emergency GP appointment. As a result we investigated further and you can read the full report here.

One relative shared their feedback about the impact on the wider family: “Recently tried to book appointment, told no places for more than one week […] deeply frustrating seeing a family member unwell unnecessarily, the potential harm and distress.”

A patient told us that they had to change GPs, after being discharged from hospital, to access the care they needed: “I could not get reception to understand I had been sent out of hospital with one week of tablets and needed more. They could not offer me an appointment before the tablets would run out. I kept being told to try tomorrow until I was so fed up I registered at another GP.”

All of your feedback highlighted a wide variation in the management of emergency GP appointments. Healthwatch Birmingham is now working with commissioners and providers to encourage the sharing of best practice to improve access and treatment for patients across Birmingham.

Speak up and share your experiences

Healthwatch Birmingham is here to listen to your views and share them with those with the power to make change happen. Got an experience to share? Get in touch and share your feedback. Together we can help make services better.