How has lockdown affected people's mental health and dignity?
New research from the Care Quality Commission highlights the impact lockdown measures have had on the wellbeing of people who use care services:
• Nearly three-quarters of carers (73%) say that the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions have impacted on the mental health of the person they care for.
• Over half (56%) of carers say that the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions have impacted on the dignity and independence of the person they care for.
These findings reflect concerns we have received from people who use care services about the impact of isolation and restrictions on visitors.
We launched #BecauseWeAllCare with CQC to help improve care services by encouraging everyone to share their experiences of health and social care services. Your ongoing feedback has been vital in helping us tell services in Greenwich how care can be made better during the pandemic.
Please continue to help by sharing your experiences with us in our short, confidential survey.
How else has care been affected?
The research also found that throughout the pandemic, care was most commonly impacted by:
• increased waiting times for appointments and procedures (49%)
• a lack of resources and equipment (24%)
Despite almost half (42%) of respondents believing that sharing feedback would positively impact their care, just one in five (19%) care users have shared feedback on a negative experience since the start of the pandemic.
With just 17% of people in England expecting services to improve in the next 12 months, we are calling for you to feedback on the services you use as a crucial way to i
Thank you for giving me, and others, a voice
If you've recently used a GP, dentist, hospital or other care service, let us know your experience and help improve care for everyone.
