What did we hear from local residents attending the Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice tea and talk session?
Hosted by the hospice weekly, the coffee and tea afternoons are a way for local residents to meet up and enjoy each other's company over games and refreshments.
During our visit, we had the opportunity to share in this experience and speak to residents about their views of health and care services.
Andrew, a Plumstead resident, shared his challenges with booking appointments at Plumstead Health Centre, "I called the GP practice and waited for 40 minutes. When I went there, I had to step outside to call them again because they wouldn’t book an appointment while I was inside. I had to call them from outside just to see if they would finally pick up the phone. I really don’t bother with them anymore".
We also spoke to Peter, an 80-year-old patient living with cancer who shared his difficulties with booking appointments online. He explained, "If they expect us to use smartphones and the internet, they should teach us how to do it. I am looking for a service to help me with that. Last time, I had to pay £60 to unlock my phone after I locked it by mistake".
Many residents shared these challenges with adapting to new online systems.
Lisa and Michael, an older couple who go to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for their health check-ups, shared their challenges with the hospital's new parking system. Lisa usually parks her car in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital parking lot and goes to the receptionist to register her license plate. On her most recent trip to the hospital to take Michael for a urology appointment, Lisa did what she always did but this time, received a hefty fine for not following the hospital's new online parking system. This left her feeling very distressed and confused, telling us, "Nobody informed me that I had to use the tablet. Even if they told me, I wouldn’t know how to do it".
These conversations highlight the importance of listening to the experiences of all who use health and social care services, especially older people who are quickly left behind by changing healthcare systems.
To offer additional support to residents struggling to navigate the health system, we shared information about organisations offering support and advocacy. Maureen, a patient who is living with blindness, expressed her gratitude, saying, "Sometimes, you need someone to listen to you, even if they can’t offer a solution. Being heard is enough".
