Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership will meet in Skipton on Friday 6 September from 10am at Rendezvous Hotel to talk about the latest news in health and care.
The Partnership Board is made up of decision-makers from the NHS, councils, care providers, and the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. They work together and influence local health and care services, in partnership with local people.
Recognising how important it is to listen to and involve local people, you are invited to submit questions about health and social care services ahead of the partnership board meeting on the Engage Bradford District and Craven webpage. Questions will be brought to the meeting and responses will be published online.
To involve our communities in improving and developing services the partnership has been going out to talk to the public to better understand what matters most to local people when it comes to health and care, this is known as the ‘Listen in’ programme.
Key themes and potential actions from ‘Listen in’ have been highlighted in the board papers, which you can read in full on bdcpartnership.co.uk. The ‘How we act on what we hear’ report gives examples of work undertaken by the partnership to address the issues raised by communities.
In response to concerns over lengthy waiting times, particularly in Accident and Emergency departments, Airedale Hospital and Bradford Teaching Hospitals have Patient Flow Facilitators to ensure patients feel seen, heard, and cared for during their time in A&E.
To address the clear need for more support for parents, especially new mothers, in managing their children’s health and development, the partnership has launched a campaign with a one-stop-shop webpage with advice for families through pregnancy and up until their baby is 3 years old. Visit the Help for you and baby website for more information.
In some communities a stigma surrounding mental health issues is preventing people from seeking the help they need, so specialist mental health support for ethnically and culturally diverse communities (ECDC) service has been set up. The service will break down barriers, build trust and provide culturally competent mental health support to diverse communities. Read more about the ECDC mental health service.
There is a strong link between a person’s employment status and their reported health. In response to insight about a lack of understanding of routes into health and social care, the entry-level recruitment project has been launched via the SkillsHouse Service. Local job coaches provide personalised support within communities, helping people secure employment in the sector.
Elaine Appelbee, independent chair of Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership, said: “Our ‘Listen in’ journey began in 2022 and I can’t believe how far we have come! From the very first meeting of the Partnership Board, there has been a strong determination to keep our focus firmly on the people we serve across Bradford District and Craven.
“We have now visited every part of the geographical area that our partnership serves and we are now reaching into communities of interest and understanding the differing experiences of groups of our population, for example we’ve been talking to our LGBTQ+ community, and children and young people.
“This is one part of our work to gather together the actual experience of patients, carers, our communities, and our colleagues. We use this experience to develop practical and realistic solutions to respond to what we have been hearing from people. Questions from members of the public to our Board are welcomed. It is a good opportunity to tell us what is important to you. It helps us to understand local experiences and the ways we can help local people to be happy, healthy, at home.”