In this blog Jen Hewitt, VONNE’s Health and Wellbeing Engagement Coordinator, talks about the collaborative work she has been undertaking to support the development of the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) new strategy and clinical model. She explains the extensive engagement work undertaken in partnership with VCSE organisations and Healthwatch, the common themes that emerged, how NEAS will be using the insights, and what’s next for the project.
In Summer 2024 NEAS embarked on the development of its new strategy and clinical model, with a goal to better understand different needs to ensure their services are the best they can be for all people and communities across the region who need and use them. This meant, as well as a large public survey being undertaken by Healthwatch, NEAS needed to seek ways to reach those people who would not usually get involved with traditional forms of engagement - including those who experience health inequalities and those who are traditionally underserved.
NEAS recognised the vital role that VCSE sector organisations undertake in working with and supporting people who are often hard to reach by statutory services. Utilising VONNE’s extensive networks and relationships with charities, voluntary organisations and community groups across the North East, NEAS worked in partnership with us, providing dedicated funding to enable VCSE organisations to involve and seek insights from people they work with in familiar and trusted settings and help gather this vital community intelligence. This included involving VONNE member organisations and utilising the VCSE Partnership Programme networks (the VCSE alliance with the North East and North Cumbria NHS Integrated Care System) to support engagement with communities of interest, and in so doing, identifying key themes and priorities to be considered.
In addition to a public survey, during the autumn 43 engagement events were held by 27 VCSE partners in their localities which truly captured the voices of people they work with and support who might typically be overlooked or less likely to take part. In turn, 25 engagements events were facilitated by 12 local Healthwatch organisations across urban and rural areas, involving nearly 270 participants from diverse demographics, including vulnerable groups.
For example, as well as running an event, Tyne Housing supported some homeless clients one-to-one to express their views. The people who participated were digitally excluded and would not have been able to easily contribute to such engagement activity otherwise.
Participants from International Community Organisation of Sunderland (ICOS)'s focus group shared interesting and important ideas about overcoming language difficulties when speaking to the Ambulance Service.
Other Ways to Care - a small community group supporting deaf and disabled people in and around Newcastle - was joined by over 30 members sharing their ideas and insights, and everyone expressed a clear appetite to work more closely with NEAS as a vital service. They were supported by a BSL interpreter to ensure everyone could fully contribute at the session.
The efforts of each of the organisations that participated have contributed such rich and valuable views and ideas from across our diverse communities.
In total, an incredible 2,378 individuals living in the North East responded to this collective engagement work undertaken by VONNE, our VCSE partner organisations and Healthwatch. NEAS also used the opportunity to ask the VCSE organisations involved how they could work more closely together going forward, gaining feedback and ideas from 47 survey respondents working in the sector.
Common themes from the engagement work
People were extremely positive about the level of care provided and the attitude of the NEAS staff, who go above and beyond. NEAS’s ability to respond quickly in critical situations and arrive promptly is seen a real strength, especially in emergencies. Clear communication and reassurance provided by NEAS staff was highly valued. In addition, Patient Transport Services and transport to hospital in emergencies was mentioned frequently in a positive light, supporting vulnerable people in a safe and secure manner.
What did people say could be improved?
- Utilising finite resources in terms of response times, NHS 111, and efficient triage. Delays, especially in rural areas, were a source of frustration and anxiety.
- Clear communication and transparency
- Management of mental health crises was identified as an area of improvement; suggestions included more training and specialist teams
- Further staff training around empathy might be beneficial
- Accessibility concerns were raised for those experiencing language barriers, those who are deaf or hard of hearing as well as adults with learning disabilities and autism
- Further education around the use of the 999 service versus 111
- Collaboration opportunities and closer partnership
- Better understanding needed of transgender and gender-diverse people experience when accessing NEAS’ services
Next steps
The findings from this engagement work will inform NEAS’ new clinical model and strategy to ensure the voice of communities is at the heart of the service they offer. Thank you to those organisations and individuals who participated.
It is also a starting point for additional engagement with people in specific communities of interest - those with mental health conditions, learning disabilities and autism, and transgender people - to ensure the service is equitable for all. Moreover, NEAS will create a plan of how to work in a more joined up way with other organisations, including the VCSE sector.
VONNE is working with NEAS until September 2025 and will host two ‘You said, We did’ events across the North East on their behalf to communicate with individuals who have already shared their views to keep them informed of how their information is being used.
If you’d like to know more about our work with NEAS, contact the team by email: healthandwellbeing@vonne.org.uk