The Experiences of Integrated Care by Women in Ealing & Hounslow

As part of this work, Healthwatch Ealing and Healthwatch Hounslow have been asked to supplement the national health and care experience profile they have been allocated with local characteristics representative of the population in their areas.

The research was carried out from 15th December to 31st March. To deliver a comprehensive overview of the current level of care that these women were theoretically and practically receiving, the research project was broken down into three distinct workstreams:

• A review of local policy frameworks that outline how such women can expect to be supported by health and social care services in their borough;
• An analysis of historic and current data that could provide quantitative insight into the health of women that match this profile and map out the interactions that they have had with health services;
• A series of engagement activities with women who match this experience profile, for them to share their experiences and the realities of care that are not necessarily reflected in the related data or local policy frameworks.

The experience profile allocated to Healthwatch Ealing and Healthwatch Hounslow is a woman with multiple health conditions, including recent experience of care for a cardiovascular condition(s). This experience profile has been identified because she:

• Demonstrates the complexity of living with multiple health conditions – and therefore service users who benefit significantly from well-integrated care and support.
• Provides the opportunity to explore both integration between the different health services involved and integration with other relevant services and organisations including any relevant community support, social prescribing and/or social care services.
• Provides the opportunity to explore women’s experiences of having a cardiovascular condition, which have been typically (and incorrectly) considered to be “men’s conditions”.
• Reflects a key commitment of the NHS Long Term Plan – better care for major health conditions.

Further details of this experience profile, together with descriptions of their potential local characteristics, their suggested care arrangements nationally, and what they can expect in Ealing and Hounslow, are set out in the Report Methodology below.

The findings are discussed in more detail in the main body of the report, which is complete with key findings and recommendations.