Learning Disability Research Results Report October 2010

Background Eastern and Coastal Kent and West Kent PCTs need to complete the Regional Assessment and Performance Framework for learning disability in order to: –Assess progress in meeting health needs of people with learning disabilities –Reducing health inequalities –Making services accessible Therefore, a piece of research was commissioned in order to use the feedback to provide input to scoring the framework and measuring the success against top targets as well as identifying priorities The User Research team in West Kent worked with the LD Commissioning team to: –Design the research process and questionnaire –Commission and liaise with the external agency (Lake Market Research) –Analyse and report the results

Methodology People with Learning Disabilities –Diary survey distributed to day centres across Kent –102 completed surveys 156 visits made by people with learning disabilities in total Carers of People with Learning Disabilities –Online and paper survey distributed to carers of people with learning disabilities via day centres and the Learning Disabilities Commissioning Team –20 completed surveys

A Note on the Results Respondents were not forced to provide answers and therefore base sizes for each question does fluctuate Significant differences are highlighted where relevant

Survey Sample Composition Gender Male52% Female48% Age % % % % % 65+17% Ethnicity White99% Non white0% NB. Where totals do not add up to 100%, respondents chose not to answer questions

Results

All respondents are registered with a GP and over four-fifths with a dentist Base: registered with a GP: 101, registered with dentist: 101, pay for dentist: 98 Q2: Are you registered with a GP? Q7: Are you registered with a dentist? Q8: Do you have to pay when you go to a dentist?

Respondents most likely to have visited a GP in last 12 months Base: Male visits: 79, Female visits: 69 Which of the following services have you been seen by in the last 12 months? Significantly more visits to dentist in the last 12 months in East Kent (54% East, 32% West)

The majority of respondents claim their GP and hospital staff talk directly to them and their carer GP4: When you see your GP does he/she talk to you or your carer? D3: When you see your dentist does he/she talk to you or your carer? P3: When you see your pharmacist/chemist does he/she talk to you or your carer? HO4: When you see hospital staff do they talk to you or your carer? (not staying overnight) HI4: When you see hospital staff do they talk to you or your carer? (staying overnight) Base: GP4: 122 visits, D3: 61 visits, P3: 60 visits, HO4: 61 visits, HI4: 13 visits, O4: 74 visits Caution: Base size low

GP

Vast majority report GP as friendly and helpful – under a fifth unsure if they can spend more time with GP GP2: Last time you saw your GP, was he/she friendly? GP3: And was he/she helpful about your problem? Q3: Are you able to have more time with your GP if you need it? Base: GP2: 120 visits, GP3: 121 visits, Q3: 101 respondents Significantly more in West Kent claim to be able to spend more time with their GP if required than in East (89% West, 57% East) – East Kent respondents more likely to be unsure (32% East, 4% West)

Three-fifths of respondents have been offered a health check and had a health check in the last 12 months Q4: Has your GP offered you a health check? Q5: Have you had a health check in the last 12 months? Q6: Do you have a Health Action Plan? Base: Q4: 100, Q5: 98, Q6: 97

Half of respondents were either seen on time or in less than 5 minutes from their appointment time Base: GP1: 120 visits GP1: How long after the appointment time did you wait to be seen?

Positive feedback about the GP - in their own words Very few negative comments made “GP takes his time and is friendly and helpful, problem was resolved.” “Very supportive and concerned about my health and my well being” “My GP is very nice and kind and explains everything to my carer” “The doctor was very thorough and exercised dignity and respect.” “Made me feel not so worried, clear instructions.” “Happy to answer questions asked by my carer and listened to me.” “Very supportive and concerned about my health and my well being.”

Dentist

Vast majority report that the dentist was friendly and helpful D1: Last time you saw your dentist, was he/she friendly? D2: And was he/she helpful about your problem? Base: D1: 62 visits, D2: 61 visits

Positive feedback about the dentist - in their own words “Help me into the dentist chair and stopped and explained what was happening.” “Very good manner, explained procedure.” “The dentist was very helpful and appointment was on time.” “Very helpful and listens to me.” “He made me feel welcome.” “Treated with kindness, put out of pain from my bad tooth.” “I was happy to let him look at my teeth.” “Help me into the dentist chair and stopped and explained what was happening.”

Pharmacist

Vast majority report their pharmacist is friendly and helpful – 1 in 7 do not have medication explained P1: Last time you saw your pharmacist/chemist, was he/she friendly? P2: And was he/she helpful about your problem? P4: Does your pharmacist/chemist explain your medication/prescription/tablets to you? Base: P1: 59 visits, P2: 58 visits, P4: 56 visits

Over three-quarters indicate the information was written down, however a fifth did not understand what they were told Base: P5: 57 visits, P6: 56 visits P5: Was the information written down?P6: Did you understand what he/she told you?

Positive feedback about the pharmacist - in their own words. Very few negative comments “The chemist I use is always helpful, never rude or do not have time.” “Always delivered promptly to home.” “The experience was very quick in receiving the medication.” “Pharmacist was nice and helpful.” “Open and approachable, very quick to give help.” “They are always very helpful.” “Treated with kindness.”

Hospital

Hospital Inpatients 14 visits were made to hospital as an inpatient Of those responding: –At 8 visits, respondents said the staff were friendly most of the time and 4 some of the time (base 13) –At 7 visits, respondents said the staff were helpful most of the time and 4 some of the time (base 12) –At 9 visits, respondents said the staff explained what was going to happen (base 12) –At 1 visit the respondent said they were offered the Hospital Communication Book (base 11)

Hospital Areas Visited – Outpatients HO1: Which part of the hospital did you go to? Base: HO1: 49 visits

Vast majority report that hospital staff were friendly and helpful when not staying overnight HO2: Last time you went to hospital, were the hospital staff friendly? HO3: And were they helpful? HO5: Did the hospital staff explain what was going to happen? HO6: Were you offered the Hospital Communication Book? Base: HO2: 59 visits, HO3: 61 visits, HO5: 49 visits, HO6: 49 visits

Positive feedback about hospital staff – in their own words (those not staying overnight) “The doctors and staff were very attentive and thorough.” “Everyone was very kind and helpful.” “I was seen very quickly and was in and out of A & E in 15 minutes.” “My consultant explained my injury to me.” “Didn’t keep me waiting too long.” “The doctor was friendly, helpful and understanding.” “Senior doctor, consultant very understanding, all the staff were patient with me.” “Nurses were very kind.”

Other Health Services

Vast majority report that the other health service seen was friendly and helpful O2: Was the person you saw friendly? O3: And were they helpful? Base: O2: 75 visits, O3: 74 visits Other health services used include Chiropodist, Community Nurse, Doctor on call and Mental Health Services

Positive feedback about other health services staff – in their own words “The community nurse was very nice, helpful and understanding.” “The psychologist came and saw me at home, he was very good.” “She was a nice lady and made me feel relaxed.” “Put me back into my wheelchair after a fall.” “Explained things really well.” “They helped me into the ambulance when I was poorly.” “The nurse was very helpful and the appointment was on time.” “Chiropodist was nice and friendly.”

Involvement in Activities and Consultations

Two thirds had medical treatment in the last year and were asked directly for consent Q9: Have you had any medical treatment in the last 12 months? Q10: Were you asked to give consent/permission for this treatment? Q11: Was someone else asked instead of you? Base: Q9: 99 respondents, Q10: 54 respondents, Q11: 54 respondents

Just over half know how to complain if unhappy with their care, and of these a fifth have done so Base: Q12: 97 respondents, Q13: 50 respondents Q12: Do you know who you would speak to if you were unhappy with your health care? Q13: And have you ever made a complaint in this way?

In Summary

Summary Most respondents are registered with a GP and dentist; only 1 in 10 pay for the dentist The majority of respondents claim their GP and hospital staff talk directly to them and their carer Vast majority indicate that the various healthcare professionals were friendly and helpful –Some uncertainty around ability to have more time with the GP –17% claimed that the pharmacist/chemist didn’t explain their medication and 7% were unsure whether they received an explanation –9% claimed that the hospital staff did not explain what was going to happen Three-fifths of respondents have been offered a health check and had a health check in the last 12 months –58% also claim to have a Health Action Plan Three-fifths have had medical treatment in the last 12 months and were asked directly for consent Just under a third of respondents do not know who to speak to if they are unhappy with their healthcare

Learning Disability Research Results Report 2010 Any questions? Victoria Dyer –

Access the data tables that contain the results of this research via the attachment below: