Bridging Care and Technology: Seniors' Insights and Digital Support Pave the Way for Better Primary Care

Gathering Community Insights to Improve Primary Care

In partnership with the Pastures Green Community Group, we recently hosted a session focused on gathering important feedback from senior members of our community about their experiences with primary care services. While this session was independent of our ongoing work supporting the Pastures Green Community Group with digital skills, it complemented our broader efforts to empower seniors in accessing healthcare.

Purposeful Conversations to Drive Change

The main objective of the session was to gather candid insights on primary care, with a focus on harvesting the good, the bad, and the areas that need improvement. Our discussions were guided by a series of reporting questions designed to uncover deeper insights about the participants’ healthcare experiences. However, we went beyond these structured questions to encourage open and meaningful conversations, giving participants the space to share their honest opinions.

Our belief is that if a problem exists within a community, the solution also lies within that community. With this in mind, we sought to understand not only what people find challenging about primary care, but also to gather their ideas and suggestions for improvement. These insights will help shape future initiatives and hopefully contribute to creating a more responsive and inclusive healthcare system.

A Complimentary Effort: Digital Support for Seniors

Over the past few weeks, we have been providing digital training to help seniors navigate the internet and the NHS app, teaching them how to register online and book appointments. These efforts aim to address one of the challenges many seniors face when trying to access healthcare in today’s increasingly digital world.

While the feedback we gathered in the session was focused on primary care experiences, our digital support has provided an additional layer of empowerment, helping seniors take greater control of their healthcare.

Next Steps: Primary Care Insights and Digital Support

This project is part of our ongoing commitment to improving healthcare experiences by listening to the voices of those who matter most - the community. The insights gathered during this session will help The Black Country Integrated Care Board guide future efforts to enhance primary care and ensure it better meets the needs of everyone, especially seniors who may face barriers to accessing care.

We will continue to provide digital support to the Pastures Green Community group, helping individuals navigate the NHS app and other online tools that are essential for accessing healthcare. At the same time, we remain dedicated to gathering and acting on the community’s feedback, making sure their voices are heard and their ideas are considered in shaping future healthcare solutions.

Together with the community, we are working to create positive change, one conversation at a time - Primary care insights and digital support is the first step.