\n A report by Healthwatch Dorset has revealed that unclear care pathways and a lack of updates are leaving some NHS patients feeling “lost in the system.”\n<\/p>\n
\n Feedback was gathered from more than 220 people across Dorset and highlighted struggles with accessing information about referrals, waiting times, test results, and ongoing care contacts.\n<\/p>\n
\n Louise Bate, manager at Healthwatch Dorset, said: “The most common issue people raise with us is communication within all areas of the NHS and social care.\n<\/p>\n
\n A new report from Healthwatch Dorset has found that poor communication, unclear care pathways and a lack of updates are leaving some NHS patients in Dorset feeling frustrated, anxious and responsible for chasing their own care. (Image: NQ)\n<\/p>\n
\n “What we heard through this project is that patients are often not looking for instant answers, they simply want clear information about what is happening, how long they may need to wait, and who they can contact if they need help.\n<\/p>\n
\n “Good communication is a fundamental part of good care.\n<\/p>\n
\n “When people are left chasing referrals, appointments, or results, it can increase anxiety and make an already difficult situation even harder.”\n<\/p>\n
\n The report found that digital systems, while valued by some, created barriers for others, including older people, those without internet access, and individuals facing language difficulties.\n<\/p>\n
\n Four key recommendations were made: improving access to GP appointments, providing clearer information about referrals and waiting times, addressing communication barriers for vulnerable groups, and ensuring patients are kept informed about test results.\n<\/p>\n
\n NHS Dorset welcomed the report and acknowledged the need to keep patients informed throughout their care journey.\n<\/p>\n
\n Dr Dean Spencer, PLACE Director \u2013 Dorset, said: “This report provides a valuable reminder that communication is not an additional part of healthcare, it is a fundamental part of the patient experience.\n<\/p>\n
\n “The stories shared by local people show how important it is that patients understand what is happening with their care, who they can contact, and what they can expect next.”\n<\/p>\n
\n A spokesperson for the Dorset General Practice Alliance said: “The report offers valuable insight into where barriers exist and where we can learn from examples of good practice already taking place across Dorset.\n<\/p>\n
\n “The findings will help practices continue to improve access, communication and support for all patients.”\n<\/p>\n
\n The full report can be found at the Healthwatch Dorset website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A report by Healthwatch Dorset has revealed that unclear care pathways and a lack of updates are leaving…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":785195,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[102,2960,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-785194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-healthcare","tag-health","tag-healthcare","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/785194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=785194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/785194\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/785195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=785194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=785194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=785194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}