Insight bank

Mental Health Outreach for Ethnic Minority Communities

Employment for people with learning disabilities

Middle-aged men’s experiences of mental health and suicide

This qualitative study examines how middle-aged men experience mental ill health and suicidal thoughts. It reveals how cumulative life pressures, stigma and traditional expectations of masculinity can lead to feelings of worthlessness and an inability to imagine a positive future, increasing suicide risk in midlife.

Underage vaping in Epping Forest

This report explores the prevalence and consequences of underage vaping in the Epping Forest district. With insights gathered from nearly 3,000 young people, the study highlights the health, environmental, and social effects of vaping among young people.

Support and help for people who care for others in west Essex

Unpaid carers provide a vital role in population health and healthcare, ensuring the elderly, those  with a disability and those with long term conditions get round the clock physical care, emotional support, love and understanding at marginal cost to the NHS and Government.

Orthodontic care in west Essex

Orthodontic services for west Essex haven’t been re-commissioned since before the Covid pandemic. If the provision is to be as successful as possible going forwards, it’s important to have clarity on the lived experience of the local population regarding the service as it currently stands.

Neurodiversity and accessing health and social care

Purpose of this report was to take a closer look at the relationship between the NHS in west Essex and its neurodiverse population and their carers and families, particularly in regard to the provision of, and access to, GP services.

Navigating digital health: online GP services and bookings

Using lived experience feedback ensures that investment, developments, and service roll-outs, can be as effective as possible and targeted to ensure they have maximum impact in the areas most needed, ensuring fair and equitable access for all, and reducing the burden on more traditional means of appointment making and consultation.

Healthcare experiences of the armed forces community in west Essex

The aim of this project was to canvas the views and experiences of Armed Forces personnel and their families and carers in west Essex. These responses would then be used to make key recommendations on changes that can be made to improve current and future service provision.

Explore people’s experiences of accessing community pharmacies in west Essex

Evaluation of the role and future of community pharmacy, and how they can best continue to evolve and support the NHS as well as patients.

Experiences of cervical screening in west Essex

The aim of this project was to gather people's lived experience of accessing and using the cervical screening programme across west Essex.

Experiences of accessing treatment and support for COPD and other respiratory and lung conditions amongst people in west Essex

This report has been designed to draw out the lived experience of our local population to identify real world issues, successes and challenges. It is designed to provide a platform to help identify what’s working well, what lessons can be learnt, and where improvements can be made.

Experiences in west Essex of the menopause and perimenopause. “How are we meant to function?”

The aim of this project was to canvas lived experiences of the west Essex populous around menopause and perimenopause and analyse this data in relation to current and future service provision.

Experience of living with diabetes in west Essex

This report aims to take advantage of listening to and understanding what people living with diabetes in West Essex are experiencing and identify areas where the systems that are supposed to be in place are not functioning as they should.

An insight into health and care access, including self-care for adults with a learning disability

The aim of this project was to gather people's experiences of accessing and using primary care across west Essex. The focus was to gather feedback and lived experience from adults with learning disabilities and their carers/families and support workers.

Accessing GP services in Harlow and Uttlesford

The aim of this project was to explore people’s experiences of accessing GP services in Harlow and Uttlesford in order to inform the Hertfordshire and west Essex Integrated Care System.

Access to GP services for children and young people in west Essex

This report aims to capture the thoughts, emotions and lived experience of those people trying to access GP services within west Essex for themselves or on behalf of a friend or loved one. From this, we aim to provide key learnings and recommendations in order to help develop policies and processes to match the needs of the local population.