Last year, 453 primary care health professionals responded to our Western Sydney Needs Survey to help us better understand the health challenges in our region, and how to progress the health of our communities. As the Western Sydney Primary Health Network, WentWest relies on these annual surveys to guide service design and drive quality improvement initiatives in Western Sydney. Understanding localised needs allows us to develop initiatives and allocate resources that provide the best support to primary care staff. The more feedback we receive, the more we can align our strategies to help health professionals provide quality care for our community.
This survey empowers local GPs and allied health professionals to be heard and be part of the conversation around primary care transformation. It is also an opportunity to find out more about the resources and support we have available and provide feedback on topics such as HealthPathways, My Health Record, quality improvement, remote consultations, job satisfaction, and service providers.
2020 Data and Impact on Services
In last year’s survey, 48% of GPs said that support services for patients with moderate severity mental health issues (in need of support but not hospitalisation) were usually hard to access or inaccessible. Considering patients with different mental health issues, 49% of GPs stated that mental health support services for patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds were usually hard to access or inaccessible, a figure which rose to 54% when evaluating services for refugees with a trauma background. This data helps us understand patient needs and ensure that appropriate services are commissioned to support specific population groups and, in this instance, continued support of services such as the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS).
Question: In thinking about patients with different mental health issues, how would you rate the ease of access to support services for each of these groups of people? (GP only question)
Data around program accessibility and awareness help inform our strategies as a Primary Health Network. GP feedback from last year has been incorporated into the wider Needs Assessment to determine health priorities across the region, and the ongoing development of a Service Mapping project designed to categorise and describe all commissioned services. Communication strategies to promote services have also begun, with more providers being featured in the Weekly Update newsletter and across our digital channels, and client stories shared as part of the WentWest Stories project. These initiatives will continue to gain momentum and help connect service providers and primary care professionals to ensure that patients access the best support services available.
Another area of focus has been boosting awareness of HealthPathways. Despite two out of three GPs rating their likelihood of recommending HealthPathways as high or very high, 34% of GPs said they were aware of HealthPathways but hadn’t used it, and 16% were unaware of the platform. As a result, the HealthPathways developed a marketing plan to raise awareness, and our Practice Development Team are working closely with practices to increase awareness and uptake.
Trends from the survey last year also showed that 97% of GPs were offering telehealth services to their patients, and 70% of practices had digitised their booking processes so patients can request appointments online. This increase in technology came with a 51% decrease or ceasing of home visits to patients. This information can be critical in understanding how care is shifting as a result of the pandemic, how to future-proof practices in terms of technology uptake and training, and considerations that need to be made to ensure that the most vulnerable still have access to quality care.
Take Part Now
Take part in this year’s survey to ensure that you can help shape the future of primary care in Western Sydney.
The survey is open to all general practice staff and allied health professionals (AHP) in Western Sydney. It is completely de-identified unless you choose otherwise.
Have your say now: