How can we improve NHS services for Enfield residents?

As the date of its annual conference approaches, the borough's health service watchdog identifies the issues that most concern residents and promises 'GP access made simple'. But is this a realistic vision?

Healthwatch Enfield's Annual Conference is open to all and will be held at Community House in Edmonton on Wednesday 27th March from 11am to 2pm.

By pretty much whatever measure you choose, the NHS in England is currently at the lowest point in its entire history. There are, of course, a number of reasons for this, but chief among them are the failure, for nearly a decade and a half now, to pay and treat its staff fairly and, most importantly, to fund it and invest in it properly - even though investment in the NHS has been shown to have an economic multiplier effect, that is to say that money invested in the health service boosts the economy by a greater amount than the sum invested. And if you thought a likely change of party occupying the government benches in Westminster might rescue the NHS, don't hold your breath...

Here in the London Borough of Enfield there were, until a couple of years ago, local NHS bodies that were involved in deciding how to spend the diminishing amounts of money (in real terms) that were available. However, Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group has now been absorbed into a body responsible for NHS services in five boroughs and we find ourselves at the mercy of NCL ICS - the North Central London Integrated Care System.

However, when it comes to "watchdog" functions, we do still have a borough-level organisation:  Healthwatch Enfield, "an independent, statutory organisation dedicated to improving health and social care services in Enfield". On its website it describes its role as being "the eyes and ears of the community [...] here to ensure that the local people get the best quality of care from their Primary and Secondary Health services in Enfield".

In the run-up to its annual conference, which will be held in Edmonton on 27th March and is open to all, Healthwatch Enfield has been surveying the borough's population to determine their greatest concerns relating to health services. The issues that came top of the list include dentistry and cancer screening (both of which have been very badly affected by the sharp deterioration in NHS performance which I mentioned above) and young people's mental health. But - unsurprisingly, since it's something that affects pretty much everyone - the issue that tops the list is the difficulty in getting appointments to see a GP without waiting too long.

Accordingly, Healthwatch Enfield have chosen for the conference the theme "GP Access Made Simple", reflecting, they say, "our commitment to addressing one of the most pressing issues facing our community today - the accessibility of GP services".

But is it actually within the power of Healthwatch Enfield to do anything about the shortage of appointments, other than trying to divert some patients to alternatives, such as asking pharmacists for advice or searching for information online, neither of which are entirely satisfactory?

If, like me, you're keen to know the answer to this question, and many others, then register for the conference (which includes a free lunch!). If you have any questions for the presenters, you'll need to submit them online when you register.

Healthwatch Enfield Annual Conference: details and online registration