Healthwatch Cheshire support Boaters to access Primary Care and COVID-19 vaccinations

Building on three years’ experience of working with partners, during March to May 2021 Healthwatch Cheshire worked in partnership with the Waterways Chaplaincy to raise awareness of a new GP Access Card and arrange for Boaters to receive them, as well as discuss the COVID-19 vaccine with the Boating Community.

You can read a summary of our work with the Boating Community and feedback from Boaters here.

Often a group of people overlooked, we were aware of issues particularly around some Boaters receiving good support from GPs with no issues registering at Practices, whilst others experienced difficulties in registering at certain GP Practices due to postcode issues. The Boaters we spoke to recommended that signage at key points along the canals indicating local services and how to access them, leaflets and online information regarding emergency numbers, local GP Practices that will accept boaters as patients, and other support information, would be useful to them.

Healthwatch Cheshire has previously worked with the Boating Community to produce reports on these issues outlined above affecting Boaters when accessing health and care.

These two reports were published in March 2018 and March 2019 and can be found here.

Our work with the Boating Community between March and May 2021 represents Healthwatch Cheshire acting upon these issues by helping Boaters to access primary care and signposting information.

This engagement took place as part of work with NHS Cheshire CCG, Cheshire East Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council, Healthwatch Halton, Healthwatch Warrington, and voluntary and community organisations to ensure that people know how they can access their vaccine. Many members of the Boating Community prefer the independence of separate moorings away from main centres, and so it can be more difficult to locate them. Healthwatch Cheshire would particularly like to thank the Waterways Chaplaincy, who provide pastoral support to the boating community, for their excellent support, enthusiasm, and knowledge that has enabled Healthwatch to reach so many members of this community.

Martin Buck, of the Waterways Chaplaincy, said: “This work enables comprehensive coverage of the network that will give boaters the confidence to register at any surgery, despite being miles from home or without the luxury of having a home surgery.”

Tracey Cole, Executive Director Strategy & Partnerships at NHS Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “By using their existing links with the residents of Cheshire’s waterways, who may often be overlooked as a hidden community with unique social, health and wellbeing needs, Healthwatch and the River Chaplaincy were intrinsic in helping us to ensure that this community were able to access both GP services and the Covid-19 vaccine. I have no doubt that better relationships were built and lives were saved. Thank you Healthwatch for continued meaningful collaboration which makes a difference.”