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The six local Healthwatch organisations in Central and West London have collected local views on the NHS Long Term Plan (LTP) network-wide project, hosting 18 events in April, May and June 2019 and engaging with a total of 257 local people. When exploring basic service attributes, we found that local people consider communication, staffing, continuity of treatment and care, plus service access to be most important in current and future services. As well as having good and consistent levels of information, people prefer use of simple, accessible language and formats. People would also like greater access to services (particularly GPs), better support in obtaining appointments, good levels of support following assessment and optimal use of digital technology. People have experienced health and social care services being under ‘full stretch’ and had difficulties in seeing a doctor of a preferred gender. People want better prevention and early intervention including supporting people to age well, and promotion of ‘healthy lifestyle’ factors such as child vaccinations, and diet and exercise, involving schools, support groups, and more co-produced services. Mental health services from GP, community and hospital services need improvements, and people want increased levels of support with learning disability Services. People also want more awareness of children and young people’s health needs in schools, and value their involvement in designing new services through group forums. People want more consistent data sharing with more joined up systems while also being able to opt out of data being shared. People also want better support for the voluntary and community sectors which ‘should not be taken for granted’.

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