Managing your health is about more than appointments and medication
A new report from Healthwatch shares what people across West Yorkshire and Craven told us about the reality of managing their health day to day and why people need proper support, not just expectations to cope on their own.
The report looks at the experiences of people living with long term conditions, disabilities, poor mental health, caring responsibilities and financial pressures.
Although the report focuses on West Yorkshire, it also includes Craven, covering areas such as Skipton, Settle, Bentham, Ingleton, Grassington, Gargrave and surrounding communities, because some NHS care and planning locally sits within the West Yorkshire NHS area.
Many of the experiences raised will feel familiar to people across North Yorkshire too.
At Healthwatch North Yorkshire, we regularly hear about similar issues through our own work locally, including difficulties with appointments, communication, accessible information and people not always getting support in a way that works for them.
The report is based on what more than 150 people told Healthwatch through conversations with local communities and people supporting others day to day.
Managing your health is about more than appointments
One thing the report makes clear is that managing your health is rarely as simple as taking medication or attending appointments.
For many people, it also means trying to juggle everyday life whilst:
- understanding symptoms and knowing when to ask for help
- arranging appointments, prescriptions and follow up care
- sorting transport and travel to appointments
- making sense of medical information and advice
- coping emotionally with long term conditions
- balancing work, caring responsibilities or financial pressures
- relying on family, carers or local support to manage day to day
Many people described how exhausting this can become, especially when support feels difficult to access or information is unclear.
What people told us and what would help
People described how difficult this can become when they are also dealing with things like rising costs, poor mental health, long waits for care, confusing information or digital barriers.
A strong theme throughout the report is that many people are already doing a huge amount to manage their health every single day, often while juggling work, pain, anxiety, caring responsibilities or disability.
Some people worried they are increasingly being expected to manage more on their own without the right support around them.
Others spoke about fears of missing appointments or important checks, not knowing where to go for help, or people becoming isolated and slipping through gaps in support.
But the report also highlights what genuinely helps people feel more confident and supported.
That includes:
- clear and accessible information
- enough time to ask questions
- support that understands people’s circumstances
- being listened to and treated with respect
- continuity and trusted relationships
- practical support close to home
- peer support from people with similar experiences
Many people said managing their health feels easier when they feel involved in decisions about their care, rather than being left to figure things out alone.
“We strongly believe that self-management is most successful when people are not left to manage alone.”
The report comes at a time when the NHS is encouraging more care closer to home and more supported self-management.
But the experiences shared in this report are a reminder that for this to work properly, people need ongoing support, clear communication and approaches that reflect the reality of everyday life.
Read the full report
The full Self-management of health report looks in more detail at the challenges people face, what helps people manage their health, and examples of support already making a positive difference across West Yorkshire and Craven.
