In 2020, NHS England looked at unplanned hospital visits that could have been prevented with earlier care. They found that areas with higher levels of poverty had more of these visits. Some wards in Blackpool, including Bloomfield, Talbot, Tyldesley, Claremont, and Park, had higher-than-expected rates of unplanned hospital visits, making them “Priority Wards.”
Our project, commissioned by the Lancashire Integrated Care Board, aimed to understand why these wards have so many unplanned hospital visits. Healthwatch Blackpool talked to local people on their doorsteps in these areas to learn more about their challenges.
Read the report below to learn more about what’s going on in these communities and how we can work together to improve health.
