Digital Advocacy Outreach Project (360G-SCVO-a13N2000008f3weIAA)

AdvoCard will collaborate with local health services and third Sector organisations to deliver this project and will use the additional funding to employ a part time engagement officer, part time Volunteer Coordinator and two part time advocacy workers. We know that, since the Covid Pandemic, local Social Work departments, Community Mental Health Teams and GP surgeries have faced a substantial increase in referrals and appointment requests. In response, many have adopted online appointment options through Near Me and Teams as part of a strategy to mitigate wait times, thereby accommodating a larger number of referrals each day. However, it has become clear that these digital appointments pose considerable challenges for individuals with mental health conditions, preventing the widespread adoption of digital appointment systems by Health and Social Care professionals and leaving many mental health patients with longer wait times for in person appointments. Extended wait times have been demonstrated to substantially elevate the likelihood of individuals experiencing a decline in their mental health, potentially leading to crisis intervention or hospitalisation. Our project seeks to address these challenges by assisting individuals with mental health conditions in accessing and engaging with online appointments. Our approach aims to minimise the necessity for in-person appointments, thereby alleviating pressure on health and social care settings and reducing wait times. Our Outreach Engagement worker will collaborate with Locality Teams, Support Organisations, GP surgeries, and Community Mental Health Teams. Together, they will establish robust referral pathways for individuals with mental health conditions, ensuring they receive the necessary support to attend online appointments and access digital services. Equipped with devices featuring essential media apps, our trained Mental Health Outreach advocacy workers will offer support at home for the individuals who have been offered online appointments. They will facilitate appointment setups, provide advocacy support during calls, and ensure individuals effectively engage and express their views. Additionally, our workers will support individuals to explore available online support organisations and assist in completing relevant online referrals, for services that meet their specific needs. For individuals currently hospitalised, engaging with them at the point of discharge is crucial. Extended wait times for in-person appointments may cause individuals to disengage from services, potentially resulting in them falling off the radar. This scenario often culminates in readmission. Our advocacy workers will actively participate in discharge meetings to ensure the individual is offered digital services. Following discharge, our team will visit them to provide support in navigating and engaging with these services. By offering assistance at the point of discharge, we aim to prevent patients from losing touch with essential services and minimise the likelihood of readmission. In addition to one-to-one support in the home, our Volunteer Coordinator will recruit and train volunteer advocacy workers who will conduct daily drop-ins at our community office. This will accommodate those who prefer accessing services outside their homes. Attendees with online appointments will find ready-to-use devices, with volunteer advocacy workers on hand to provide advocacy support during appointments and to assist with the completion of necessary online forms or referrals. Furthermore, our advocacy workers will play a crucial role in providing feedback to health and social care professionals from individuals transitioning to online appointments. The primary goal is to eliminate the initial obstacles preventing people with mental health conditions from accessing digital services. Once the individual has been supported to engage with online services, our advocacy workers will work with individuals to build confidence in using the services unsupported. Once this confidence is established, our workers will facilitate referrals to a local digital agency in order for the person to acquire a device if necessary. For individuals with more complex mental health conditions, who may consistently face difficulties engaging independently, we will continue to offer support through our volunteer delivered service. Ultimately, our service aims to significantly enhance access to digital health services for individuals with mental health conditions, while also increasing awareness of available support. With enhanced participation in digital health services, health and social care teams will be enabled to offer a greater number of online appointments. Consequently, there will be a decrease in the necessity for in-person appointments, leading to shorter wait times for individuals seeking appointments. It is hoped that access to digital appointments will facilitate quicker access to care, thereby aiding in the maintenance of mental health and ultimately resulting in improved health outcomes for those utilising the service. Additionally, this project aims to provide valuable insights regarding the effectiveness of digital services through increased feedback from supported individuals. This feedback will allow services to adapt their digital services and mental health services will become better equipped to meet the needs of their communities.