Funded by the Health Foundation’s Q Lab Programme, Digital inclusion for social and health impact (DISH) is a project co-led by the Cardiology service at West Middlesex University Hospital and the Digital Inclusion Group from the London Borough of Hounslow.
The project has been delivered in partnership with:
Delivery support for the engagement was offered by Humanly, Healthwatch Hounslow.
With its multi-cultural diversity, Hounslow is home to around 330,000 people speaking over 180 languages, with digitally excluded communities. The DISH project aims to improve access to technology and digital health services delivered at the hospital, and to close gaps in digital literacy experienced by residents and therefore reduce health inequalities amongst this population. Objectives include:
Imperial College Health Partners (ICHP) was commissioned to lead the planning and delivery of the community engagement strand.
Across the ICHP-led engagement strand, we worked closely with multiple patient and community groups across Hounslow through a series of small focus groups. Activities proactively sought to involve patient groups (as potential recipients of digital healthcare) as well as groups likely to experience higher levels of digital exclusion.
Due to the nature of the topic, and the groups we were seeking to engage, all activity was delivered in-person. Conversations centered on three areas of focus:
Identifying opportunities to increase digital inclusion and reduce health inequalities have been the ‘golden threads’ underpinning the activities.
In parallel to the engagement activities the wider project has had a significant focus on utilising data, including establishing a joint data analytical group and mapping data assets across the borough. This has enabled the NHS and the council to share data to better understand where areas of poor health occur within Hounslow and how these data geographical locations can then be matched to interventions being delivered in the community setting.
Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation trust have also set up processes to recycle old tech via the council’s laptop recycling project ‘Our Barn’ so that more residents can have digital access at home.
Across the project we involved seven patient and community groups and over 70 Hounslow residents. The insights gave us a rich understanding of some of the key barriers to adopting digital technology, particularly within the health space. Importantly, we were also able to build an understanding of people’s support needs and how best to address these through training and learning.
The project team are currently developing adult learning material, informed by these insights, which will complement Hounslow’s existing Digital Champions initiative and increase the level of digital support available to residents who would benefit.
Learnings from the project have also been shared more widely, via the Health Foundation and the NWL Digital Inclusion Steering Group, to inform wider best practice.
The project has recently completed, but West Middlesex University Hospital and Hounslow Council are hoping to build on the relationships that have been established and embed partnership working as business as usual between the two organisations.
The project has been delivered in partnership with:
Delivery support for the engagement was offered by Humanly, Healthwatch Hounslow.
Particular thanks go to the patient and community groups across Hounslow who got involved and the residents who shared their experiences.
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