Healthwatch Kingston – Including Digitally Excluded Communities: Engagement Report 

This Healthwatch Kingston report, together with the ‘Including Communities’ report, outlines findings from a 20-month community engagement initiative with residents of Kingston, a Marmot borough, aimed at amplifying the voices of individuals with protected characteristics and those seldom heard. Healthwatch significantly expanded its outreach, tripling its engagement efforts by forging connections with organisations supporting individuals for whom English is a second language, as well as those with learning or physical disabilities, neurodivergence, and experiences of homelessness.

Between July and October 2023, face-to-face “we’ll come to you” focus groups engaged 95 digitally excluded residents at locations such as Kingston Migrant Advocacy Service, Kingston Eco-op, Fastminds ADHD Support Group, Kingston Association for the Blind, and Cambridge Road Estate Foodbank, examining ways to improve engagement and access to health and social care information. Notably, the findings revealed that proficiency with digital technology did not necessarily translate into a willingness to engage digitally.

Furthermore, 42 young people (aged 13-17) from Kingston College Freshers’ Fair and youth clubs provided insights into their preferred feedback methods. Despite their digital fluency, only 23% (18 out of 42) favoured social media surveys, while 36% (28 out of 42) preferred in-person events such as youth groups or fairs, 24% (19 out of 42) chose classroom workshops, and a mere 17% (13 out of 42) opted for engagement at healthcare settings like GP surgeries or pharmacies. In total, the initiative reached 137 individuals (95 digitally excluded and 42 young people), challenging assumptions about reliance on digital channels and underscoring the importance of physical presence for effective outreach to diverse and often overlooked groups in influencing NHS and social care services.