A survey will help understand how the use of digital services has impacted on people’s ability to access healthcare.

NHS and social care services have been working very differently to make sure that people can access care throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Many of the ways people receive treatment or advice have changed and may have been replaced by digital or remote services, such as video consultations with a doctor or consultant.

As things have changed quickly, giving little time to check whether these new digital services are working for everyone, Healthwatch Suffolk is working with Healthwatch Essex and the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System to analyse people’s experiences.

A spokesperson for Healthwatch Suffolk said: “We want to hear from anyone with an experience to share, but also from people who may find it difficult to engage with digital services, or who may have been prevented from accessing them when they needed to.

“We would also like to hear from people who work within NHS or social care services so that we can understand more about how digital contact with patients and carers has impacted upon their daily lives.”

To take part in the anonymous short survey see here if you are a patient and here if you work within NHS or social care services.

If you choose to provide your contact details at the end of the survey, researchers will contact you about how you can help them to plan the next stage of this research.

Additional formats of the survey, including easy read and hard copy, are available from this page.

If you need support to complete the survey, call on the freephone number 0800 448 8234.