Client Forum update:

Throughout 2021 we have held a number of client forums and would like to offer our sincere thanks to everyone who have given up their time to attend.

 We received some very positive feedback about the services we provide, as well as some very useful comments about how we could improve, as follows:

• Some clients said that the number of sessions they were offered was not enough. We explained that we need to put a limit on the number of sessions to help us offer counselling to as many people as possible, without waiting lists building up too much. However, we know that Sunderland CCG are currently drawing up their strategy for mental health services in Sunderland so we committed to making sure that this feedback is considered as part of that work.
• At our first Client Forum some clients said that being asked to fill in questionnaires at every session wasn’t helpful and took up valuable time. We explained that this is part of the contract we hold with the funder of the service (Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group) so isn’t something we can just stop doing but committed to working with our counsellors to provide them with training on how to make better use of these questionnaires, to make sure they are a useful part of counselling. At our most recent forum, we received feedback to say how useful clients had found these questionnaires in their recent treatment.  They had been able to track their progress through their counselling and see where they were making positive changes or facing challenges.  We will continue to support counsellors to use these tools effectively in sessions with clients.
• At the most recent forum, clients told us how important it was that they received information on the services we offer in a timely manner, for example when they have had a cancer diagnosis.  We committed to speaking with our partners around the city to keep them up to date with our specialist services and to encourage them to let potential clients know we are here and the benefits they may receive form counselling.
• Clients also told us how they benefitted from being able to access counselling using a video link.  They found being able to use these methods, as well as telephone calls, worked for many in the COVID pandemic.  Clients said this might not be the case for all and we are committed to continuing to offer counselling over the telephone, on video or face to face according to client need.

“The SCS client forum met again on Wednesday 11^th May, with clients and SCS staff in attendance. We received lots of useful feedback which included endorsement for our continued approach to offering services in a variety of methods – face to face, by telephone and secure video platform – to increase accessibility and flexibility. Where we are working face to face with clients, the people who attended the meeting endorsed our approach to doing  this in a safe way to minimise risks from COVID. We received really useful feedback on how we meet and greet our clients in John Street and on the ways in which we promote our website as a useful resource for clients, and we are now considering ways to act on these suggestions. The next meeting will be held in late August or early September and we hope to hold this meeting in person at John Street.”

Some valuable feedback was shared at our most recent client forum, which we plan to use to improve our service. We were also offered some great praise for counsellors working within the service too which shall be fed back to them.