inside this issue: ambassador programme update …stoke-on-trent” events, hosted by both local...
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NEWSLETTER
Inside this Issue: Ambassador Programme update Engagement update
January/February 2017
Volunteer RecruitmentHealthwatch projects updateCase studies
Welcome to our latest newsletter, all of which we hope helps to keep you updated on our latest news and we hope you will find this newsletter to be a great source of useful information.
This newsletter will provide an opportunity for Healthwatch Staffordshire to share our latest news and updates concerning Health and Social Care services in Staffordshire - as well our engagement, research, advocacy, case studies and your comments/feedback on health and social care services across Staffordshire.
Your comments and suggestions are welcome and will assist us in continuously improving our newsletter. Please send us your comments to: [email protected].
Sign up for our Newsletter or Have Your Say:
0800 051 8371
www.healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk
@HWStaffordshire
It was a busy end to 2016, and has been an equally hectic start to 2017 in Lichfield, Tamworth and East Staffs. We finished the year with some well attended and lively Conversation Staffordshire events in each District, whilst also giving presentations to groups such as the Lichfield Parkinson’s group and attending forums held by partners such as Support Staffordshire.
We started 2017 with an extremely well attended Healthwatch Advisory Board meeting, held in public at St. Peter’s Church, Glascote, and have participated in excellent networking forums held by our partners at Holly Road Supportive Care Centre in Uttoxeter (where we are planning a very exciting ‘Volunteer day’ in Uttoxeter on the 1st July), along with an extremely well attended networking forum organised by Tamworth Borough Council.
Drop-in events have been held in Lichfield and Tamworth libraries, where we have been able to take concerns raised by the public and help resolve their issues through contact with GPs. January ended with a review of the health needs of the Homeless in Tamworth, which is hugely important and will undoubtedly continue through the year.
Over 300 people have been engaged with in the last few weeks, and drop-ins are planned during the next few weeks at Ankerside Shopping Centre in Tamworth on Feb 14th, Burntwood library and Glascote library, with talks to be given at Dosthill W.I in Tamworth, Tamworth Stroke Club and Tamworth Soroptomists International. I shall also be carrying out surveys at Queen’s Hospital Burton with two of our Champion volunteers.
Engagement activities update from Jo Hall
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Bas Pickering and Parkwood Community Leisure to the North Staffordshire District Network. Bas has joined us in 2 roles and is both a Healthwatch Champion and an Ambassador for the STP programme; Parkwood Community Leisure operate 3 leisure centres in the Moorlands and have joined us as a Champion Organisation.
Most of our time of late has been taken up with promoting the Funding for the Future and Staffordshire Drug and Alcohol Care Pathway Redesign Consultations, so we have been working closely with various partner agencies, community groups and champion organisations to engage with service users, patients and community members to facilitate their participation in the consultations. We have also attended PPG meetings, locality meetings, and multi-agency meetings to promote Healthwatch Staffordshire and the current programme of work.
Our latest District Network meeting was held in Leek and was really well attended with 15 Champions and Champion Organisation representatives attending. We discussed the upcoming Healthwatch Awareness Campaign and decided to focus our efforts on the more rural areas of the North of the county, and reviewed the STP press release and the STP reference groups which some champions have already signed up for. I also received some useful feedback from Champions and Champion Organisations, and we reviewed our shared activity calendar and agreed our work programme for the next 6 weeks.
Over the next few months we will be continuing to promote Healthwatch and our work programme around North Staffordshire including drop-ins, presentations and meetings arranged at Werrington Library, Haywood Hospital, North Staffordshire Polish Day Care Centre, Keele University, Mental Health Awareness Week events, Ashley Surgery and lots of others.
Engagement update from Paul HiggittJanuary has continued to be another busy period in the South Staffordshire, Stafford and Cannock Chase Districts.
We have continued to talk to people about their experiences in Health and Social care and gathered a significant amount of information particularly around Dementia care, hospital discharge, and support to carers. It is important that we find out what’s working well, and what isn’t in relation to your Health and Social care services. As an Outreach Officer we gather this information which is then fedback to service providers to look at making positive changes.
We would really like to hear from you about your experiences. Are you a carer for someone? What support do you get as a carer? Has the support you get changed? If you have any views you can email [email protected]
Do you belong to a community group in South Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Stafford or surrounds? If so why not invite us to come along and talk about Healthwatch and the services that we provide. You can call Paul Higgitt on 07944141533
Engagement update
From Ian Wright
• Urgent and Emergency Care - Simplifying the urgent & emergency care system in order to improve outcomes and reduce waiting times
• Enhanced Primary and Community Care – Including looking at an increase in services delivered in the community by circa 23 specialised “multi-disciplinary” teams based around local populations in Staffordshire of between 30,000 – 70,000.
• Planned Care - Creating Planned Care centres of excellence to improve health outcomes, reduce duplication of services and make best use of NHS and Local Authority land and buildings
• Prevention & Well-Being - Encouraging more people to live healthily and avoid illness
• Digital - Providing patients with the tools and technology to help manage their own conditions and health and care services with systems that support clinicians
• Penny Harris, Programme Director for the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent STP said: “Over the past year we have been working with health and care organisations across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent on how best to meet the many opportunities and challenges facing us. Now we want to open the discussion with patient reference groups to contribute to bring together people with knowledge to create safe, high quality, consistent and affordable health and care. This is a real opportunity to help shape the services of the future and we welcome all applications to join one of the groups.”
If you would like to apply to join a patient reference group or for more information, please contact Healthwatch Staffordshire via Freephone 08000518371 or [email protected]; or Healthwatch Stoke-on Trent on 01782 683080 [email protected]
Patient Reference Groups for the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Sustainability and Transformation PlanPatients and members of the public can now apply to join Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) patient reference groups. The creation of the patient reference groups are the next stage in the STP following the series of ten “Conversation Staffordshire” and “Conversation Stoke-on-Trent” events, hosted by both local Healthwatch organisations during November and December 2016, which were attended by more than 200 people.
The STP, which was published on Thursday 15 December 2016, will now look to develop more detailed plans for local health and social care services. Now that the high level plan has been created, all organisations involved with the STP want to talk to those people who live and work in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent about how it can be improved and what needs to be done to make it happen. In addition, local government and the NHS will be working in partnership to engage with frontline clinicians and a wide range of stakeholders.
The patient reference groups will support the development of these plans by generating ideas, meeting with key clinicians and commenting on the proposals. The STP workstreams for patient reference groups are:
• Frail Elderly and Long Term Conditions - Reducing local reliance on bed based services by improving community services, with people returning to their home after treatment as quickly as possible, wherever possible
Being a Healthwatch Champion has meant that I have engaged with all manner of local individuals and organisations who are in receipt of, and who offer, services. I have found out about their views, concerns and ideas and passed this information on to Healthwatch. I have tried to spread the word about the role of Healthwatch by speaking to individuals at exhibitions and giving short presentations to clubs and societies. I have met some wonderful people and have learned a huge amount about what goes on locally in providing both statutory and voluntary support. I have also had the opportunity to contribute some of my own thoughts to discussions on the improvement of services.
During my first year as a Champion I have been enormously grateful to Healthwatch Staffordshire for the support, guidance and training that I have received. I would have found it very difficult to undertake the role without this. If I am honest, the feeling that I am valued by Healthwatch has meant a lot to me in adjusting to retirement. I hope that the benefit goes both ways and that through participation as a Healthwatch Champion I am able to put something back into South Staffordshire as well!
I became a Healthwatch Champion for South Staffordshire at the end of 2015. Although a native of west London, I have lived in Codsall for the best part of forty years. I have led a very busy working life so never had time to get involved in local affairs. In retirement I wanted to get involved in activity which would be of value to the local community without tying me down to a set time each week. I hoped that I could make use of some of the skills which I had developed over a long career in special education. This included being a head teacher and a national development officer for a major national charity for the blind. Becoming a Healthwatch Champion seemed to be the ideal opportunity to tick all my boxes!
I have had the great good fortune to have led a happy and healthy life. However, I have experienced at first hand the challenges and frustrations that face the elderly as a result of supporting first my parents, and then my in-laws, through age-related ill health, depression and dementia. In a professional capacity, I have seen the unending trials and battles with authority faced by parents of children and young people with complex special needs. So, although I do not have a background in health or social care, it is something that I feel passionately about. If I could change one thing on a grand scale it would be to make the system more person-friendly and less bureaucratic. On a local scale, I would like to see better communication between agencies so that referrals and the sharing of information are much more effective.
OUR VOLUNTEERS - IN THEIR OWN WORDS - JUDY BELL
“If I am honest, the feeling that I am valued by Healthwatch has
meant a lot to me in adjusting to retirement.”
Healthwatch projects update Neurology SurveyWe are exploring the experiences of people with MS, MND and Parkinsons in terms of the care pathways they have been on. We are then going to map these against the NICE Guidelines to see where the gaps are, what is working well and where the system is falling down. We need a number of people with these conditions to take part in interviews across each of the CCG areas in Staffordshire. Included in this target sample, there needs to be some people who are still in employment. The deadline for taking part in these interviews is mid-March.
People we need include: • People with MND across the whole of Staffordshire• Parkinsons anywhere BUT Stafford (we already have
lots)• MS anywhere BUT North Staffs and Stoke (we already
have lots).If anyone who has these conditions and is interested in taking part, they need to email [email protected], sending their name and contact details and the name of their GP.
Volunteer RecruitmentVolunteers are vital to our work here at Healthwatch Staffordshire (HWS) and we are always seeking new people to get involved with the many different areas of our work in Staffordshire. In addition to helping support Healthwatch, volunteering is a great way to meet new people and to gain valuable work experience and build your skills and confidence. We have a range of volunteering opportunities available with Healthwatch. We hope the various roles we have on offer will give you the opportunity to:
• Make a difference to your local community• Meet new people• Enhance your skills and knowledge• Access training and support• Use your existing skills• Add valuable experience to your CV
We welcome a diverse range of volunteers from all walks of life, from sixth form students looking to gain experience to put on UCAS applications, university students doing health and social care related degrees, and professionals looking to donate some of their spare time to a good cause. We welcome job seekers looking to gain experience.
Training and support is available for every role, and experience is not essential. The most important thing we look for is a belief that people in Staffordshire should have the best health and social care services possible, and a desire to be part of making that happen.
Volunteering opportunities
If you are interested in a volunteering position
please contact: Jackie Owen on 01785 221705
or email; [email protected]
Judy Bell
Our current volunteering
opportunities are:• Marketing and Promotions• Events and Engagement• Enter and View Authorised
Representative• Complaints Advocate• Researcher• Reading Panel
If you are interested in a volunteering position please contact: Jackie Owen on 01785 221705 or email; Jack ie.Owen@ecstaf fs.co.uk explaining the type of work you are interested in.
Healthwatch projects update Funding for the Future Survey
We have the Healthwatch priority survey - Funding for the Future. The survey is targeted at anyone who has experienced changes/cuts to health and social care services as a result of funding cuts. We want to know what changes you have experienced, what impact this has had, where you think funding should be allocated for more efficient care and what you think can be removed without a big impact, to reduce spending.
Please take time to complete this questionnaire as thoroughly as possible. Your participation is entirely anonymous but if you would like to take part in a more detailed case study, please leave your name and contact details at the end of the questionnaire.
Funding for the Future: http://bit.ly/Fundingforfuture
If you need help completing the survey, please contact Victoria Gibson on 01785 221704.
Stay warm and well this winter Cold weather can have a significant impact on people’s health. One of the best ways of keeping well during winter is to stay warm. Older people, very young children and those with respiratory and circulatory health conditions are more likely to suffer from cold related illnesses. Keeping warm over the winter months can help prevent colds, flu or more serious health conditions. Staffordshire Cares has some top tips on what you can do to keep warm and well over winter, as well as where to go for further support.
Staffordshire Cares is an easy way to access the advice and information you need, whether you're looking for ways to stay well and independent, living with a disability or simply getting that bit older. Through a specially developed website, single telephone number and face-to-face contacts across the County, Staffordshire Cares can direct you to hundreds of services and organisations to make your life easier and help you remain independent for longer.Staffordshire Cares can help you find out about:-
• things to do and how to meet other people• how to get help at home and in the garden• helpful household gizmos and gadgets• help with your finances• keeping safe at home and in your community• living independently with a disability or long-term illness
Web site: www.staffordshirecares.info Phone: 0300 111 8010 to speak to a Staffordshire Cares Advisor
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE For December 2016, we have received 110 pieces of feedback on Experience Exchange. The most we have ever had was 65 reviews back in September, so it is a significant increase.
Have you accessed any health or social care services during January 2017, such as attending a GP Appointment, or visiting your local hospital, dentist or pharmacy? If so Healthwatch Staffordshire would really appreciate it if you could share any new experiences you have had.
As you know, Healthwatch Staffordshire needs to collect feedback on service provision, to ensure that it is aware of any and all issues throughout the county, as well as any experiences of good practice. Healthwatch Staffordshire cannot do this without your help and assistance.
We have over 1,000 services listed on Experience Exchange, in order for you to find your local service you can either type the name of the service in the search bar, or filter services by geographic location by clicking on the relevant district of the Staffordshire map. Services are listed in alphabetical order, and if you wish to access the next page of services, page numbers are listed at the top of each screen.
You can access Experience Exchange by clicking the following link: http://x2.healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk
Drug and Alcohol SurveyWe also have a drug and alcohol survey that is looking at drug and alcohol services in Staffordshire (this ties in with the Funding for the Future Survey). Staffordshire County Council and Parliament are considering the reduction of funding to drug and alcohol treatment services in Staffordshire so we would like to look at the potential impact of these cuts and the opinions of local communities, particularly relating to Early Intervention, Treatment and Aftercare.
We have a provider survey, for people providing services to support those with drug and alcohol dependencies. We also have a service user survey for people who use services that support their drug and alcohol dependencies. The intention is to provide the County Council and Parliament with anonymous feedback on the proposed changes. You can access the surveys online by clicking on the links below:
Service Provider Survey: http://bit.ly/dandaprovidersurvey Service User Survey: http://bit.ly/DandAserviceuser
Launch of northern Staffordshire community hospitals consultation delayed by elections The launch of a formal public consultation into the future use of community hospitals in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire has been paused.
The Governing Bodies of the CCGs today decided that it would delay the 12-week consultation, which was due to begin this month (February), until after the Stoke Central by-election on 23 February and the local County Council elections on 4th May have taken place.
During the pre-election period known as ‘purdah’, public services should not launch any consultations or make any decisions which might influence the outcome of an election. Public bodies are allowed to carry on with business as usual but the Governing Bodies felt that this was not usual business.
The CCGs’ Accountable Officer, Marcus Warnes told the Governing Bodies joint meeting held in public at The Bridge Centre in Birches Head that the CCGs had sought legal advice and had asked for opinions from NHS England and the local authorities. This had resulted in mixed responses, with Staffordshire County Council advising that it would not be able to make a formal representation on the consultation during purdah.
Legal advice requested by the CCGs stated that although there was no specific legal prohibition against launching the consultation, the potential to influence the outcome of election campaigns could make a legal challenge more likely.
Mr Warnes said: “As there are mixed opinions and no definitive legal position relating to CCGs, it was felt prudent to follow the advice of NHS England - which would have to give final approval for the consultation to proceed - and it was decided that the start of formal consultation will be postponed for three months until after the May 4 local elections, and will commence on Monday May 8.”
Ambassador Programme UpdateSince the Ambassador Programme’s implementation on 21st September 2016, there have been cumulatively 197 expressions of interest from members of the public and NHS staff; unfortunately for various reasons some have had to leave the programme.
After 15 training sessions, we have 68 signed up Ambassadors and with a further 8 training sessions to undertake between now and the end of March 2017, with 27 people booked on the following sessions so far.
• 8th February 2pm – 4pm Newcastle Community Fire Station• 17th February 10:30 – 12:30 Healthwatch Office Opus House• 17th February 2pm – 4pm Healthwatch Office Opus House• 28th February 10am-12pm Lichfield Community Fire Station• 17th March 10:30 – 12:30 Longton Community Fire Station• 17th March 2pm-4pm Longton Community Fire Station• 28th March 10:30 – 12:30 Rugeley Community Fire Station• 28th March 2pm-4pm Rugeley Community Fire Station
We still need to recruit more Ambassadors with the intention of getting out into the communities and importantly gathering feedback to pass back to the Sustainability and Transformation Plan. If you want to make a difference then the only way is to have your say.
If you would like more information regarding the Ambassador Programme then please contact the Healthwatch Office on 0800 051 8371 [email protected]