Issue 3 - 2022
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Welcome to the Healthwatch Kingston Upon Hull Newsletter. In our Newsletter we provider regular updates of our activities as well as the activities, events and information of other local services and organisations in the area.
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Healthwatch Updates
Accessing Dental Treatment
In February, we saw an increase in contact regarding the availability of NHS dental treatment in Hull. We’re aware at present that it is difficult to register with a practice, with most putting patients on a waiting list.
We are regularly raising the feedback we receive with Healthwatch England, whom are helping to inform NHS England and the government in regards to the issues local communities are facing.
If you have an experience with dental practices, even if it’s that you are unable to receive treatment, we want to hear from you. Your feedback will help in demonstrating the importance of NHS dental treatment and how the inability to access treatment when and as needed is affecting our local communities.
Our Priorities
To make sure we have maximum impact in the 2022 / 2023 period, we want to know what areas you want us to focus on.
Please click the button below to access our ‘Priorities Survey’ and let us know what are four issues you would want us to look into.
Essential Care Giver Status
Do you have a loved one in a care home? Do you know they have the right to request an Essential Care Giver?
An Essential Care Giver can continue to visit and provide companionship during a COVID-19 outbreak.
NHS App
Want a quick and easy way to download, set up and use the NHS App? Don’t look any further!
Our NHS App page has all the tools you need to get started; with step-by-step guides available in text and video.
Congratulations Kyra!
In February 2022, one of our Volunteers, Kyra, successfully applied and interviewed for the Communications and Engagement Officer role at Healthwatch East Riding of Yorkshire.
Kyra placed a lot of time, energy and passion into Volunteering with Healthwatch and her involvement helped us considerably in understanding the needs and experiences of our local communities.
We are very proud of Kyra and look forward to seeing the impact she will make in Healthwatch East Riding of Yorkshire.
“As a former volunteer and a current staff member, I continue to receive outstanding support from Healthwatch.
During my time as a volunteer, I’ve been consistently encouraged in my career development, challenged to escape my comfort zone and thoroughly trained. The staff at Healthwatch are always friendly, approachable, understanding and maintain to provide assistance. Healthwatch provides opportunities of job-shadowing and comprehensive training, so I can feel confident and safe whilst doing my job.
I feel very supported at Healthwatch and I look forward to the future with Healthwatch East Riding of Yorkshire.” ~ Kyra
NHS Complaints
Want to make an NHS complaint but not sure what to do, where to go or who can help you?
Our NHS Complaints page answers these questions for you and provides easy means for you to access any support, if you need it.
Local Services
Don’t waste time Googling! You can find the information you need about local Health and Social Care services using our website.
Our interactive map has each area broken down by postcode to make accessing the information you need as easy as possible.
Volunteer Stories
Do you want to know what it’s like to be a Healthwatch Volunteer and what you would get out of Volunteering with us?
We ask Volunteers to tell us their story so we can share their experience of Volunteering with you.
#YourCareYourWay
No one should ever feel judged for asking for healthcare information in a different format so that they can understand it. Some people, such as disabled people and those with sensory impairments, have the right to get this information provided in a way they can understand.
Help us create change and extend these rights to ensure no one is ever stuck with information they can’t understand – share your experiences with us today.
Partner Promotions
Hull Parent and Carer Forum
Hull Parent Carer Forum is a friendly and welcoming group of parent carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Hull.
We work with partners at the Local Authority and Health to gather and feedback to voice and lived experiences of families using SEND services and support.
We are funded by the Department for Education and we host events and activities to enable parent carers to participate and share their views and experiences in order to develop and commission services that meet their needs.
Our popular breakfast clubs are every second Tuesday at Lambworth Pub from 9.30am, we are there to chat, share ideas and information, signpost to advice support and services and provide a welcoming environment to meet others in the same boat.
We also have a private closed group for chatting, sharing and supporting one another which is a hive of information for Hull SEND families.
We also host information sessions, social events, training opportunities and more. We are led by parents for parents so tell us what you want to see! We do our best to accommodate our members’ needs.
Our trained reps attend strategic meetings representing the collective voice and ensuring that the lived experience of children and young people with SEND are listened to.
Get in touch and come along to meet us. You can be involved as much or as little as you like.
Contact us:
Closing date: 29th April 2022
Hull Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment Survey
Take part in a survey which will help to inform and shape local pharmacy services.
Hull City Council’s Public Health team are conducting the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA), on behalf of the Health & Wellbeing Board to assess the current and future needs of local pharmacy services available across the city.
The PNA is a key document which must be revisited every three years and is used by NHS England to inform decisions about applications for new, or changes to existing pharmaceutical services, and the commissioning of NHS-funded services that can be provided by local community pharmacies.
It is also used by local authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) when commissioning services to meet local health needs and priorities.
The survey is anonymous and confidential and anyone who uses local pharmaceutical services is invited to comment.
Closing date: 29th April 2022
Work Well Service
The Work Well service helps individuals improve their mental health, raise aspirations, and achieve their personal goals. This includes helping young people aged 16-24 into education, training and/or employment, helping people already in work to improve their mental health and retain their employment as well as engaging with local employers to help them to make mental health a priority in the workplace.
The service has 3 strands of activity:
Helping young people aged 16-24 to get into work, volunteering and education or simply supporting them to find some purposeful activity that may lead to future work. The service can also help with personalised action plans, CV writing, support to complete job applications and offer help to find suitable vacancies.
A skilled team helping individuals to stay in work. This includes working with individuals, and their employer (optional), to break down potential barriers and to help them to achieve their employment goals. The service can help with personalised action plans, attending work meetings between employee and employer, support with returning to work following absence and support to find individuals alternative employment.
A skilled team working with local employers to help implement employer and employee focused interventions. This will include an assessment of need in order to identify opportunities for improving employee mental health and working with the wider workforce to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and wellbeing at work.
Help those experiencing sight loss
Guide Dogs for the Blind’s ambition is a future where every person with sight loss has the confidence and support they need to live their lives to the full.
How you can make a difference:
Guide Dogs are currently recruiting for two Volunteer roles:
My Sighted Guide is a service we offer that allows volunteers to become sighted guides. You will undergo training and learn to safely guide someone with sight loss, navigating environments and building self-confidence – all whilst increasing social interaction with those who may not otherwise wish to leave their home.
- Provide sighted guide assistance on a regular basis to people living with sight loss – you will be matched with a suitable partner.
- Agree on when and where you will provide the sighted guide, as part of a mutually agreed activity plan.
- You must undertake all elements of My Sighted Guide training (approximately two days).
- Always maintain professional boundaries and adhere to safeguarding procedures.
- You must be able to give – on average – a few hours a week and be aged 18 years old or over. This role requires that you have an Enhanced Disclosure.
- Sighted Guide training and certificate upon completion of training.
- Guide Dogs safeguarding training.
- Ongoing support from the My Guide team
Puppy Raisers help raise our future guide dogs. In this role, you will be providing a puppy with a vital foundation for its future role as a guide dog. This is a full-time volunteering opportunity as a puppy will live with you in your home for around 12-16 months.
- Puppy Raisers play a vital role in the early socialisation and education of our guide dogs.
- Please be aware that this is huge commitment to raise the puppy and for you to attend training.
- Acceptance to roles subject to interview, references, and home checks.
- You will receive full training and 24/7 support.
- All food and vets’ costs supplied and covered.
Cancer Quality of Life Survey
The Cancer Quality of Life Survey is a national survey run by NHS England and NHS Improvement and NHS Digital. The survey is for people in England who have been diagnosed with cancer.
From 2020, people who have had a breast, prostate or colorectal (bowel) cancer diagnosis are being asked to complete the survey around 18 months after diagnosis.
From July 2021 we have begun the process of rolling out the survey to all cancer patients around 18 months after diagnosis.
The aim of the survey is to find out how quality of life may have changed for people diagnosed with cancer. We want to see where care is working well or not so well, and if any new services are needed.
To do this, we’re asking how people who have experienced cancer are feeling and comparing their answers with information about their cancer diagnosis and treatment. This will help us to improve the way we support people to live as long and as well as possible.
Have you had your cervical screening?
All women and people with a cervix aged 25-64 are eligible for cervical screening.
Females will be invited for screening every three years if aged 25-49 and every five years if aged 50-64.
You can arrange to be screened with your GP practice or a local sexual health clinic. Those registered as male will need to make an appointment with their GP practice.
Try not to put off cervical screening. It’s one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer.
A New Maternal Mental Health Service
A new Maternal Mental Health service is starting to support women who are struggling with their mental health following baby loss.
The service will be available across Humber, Coast and Vale which includes Hull, East Riding, North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire, York and North Yorkshire.
We would like to hear from women who live in these areas and have experienced baby loss to help us shape this new service. We know this is an incredibly difficult and personal experience and appreciate anything you can share with us.
Qwell
Qwell is a mental health and wellbeing platform that offers free online counselling support for those aged 18+ across Humber, Coast and Vale.
You do not need to be referred or placed on a waiting list to use Qwell and there is no criteria for accessing support. You can receive support through the following methods:
Our messaging feature allows you to reach out directly to a professional. We also use messages to connect with someone who may need additional support.
Our online chat functionality allows you to receive professional support through booked or drop-in sessions as and when you need it.
We have hundreds of pieces of therapeutic content created by our online community and professional content team.
Our peer to peer forums are moderated to maximise safety and allow people to discuss issues together in a facilitated environment.
Our suite of self help tools offer the ability to create journals, track your mood and set goals.
Newsletter Feedback
Your feedback on our Newsletters will help Healthwatch understand what information we’re currently providing to you is beneficial, if information provided could be improved or if there is anything we are not currently providing which you feel is beneficial to you and our other audience members.