Issue 5 - 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
At Healthwatch, our focus is to ensure that health and social care services work for you and to do this, we need to hear from you.
By speaking with us and sharing your experiences, you are empowering and supporting us to improve local services by informing and advising those who provide and commission services what is needed by our local communities.
Any information you share with Healthwatch is kept anonymous, not shared with anyone and used solely to encourage and support change.
Our Annual Report has been released
It has been a busy year which demonstrated more than ever the importance of having independent services such as Healthwatch to inform and support local communities.
In total, we received 1,160 experiences about local health and social care services; and reached 15,705 people, providing them with information and advice.
In response to local need we also delivered four projects and made a total of 42 recommendations to providers and commissioners of local services on the following:
- The Recommissioning of Home Care Services
- Access to GP Services for the Deaf and hard of hearing
- The delivery of Learning Disability Day Services during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Emergency Department Services and alternative treatment options
Our phenomenal Volunteers also contributed 24 days worth of Volunteering hours, supporting us at events, conducting interviews with care home residents, home care service users and conducting Enter and View visits in Emergency Departments.
We are currently recruiting for Volunteers, if you are interested in making a difference and supporting local communities to have their voices heard, please look at the opportunities available and get in touch.
Along with our most recent annual report, our report page contains all of other reports where you can see the ways in which we listen to and respond to your experiences of local health and social care services.
Let's talk about Menopause
Since starting our short engagement survey last week focusing on the impact of Menopause, we have received over 50 responses!
Your feedback is helping us to understand what the local issues are and will shape our plan to look at what changes are needed locally to ensure you receive support that meets your needs and is easy to access.
If you have an experience you want to share with Healthwatch, please click on the button below.
Your experiences matter
In May, Healthwatch found that 26.5% of experiences we collected related to GP Practices; with ‘Access to Services’ being the most common issue identified.
We have shared our findings with 15 service leads to assist them in understanding where improvements may be made.
Help us highlight where further improvements may need to be made by
Want to make a complaint?
The Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service provides free and impartial advice and support from start to finish of the complaints process.
In May, the service supported in 4 new complaints; provided support in 56 ongoing cases and 5 complaints were closed.
Visit our NHS Complaints page for more information
How we can help
Healthwatch provides information and advice to help you get the most of your local health and social care services.
From the enquiries we received in May, we:
- Provided 76.9% with information and advice
- Supported 15.8% by contacting GP’s on their behalf
- Escalated 7.3% to partner organisations
Come speak with us
At Healthwatch, we enjoy speaking to people in array of formats but to us, nothing is better than speaking to you face-to-face.
We attend groups and events regularly but want to make sure we reach out as much as possible to inform and support local communities.
If you’re a part of a group or community and want us to attend to speak to you and your members about who are and what we do, please contact us and let us know when and how we can be involved.
We have specialists in Patient Experience, Volunteering and Engagement so let us know if there’s a theme or a desire for one of our team from a particular area to be involved.
Alternatively, if you want to meet with us to speak about your experience, you are always welcome to attend our office on Beverley Road.
If you want to arrange to meet with us, please contact us using the details below:
Tel: 01482 595505
Email: enquiries@healthwatchkingstonuponhull.co.uk
Partner Promotions
To support local communtiies have access and input into local services, we collect information about local campaigns and events to share with you.
If you are a part of a group or service and want to have any communications included in our newsletters, please let us know using the button below.
Changes to local NHS functions
From 1st July 2022, local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) will be replaced by formally established NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) as the organisations for local NHS functions and budgets.
The establishment of ICBs is part of plans set out in the Health and Care Act 2022, empowering partners to work closer together to better join up health and care services, improve population health, reduce health inequalities, enhance productivity and value for money, and help support broader social and economic development.
Hull Pride's Health and Wellbeing Hub
Help improve support for people with COPD
Do you have COPD or support someone who does?
The NHS is looking at improving local support for people with COPD and needs your help!
They are conducting a survey which takes around 20 minutes to understand the needs of people with COPD and as a thank you will provide you with a £5 Costa voucher.
You can give your experiences by clicking the ‘Complete Survey’ button or contacting 0151 254 3332.
Have you been affected by crime?
If you have been a victim of or reported a crime in the past three years The Victims’ Commissioner wants to hear from you.
Your valuable feedback will help ensure future victims receive the support and justice outcomes they need.
The questionnaire, consists of a series of short questions about victims’ experiences at every stage of the criminal justice process from the initial incident, through the police investigation to any subsequent court hearing.
The survey will take no more than 15 minutes to complete.
Do you need to talk?
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, Kooth is here for you.
Whenever you are ready, you can access free, safe and anonymous support with immediate access to self help tools through our website.
No problem is too small in the Kooth community, it’s always ok to ask for help.
Andy's Man Club
On average one man every 2 hours takes his life in the UK.
It’s often said a factor is that men don’t talk. That is why Andy’s Man Club was born, to break down these stigmas, support men struggling with Mental Health issues and lend a hand to suicide prevention.
At Andy’s Man Club you don’t have to be suicidal or have a mental health problem, we just want to get men talking.
Raising Awareness of NHS Cervical Screening
Did you know almost one in three women and people with a cervix don’t take up their invite? Cervical screening can help stop cervical cancer before it starts so it’s an incredibly important test. Jo’s Trust want everyone to have the support and facts they need to access cervical screening and deal with an unexpected result.
That’s why Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance has put together a bitesize training session to teach people about:
- the signs and symptoms of cervical cancer
- HPV and the HPV vaccination programme
- what happens at a cervical screening test
- hints, tips and experiences that will help women and people with a cervix feel more able to book a test
To find out more and to book onto a training session, please click the button below.
Bowel Cancer Screening
Bowel cancer is the 4th most common form of cancer and screening can help prevent or find it at an early stage, when it’s easier to treat.
In response to this, the NHS if offering screening to everyone aged 60-74; with a view to make it available to everyone aged 50 to 59 years gradually over the next 3 years.
Always see a GP if you have symptoms of bowel cancer at any age, even if you have recently completed a NHS bowel cancer screening test kit – do not wait to have a screening test.
Find out more on the NHS website
Become a Cancer Champion
Cancer Champions are equipped with the knowledge needed to raise awareness about cancer, engage in conversations that could help to reduce the risk of cancer and encourage early diagnosis of cancer – when treatment could be simpler and more successful.
No skills, qualifications or any specialised knowledge of cancer is required to take part in Cancer Champions training. The free awareness sessions teach people about the key facts, statistics, symptoms, and screenings linked to a number of cancers.
Menopaus'ull Support Network
The Menopaus’ull Support Network aims to empower, support and educate women who are going through the menopause, enabling them to make informed choices on their health and wellbeing.
They offer:
Free monthly Webinairs delivered by experts in their field, covering a variety of menopause related topics.
Access to a Facebook support group along with the opportunity to attend regular local menopause cafes.
A emphasis on bone health in the menopause including a research study by University of Hull.
Opportunities to get involved in a variety of exercises classes and wellbeing support programmes.
Opportunity to loan menopause related books from the menopause library and to view previous recorded webinars.
Contact us:
Hull and East Riding Children's Neurodiversity Service
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