Members’ Magazine | Winter 2015 www.elrmembership.org
Choosing fitness foods for the family (P3) Inside: Dave’s farewell Tackling A&E troubles 52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 1
10/02/2015 10:52
MD’s welcome and farewell This is the last ‘welcome page’ that I will write for you all, as I have decided to stand down from my role as managing director of East Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Group. I have missed my days as a GP and am very keen to work directly with patients again. It’s also clear to me from my time with the CCG that many of the fundamental changes that need to happen in our local health system cannot happen without changes to the way GP practices work together. I want to be there with my sleeves rolledup, making change happen from the ground up and supporting the work of the CCG in the process. I am so proud of the achievements we’ve made as a CCG since we were formed in 2011, and I know we are improving health and making care better for our patients. Clinical involvement and leadership in planning healthcare has dramatically improved the way in which services are commissioned for local people and I look forward to seeing the impact of more of the changes we’ve made as they come into fruition over the coming years. I will miss my CCG team greatly and want to thank them for their support and for their commitment to making improvements for local people. I wish them, and the CCG, continued success for the future.
It has also been a privilege to be part of Be healthy, be heard, to share my thoughts with you and listen to yours. Your views have played a key role in planning healthcare, perhaps most significantly in the new urgent care services which start in April (see page 6). Please continue to stay involved and make a real difference to future healthcare. I believe I leave East Leicestershire and Rutland CCG in a strong position with a talented leadership team, excellent Governing Body and exceptionally committed staff. We have good relationships with our constituent practices and our partners across health and social care and have achieved a lot in the short life span of our organisation. The CCG will work with NHS England to appoint a new managing director, and till then my colleague Karen English, our deputy managing director and chief finance officer, will lead the organisation as interim managing director. Dave Briggs Managing Director, East Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Group
us: Contact
If you have a practical tip, health suggestion or an interesting story, please send it for inclusion in the next issue using the contact details below. We are also looking for cover stars – send us your picture and health story if you would like to appear on our cover Email: info@elrmembership.org Post: Please send all correspondence to:
East Leicestershire & Rutland CCG Freepost ADMAIL 4228 Market Harborough LE16 7ZZ Telephone: 0300 555 5345 Please note that the membership helpline is open between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Published by: GEM CSU, St John’s House, 30 East Street, Leicester, LE1 6NB
2 Winter 2 Winter 2015, 2015, IssueIssue 10: be 10:healthy be healthy be heard be heard
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 2
10/02/2015 10:52
:
FLiC - Family Lifestyle Club If your families’ New Year resolutions to eat better and get fitter are already flagging, then take a closer look at the role played by FLiC, the Family Lifestyle FLiC is run by Leicestershire Nutrition and Dietetics Service and local councils’ physical activity leaders in Leicestershire and Rutland. FLiC is a free eight-week programme with sessions once each week for children and their families to learn about a healthier lifestyle in a friendly and informative way. Each week involves a one-hour, fun activity session led by a council physical activity co-ordinator,
while the parents look at different nutrition topics with the dietitian. The sessions are free and allow for time to ask questions, share ideas and get to meet other parents. For the second hour the families come together again for a variety of nutrition based games, such as guessing how many sugar cubes there might be in a fizzy drink, or how much fat is in snacks. Each week the families then have the opportunity to make and taste healthy foods such as smoothies, fruit kebabs, healthy pizzas and more.
The Leicestershire Nutrition and Dietetics Service (LNDS) have been running FLiC groups for several years for children aged 8-13 years and their families. Please contact the FLiC team if you would be interested in such a group, and they would be happy to answer your questions or give you more information about how it all works and how to join. Courses are held throughout the county on a weekday between 4pm and 6pm to allow families to come.
This year’s groups started in January with more in February, May and October in a number of locations around the county. To find out where the next courses are running please contact LNDS on the numbers below. Lisa Sinfield (Family Dietitian) 0116 222 7148 or Paula McKee (Family Dietitian) 0116 263 0861, or call the FLiC Team Office 0116 222 7154
Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard 3
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 3
10/02/2015 10:52
SPOTLIGHT ON THE BOARD Dr Vivek Varakantam
Dr Girish Purohit
CCG Locality lead - Oadby and Wigston
CCG Locality lead - Melton, Rutland and Harborough
“I was interested in science when I was young – working out things and what factors there were to consider, and coming up with solutions.
“My father had been a GP in the City of Leicester for most of his career. Growing up I could see how much he enjoyed his work and this drew me to this really rewarding profession.
“I was brought up in Lincolnshire, but I studied medicine at the University of Leicester, so I was already familiar with this area when I qualified. I liked the area too, with its mixture of British and Asian cultures. I also like to think I am giving something back to our area, because I now help to train would-be GPs and we have many of them here at our practice as part of their training. “The role of a GP has changed in some ways, but there are some fundamentals that do not change, especially the personal touch, that relationship you have with your patients, which may be one of the most rewarding aspects of this work. “My new role, since last year anyway, is as a member of the CCG’s Governing Body. In this role you have to remember that you are not a manager, not an expert in commissioning, but you can ask ‘How will this or that policy affect patients and the day-to-day running of the local NHS?’ The best way is to listen to what patients say and to champion their voice in the planning process. “Working as a GP and a CCG Governing Body member keeps me very busy, but I try to keep my weekends for my family, and we have two little girls, aged three and five. My time with them is very special.” Dr Vivek Varakantam has been a partner at the Croft Medical Centre in Oadby since 2009.
“I studied at St Bartholomews and The Royal London School of Medicine and lived in and around London between 1997 and 2012. I came back back to Leicestershire in 2012 to work and contribute to the area where I grew up which I find deeply satisfying. “I find working with East Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) really interesting. During my undergraduate medical training I completed a Management Degree at Imperial Business School. This along with my experience of working in a commissioning organisation in London has proved very useful in my new role. I enjoy listening to patients’ views, talking to them about how things might be done better, and then feeding this into the decisions that are made at our CCG. “Outside of work, I love spending time with my wife and two children aged six and three although there is limit to the times you can watch Frozen!” Dr Purohit is currently a GP Principal at the Jubilee Medical Practice in Syston, where he has been since July 2012. He joined our CCG Governing Body last year.
4 Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 4
10/02/2015 10:52
A&E under pressure what’s being done? Leicester A&E, like others across the country, has been dealing with exceptional numbers of patients this winter. Waiting times and patients’ troubled experiences in our local A&E are a not just a hospital problem but a system-wide challenge we’re all working together to solve.
Our CCG along with West Leicestershire and Leicester City CCGs are all committed to treating patients in the community wherever possible, avoiding hospital admissions except for those who really need to be there. Our initiatives have already prevented hundreds of hospital admissions, and although some of them are in the early stages, we’re encouraged by the initial results. Other schemes will require longerterm changes across health and social care before the results can be assessed, but we are all committed to achieving largescale system change within the next five years.
Dr Dick Hurwood, a GP and our governing body member for urgent care, said: “The four-hour target for patients waiting in A&E is a barometer for how the whole health and social care system is working together. “It is important that we recognise the role each health and social care provider plays. Our CCG’s role is to help everyone to work together better. We have already started to demonstrate this in the joint work to develop services in the community so that older people in particular can be treated at home and time spent in hospital is kept to a minimum.” GPs review cases to ensure every opportunity has been explored to enable patients to stay safely at home before admission is considered. Our local GPs are available to care homes if there is a risk patients require hospital admission in surgery hours. This is reducing admissions and ensuring patients’ care plans are followed. We also have extra pharmacists for care homes to ensure patients have the medicines they need after hospital treatment to reduce the chances of readmission We have undertaken an extensive review of urgent care services for minor injuries and illnesses in East Leicestershire and Rutland,
and the new extended hours service will begin in April. Furthermore, we have a night nursing service where patients are monitored overnight in their own homes, with the option of help from more senior nurses, if needed. Leicestershire now has an Older People’s Unit, at Loughborough Community Hospital, providing rapid assessments for the over-75s to prevent their conditions worsening or resulting in hospital admissions. Of course, if you know your options you can also play a part in reducing the queues at A&E. We call it ‘Choose better’. Use self-care if it’s something you can deal with at home – and if you are not sure, see your pharmacist for advice. If it’s not a life-threatening emergency, try phoning 111 it’s free and available around the clock, and it’s also your GP’s outof-hours number – or you could go online to www.nhs.uk and use the search function. Urgent care centres, walk-in centres and minor injury and illness centres and can treat a range of health problems, such as lacerations, stomach upsets, burns and strains. See www.choosebetter.org.uk
Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard 5
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 5
10/02/2015 10:52
Get ready for your new-look urgent care This time last year we were embarking on a major public consultation to help reshape local urgent care services you can use when you suffer minor injuries or illnesses. A big thank-you to all who took part in the consultation and in the surveys and conversations that took place before the consultation began in February 2014. Your views have helped us to design the new services and have also influenced changes in the opening times we originally proposed.
during normal surgery opening times plus:
The new service will be simpler to understand and available for more hours than the current range provides. Minor injuries and illness will continue to be treated locally but with greater access to services – either from GP surgeries during the day or at urgent care centres in the evenings and weekends. The service also aims to reduce the time it takes to be seen and treated.
• The Urgent Care Centre in Oadby open from 8am-9pm on weekdays, and on weekends and bank holidays from 8am-8pm.
The urgent care service will see all 33 of our GP practices providing minor injury and illness services
• Urgent care centres in Oakham, Market Harborough and Melton Mowbray open on weekdays from 5pm-9pm and on weekends and Bank Holidays from 9am-7pm.
The opening hours for the urgent care centre in Oadby are longer than the times suggested in the original proposals based on public feedback and review of the use of the existing service. We have also chosen a new provider to run all the urgent care centres in the new-look service -
Northern Doctors Urgent Care. It is a GP-led urgent care provider, already successfully delivering health services to over 1.5 million patients in North East England. Tim Sacks, our Chief Operating Officer, said: “This was a very competitive process and we received some very strong bids for this contract. We are confident we have selected the best organisation to supply the urgent care service to our region.” “Northern Doctors Urgent Care demonstrated a number of ideas that were both innovative and practical that they had implemented in other areas where the organisation provides urgent care services. They also demonstrated a sound knowledge of healthcare in our region and experience of working with health and social care partners to offer a joined up service.” In the countdown to launch day, we will be providing extensive information to help you get used to the new opening hours and where it’s best to go for your urgent care, depending on what the problem is, the time and day of the week, and where you are. The new service launches on 1 April 2015
6 Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 6
10/02/2015 10:52
Weekend GP care for the elderly We are currently trying out a special project that gives seven-day-a-week access to GPs for some of our most vulnerable patients. Our aim is not only to provide the extra clinical care that’s needed, but to also prevent avoidable admissions to hospital, especially at weekends. The project started in November and will run until April this year at both the Croft Medical Centre and Central Surgery in Oadby. This extra service is available 8am until 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as Bank Holidays. However, it is not available to all patients. The people who are eligible were assessed for the complexity of their medical needs. All of them have been notified, including those in care homes. It adds up to around a thousand patients in all, many of whom are quite elderly. The weekend GP services are available to them as either a telephone consultation, a face-toface appointment or home visit between 8am and 1pm. Help by phone remains available till 4pm. Dr Vivek Varakantam, our clinical lead for this pilot project, said:
“For this special group of patients it was felt that the normal five-day a week availability of GPs increased the risk of them being admitted to hospital, or re-admitted if they had been discharged back to their homes.” How will we know if it’s worked? We will look at the health outcomes for the patients involved, and compare the numbers going into hospital at weekends during our pilot scheme with the numbers admitted during a comparable period. For example, there were 342 weekend hospital admissions between August 2013 and April last year and we estimated this figure could be reduced by 10% by the end of our trial period. Dr Varakantam added: “Care home patients are often admitted to hospital at weekends after
suffering relatively minor illness or injury, sometimes as a precautionary measure, others if there is clinical uncertainty about a diagnosis and risk of the patient’s condition deteriorating. If personal care plans are in place for these patients and doctors know the individuals, this may reduce admissions as monitoring of patients’ conditions can be done throughout the entire week.” So far the trial appears to have been a success, and all the lessons learned will be reported to our governing body to see if the scheme should be extended. If so, we will put together a bid to the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund for money to extend the scheme for patients with complex needs across the rest of East Leicestershire and Rutland.
Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard 7
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 7
10/02/2015 10:52
Support throu
why we need to see change Better Care Together is an unprecedented programme to reform health and social care across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
to GP appointments, A&E overcrowding, and above all, gaps between different parts of the NHS and social services.
The programme is a partnership of local NHS organisations and councils. It is driven by a shared recognition that major changes are needed to ensure services can continue to meet the needs of local people. Working with service users, patients, carers and clinicians plans to change key areas were launched in June 2014.
“This often mean that people spend too long waiting for things to happen or struggle to find their way around the different services.
Since then detailed proposals have been pulled together on key work areas starting with neonatal and maternity services – giving the best start in life, right through to end of life care. Improvements are already underway in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland with innovative healthcare changes being supported by the Better Care Fund, a national project to integrate health and social care. Karen English, interim managing director of East Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Group explains why we need to see change. “Local health and social services are under increasing pressure because more people than ever before require our help. In part, this should be welcomed because people are living longer as a result of the improvements in health and social care which have taken place over the last twenty years. “Locally we have some brilliant services which would be the envy of many places, but there are also things which do not work well for people and their families. We have world class diabetes and heart services, but we also struggle with some of the basics like access
“There are no simple answers, if there were we would have sorted them out by now. But one of the key issues we must address is that too many people find themselves in hospital because we have not done enough to keep them well and supported before hospital becomes the only solution. “We know we can do better. We are developing plans to improve health and care. But we also need your help. We want you to be part of the solution and help us to change the quality of life and experiences of everyone.”
Better care together has a five-year vision for a local health and social care service which supports you through every stage of life. We want to create communities and services which: • support children and parents so they have the very best start in life • help people stay well in mind and body throughout their life • know your history to help anticipate and plan for your health needs • care for the most vulnerable and the most frail citizens are there when it matters most and especially in a crisis • help support people and their loved ones when life comes to an end.
8 Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 8
10/02/2015 10:52
oughout life It can be done. Our aim is to transform local NHS and social care services over the next five years. What happens next? The detail of how things will change, which services might move, what new services could be created, where services will be based, and the impact this will have on the way things are now, is still a long way from being decided. We will be out and about across the area over the next few months to listen to people’s views of their local NHS. We want to share our thoughts and ideas with as many people as possible so that we can hear your comments and ideas, understand what matters to you, and have a different type of conversation to help us design better, affordable health and care for the future.
Get involved We know from past experience that NHS and social care services work best for patients, the public and staff when people themselves have had a say in how they work. So, over the next few months we will be listening to and involving members of the public and other stakeholders in shaping our future health and care. This is Better Care Together. If you would like to be part of this work or just want to be kept in touch with what is going on, please let us know, we would be delighted to hear from you.
If you are a member of a community or patient group and would like someone to come and talk in more detail about the plans and listen to your experiences, please contact the Better Care Together team on 0116 295 4114 or email BCT@eastleicestershireandrutlandccg.nhs.uk
Find out more at www.bettercareleicester.nhs.uk Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard 9
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 9
10/02/2015 10:52
Waiting for your treatment – know
your rights
It is really important to us that our patients are treated as effectively and quickly as possible. In line with national standards, we aim to ensure at least 90% of East Leicestershire and Rutland patients who need hospital treatment start that treatment within 18 weeks. We are also keen to make sure patients know they have the right to choose the hospital they go to if they are referred for treatment. Did you know you can choose from any hospital in England (including some independent hospitals), that offers suitable treatment at NHS standards and costs? This means you can choose a hospital based on whatever matters most to you - this could include your GP’s recommendation quality of service, your previous experience, the opinions of other patients, or the location and waiting times of each hospital. Waiting times will vary by hospital. Your GP practice can book your hospital appointment for you using an online system called ‘Choose and Book’. Otherwise they will give you information on how to book your hospital appointment yourself, if you need more time to decide for instance. You can find information to help you choose hospital services at www.nhs.uk/comparehospitals
It allows you to compare hospitals on a wide range of factors, including overall quality of service, patient opinions, waiting times and location. We ensure our GPs are kept informed of peaks in demand in parts of the health system, which might create delays, in order to help them refer patients to the most appropriate place. Sometimes this may also mean using out-of-county hospitals, when appropriate. The NHS Constitution gives patients the right to access services within maximum waiting times. It also says the NHS must take all reasonable steps to offer you a range of suitable alternative providers if this is not possible. Even if you require tests and appointments the time between your referral and the start of your tests and treatment should take no longer than 18 weeks. Your 18 week’s waiting time starts on the day the hospital receives the referral letter or on the day you make the booking for your first appointment. Sometimes however, it may not be appropriate for to receive treatment in 18 weeks. This may be because as a patient you need several tests completed in sequence, or you may not be medically fit enough to receive treatment within 18 weeks. Also you may choose to wait longer than 18 weeks.
10 Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 10
10/02/2015 10:52
AgeUK Staying steady guide If you are in your later years and you want to stay active in 2015, without adopting a punishing training schedule, you will find that AgeUK’s guide is filled with useful, practical, everyday advice. It is called ‘Staying steady’. It suggests you try taking a brisk walk, for example, or doing some gardening or dancing. If you need help moving about or don’t usually do any exercise, doing any amount of activity is better than nothing. It’s never too late to start and you can build up gradually. As you get older, it’s important to be as active as you can. Regular physical activity will help you maintain strength, flexibility and energy levels, so that you can carry on doing the things you enjoy and stay independent. The Government advises older people to aim to be active every day and to build up to two-and-ahalf hours per week of moderate intensity activity (activities that get you breathing harder and your heart pumping faster) in bouts of ten minutes or more. Do activities that improve muscle strength at least twice a week –
these are repetitive activities that strengthen muscles. And do some activities that improve balance and coordination twice a week – this is particularly important if you have had a fall or are afraid of falling. It’s also wise to limit or break up the time you spend sitting still. There are lots of simple things you can do to help you stay steady on your feet. Whether you’re fit and active, have difficulty walking and getting around, or are worried about falling, this new AgeUK guide has some useful information for you. General health and wellbeing can make a big difference to your quality of life, whatever your age. Eating well and keeping fit are important. But there are also specific things you can do to improve your strength and balance, which are set out in this guide. Building and maintaining your strength and balance can help you carry on doing the things you enjoy. Once you know what kind of physical activities are right for you, start gently and build up gradually. Aim to do a little bit more every day. Most people find being more active easier than they expected – and more enjoyable. The more you enjoy an activity, the easier it is to keep it up, and
that’s when you’ll really reap the benefits. You may be surprised by how much you can achieve. You should tell your GP if you’ve had a fall or start feeling unsteady, even if you feel fine otherwise. There could be many reasons and, equally, many different ways to help you feel confident again. Your GP can check your balance and walking to see if they can be improved. With your agreement, your GP can also refer you for a falls risk assessment. You may be referred to the falls prevention service for your assessment, which will be carried out by healthcare professionals with specialist training and experience. You can obtain copies from Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland, which is responsible for 24 charity shops that sell good second-hand furniture, clothing, items of brica-brac and books. To find your nearest store visit the web page www.ageuk.org.uk/leics/ourshops1/
Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard 11
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 11
10/02/2015 10:52
“Home first” healthcare plans Over the years, one of the most common things that people tell us is that they would prefer to receive care at home or nearby. In response to changing needs and people’s views, tomorrow’s NHS will provide more care in people’s own homes and closer to home than ever before. The move means a change from the traditional need to attend appointments or stay in the wards at major city hospitals, when it can be avoided. Instead, wherever possible, we will bring the care out to you or ensure it’s available in the community. The work towards more ‘home first’ care has already, begun. Here at East Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Group we have drawn up plans that begin to show what the new system could look like and how it could work. Much of this work is based on things local people have already told us they want and there will be lots of opportunities to have your say before any major changes are made. You may wonder why we are doing this. A key reason is public demand. Over the years, one of the most common things that people tell us is that they would prefer to
receive care at home or nearby, and we know care at home helps to protect patients’ privacy, independence and dignity, and leads to a greater sense of wellbeing.
We also need to meet the needs of an increasing elderly population, particularly the frail elderly and those with long-term conditions, mental ill-health or disability. These patients often need the services of a range of health and care professionals. So new-look services would see all these professionals working more closely together in multidisciplinary teams, helping to ensure the right care is available, in the right place, seven days a week. There will also be more emphasis
on self-care, the prevention of ill health and on helping patients better understand wellbeing and how to avoid poor health. This will be coupled with help for patients to regain their independence following a spell of illness. Some features of this new-look care service are already in place. They include 48 ‘virtual beds’ – hospital quality care in people’s own homes - and an Integrated Crisis Response Service providing short term care, including overnight nursing services, to help people remain at home in times of crisis, rather than being admitted to hospital. We realise to make this all work we also need a well-trained and prepared workforce, supported by the right technology. It also means making better use of the buildings we have in the health and care system. We will continue to seek your views and any major changes will, of course, be the subject of full public consultation so people can have their say on the way the new-look community services should operate. We promise we will keep you fully informed.
12 Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 12
10/02/2015 10:52
Adult Learning Centre – new courses Learn today for a better tomorrow Winter’s fading and spring is near - what better time to embrace new learning opportunities for your future wellbeing and prosperity? If your New Year’s resolution was to boost your job prospects, pursue a new interest, learn IT skills, improve your health and wellbeing or to brush up on English and Maths, now’s the time to get in touch with Leicestershire Adult Learning. Their new spring 2015 course programme offers a range of learning opportunities. Choose from part-time day, evening and weekend courses at venues across Leicestershire with discounts available for learners on certain benefits, and courses may even be free for eligible learners. Leicestershire Adult Learning offers a variety of courses where people can learn useful new skills that will positively impact on their lives, whether it’s fitness, yoga, cookery, writing, art or pottery. With 100s of inspirational parttime courses to choose from - some leading to a recognised qualification - discover the many ways you can improve your health and wellbeing during 2015.
Paul Fleming, of Leicestershire Adult Learning Service, said: “The festive season of overindulgence is over for another year and it’s time to take action and make 2015 one to remember by signing up to one of our courses. Whatever you want to achieve this year, whether it be to improve skills, job prospects, help your children at school or if you want to socialise and make new friends - adult learning really does have it all.
call 0800 988 0308 or pick up a copy from any Leicestershire Libraries or Adult Learning Enrolment Centre. The service offers flexible payment options along with discounts of between 70-100% for learners in receipt of certain benefits, and additional discounts are also available for those on low incomes (that is, a total joint household income less than £21,187 or single income under £17,500) so please ask at enrolment.
“Overspent at Christmas? Learn how to get to grip with your finances. Over-indulged during the festive season? Improve your health and fitness with Pilates, ballet or yoga. Low self-esteem? Discover how to improve your confidence. Or lacking confidence with computers or your new tablet? Learn the basics and more.” You can download a course brochure or search and enrol online at www.leics.gov.uk/GoLearn
The new spring and summer course brochure.
Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard 13
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 13
10/02/2015 10:52
Listening Healthwatch Leicestershire spent four days at Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI) at the end of January asking patients about their experience of the service. We spoke to patients, carers and family members about their experiences of A&E, the ears, nose and throat department, ophthalmology and the discharge lounge. We requested to visit these departments following issues raised by the public during our summer engagement events. By speaking and listening to patients we aimed to gain an insight and see first-hand the services being delivered, and the feedback is
to patients at Leicester Royal being analysed. Patients were asked a range of questions about waiting times, who advised them to come to hospital, cancelled appointments, staff - and how they would improve the service. LRI staff members were given an opportunity to feed in their views regarding improvements that would benefit patients. Rick Moore, Chair of Healthwatch Leicestershire said: “We are grateful to University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust for letting us conduct the four-day survey in various departments. “The visit has enabled us to better understand the patient
experience. We will go on to represent their views at meetings with health leaders across the county with the aim to influence and improve services for local people.” The findings will be shared with John Adler, Chief Executive of Leicester hospitals, UHL patient experience managers as well as health and social care agencies across the county. It will also feed into the continuing work of Healthwatch Leicestershire and be reported to Healthwatch Leicester. A report of our findings will be published at www. healthwatchleicestershire.co.uk by mid-March.
POhWER – a voice to be reckoned with Healthwatch Rutland supports the work of POhWER. It provides information, advice, support and advocacy to people who experience disability, vulnerability, distress and social exclusion. POhWER, a charity and membership organisation, is one of the largest providers of advocacy services in the UK and England’s largest provider of NHS Complaints Advocacy.
Its services are designed by service users for service users. Last year it provided direct advocacy to over 18,000 people and handled 146,000 contacts for information and advice across the country. Over 70,000 self-help materials were downloaded from its website. In Rutland POhWER provides NHS Complaints Advocacy, NHS Complaints Advocacy s elf-help tools, Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy, including Deprivation of
Liberty Safeguards and Paid Relevant Persons Representative Services. To find out more, please contact POhWER who will signpost you to your local information, advice or advocacy service. Telephone: 0300 456 2370 (charged at local rate) Minicom: 0300 456 2364 Text: send the word ‘pohwer’ with your name and number to 81025 Email: pohwer@pohwer.net Skype : pohwer.advocacy 8am to 6p Monday to Friday.
14 Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 14
10/02/2015 10:52
Get a healthy spring in your step
with this fresh recipe. Citrus chicken A zesty protein-rich dish,
not to be confused with lemon chicken. Try servingit with brown rice and some green beans. • Serves: 2
The reference intake of an average adult is 8400kJ/2000kcal a day.
• chopped parsley (optional)
Method 1. Heat the oil in a pan and brown the onions over a low heat for two to three minutes. 2. Cut the chicken breast into large pieces and coat each piece in the flour. Then add the chicken to the pan and brown for two minutes, stirring all the time to make sure it doesn’t stick. 3. Once the chicken is cooked, add the other ingredients. Then bring it to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer over a low heat for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the chicken is thoroughly cooked. 4. While the chicken is cooking, cook rice according to packet instructions.
• black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition information
• Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients • 1 tsp sunflower oil • ½ onion, finely chopped • 1 chicken breast • 1 dessert spoon plain flour • ½ red pepper, sliced • juice of 1 orange, or 75ml orange juice plus 25ml water • 1 carrot, peeled and sliced • 1-2 medium potatoes, cubed
• 130g brown rice, raw
Nutrient Energy Protein Carbohydrate (of which sugars) Fat (of which saturates) Fibre Sodium Salt
Per 100g 464kJ/110kcal 6.9g 18.1g 1.7g 1.7g 0.3g 1.1g 0.01g 0.1g
Allergy advice This recipe contains wheat (gluten). Food safety tips • always wash your hands, work surfaces, utensils and chopping boards before you start and after handling raw meat, including poultry • keep raw meat away from readyto-eat foods such as salad, fruit and bread • make sure that the chicken is cooked until steaming hot all the way through, that no pink meat is left and that any juices run clear • cook the rice as required and use immediately, or cool within one hour, refrigerate, then use within 24 hours
Per 621g serving 2881kJ/684kcal 42.7g 112.3g 10.7g 10.5g 2g 6.5g 0.09g 0.2g
These recipes and more can be found on the NHS Choices website
Winter 2015, Issue 10: be healthy be heard 15
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 15
10/02/2015 10:52
Looking forward to Spring puzzle Our next edition will be in the Spring so here’s a Spring themed puzzle ... A F Y G Y J F C X B H I L I D O F F A D
B H B G Y D O W L S N Q F H C P C G J K
A Q Y S H G A E R S N M F A R B K D H G
P U C A T W L G F Z M Z X C O N M M T H
We can provide versions of all be healthy, be heard membership publications in other languages and formats such as Braille and large print on request. Please contact on 0116 295 4183. Please state which publication you require when you call.
R I R H C E Q B L O S S O M B S F N P S
I P O U Y I R P H J H B B V P D N E X M
L D C Y G F N D R F G Y P R J A D S H I
E V A B B I Y T W E R T I U I O P T A S
R Z S M Y Z U F H L N N S D F G H Y K B
G X Q L T P U L K J G G F D S A Z J Y C
Spring
Daffodil
Tadpole
April
Nest
Crocus
Blossom
Hyacinth
Foal
Easter
Tulip
Showers
Easter Egg Y G E K G A C G H J J K L G G C C K F T
H T G A Y M T B V C X D F G G J K W P S
J R S H E D E V P O F G J I E T H Y Y R
Somali
Punjabi Gujarati
D M D W E G S E F G H Y K N E B D Z X W
G M G E T S T S D F G H J T T C H I I O
V K N F S K E J H F E Q W Q S D V M K H
C L J G A L R G U E L O P D A T W C K S
U O K J E F G K Y G F F A L E G E D D Y
T U L I P Y D D B C I X C F G N F F G S
0116 295 4183.
Polish Urdu
S E D Q Y Q A O I I U U T R R E R T P E
0116 295 4183. 0116 295 4183
0116 295 4183. 0116 295 4183 0116 295 4183
Hindi Bengali 0116 295 4183
52028 BHBH East-Jan2015_v2.indd 16
10/02/2015 10:52