January—February 2015
Newsletter
HEALTHWATCH NEL—JANUARY—FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER 2015 January—February 2015 Join us and read on to find out what we have in store for January—February 2015
CONTENT
Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire Newsletter January—February 2015
As A&E crises dominate the headlines, we thought it would be a good time to highlight the appropriate avenues for treatment when you are seeking help. Over at the North East Lincolnshire CCG website you can see their recommendations as part of the Choose Well Initiative: Self-Care Pharmacists GP Local health advice line Rapid response line for health and social care A&E or 999 To see the full page, go to: http://www.northeastlincolnshireccg.nhs.uk/your-health-wellbeing/choose-well-1/
Centre4All are carrying out an online survey about respite care and short break holidays. You can complete the survey by going to https://www.esurveycreator.co.uk/s/641b7c9
It is with sadness that we report the resignation of Kathleen Young as Chair of Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire. We want to thank Kathleen for all her hard work in representing Healthwatch and advocating on behalf of local people over the 16 months that she was in post. The Healthwatch Board meets on 20 January 2015 in a development session to plan for the future and it is anticipated that we will be advertising for a new Chair shortly thereafter.
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Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire Newsletter January窶認ebruary 2015
The North East Lincolnshire Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) has been developing a new PNA for North East Lincolnshire covering the period 2015 to 2018 and the HWB is inviting comments on the draft document. The North East Lincolnshire PNA is an assessment of the population’s needs for pharmaceutical services in the North East Lincolnshire area. PNAs are used by the NHS to make decisions on which NHS funded services need to be provided by local community pharmacies. The PNA will help NHS England when making decisions on whether to approve applications to open new pharmacies and will help to gauge the adequacy of current services and what future needs there might be. The consultation period runs from 12 January to 12 March 2015. The draft PNA document and an online questionnaire response form can be accessed at http://www.nelincs.gov.uk/pna HWNEL will be formulating its own response to the draft PNA to reflect the voice of local people and, if you would like your comments to be considered by us, please also forward them to the office team by email, post or give us a call.
One of the issues that is periodically raised with us is experiences of patient transport. By patient transport, we mean transport used for non-emergencies, usually for out-patients, day case, hospital discharge or non-emergency transfer. In North East Lincolnshire this would normally be with East Midlands Ambulance Service or Amvale Medical Services. Issues logged are around delays in returning home or untimely discharges/transfers but we would want to strengthen our evidence base before presenting any details on this to those who commission or plan these services. We want to carry out a survey on this to get a more balance picture and have invited some of our partners to contribute by identifying people who have used patient transport in the last two years and those refused such transport who we might speak to. If you have used patient transport in the last two years or know someone who has or know someone who has been refused patient transport, could you let us know and we will arrange to send out a brief questionnaire or carry out a telephone interview? Details of the survey are also included on our website.
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Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire Newsletter January—February 2015
North East Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group (NELCCG) plans and buys local health and social care services including services for people with MS. The CCG has spoken to MS patients and their carers in the past as part of a Neurology Service Review. They now want to focus specifically on MS and would like to talk to people with lived experience of Multiple Sclerosis at a ‘Focusing on MS in North East Lincolnshire’ event on Thursday 26 th February 2015 from 2pm to 4pm at West Marsh Community Centre, Beeson Grove, Grimsby DN31 2QH to look at: • • •
What is working we well and what could be done better What needs to be done to improve services in North East Lincolnshire, and Discuss a proposal for an additional Nurse Specialist
If you can spare a couple of hours to help design better services in North East Lincolnshire email nelccg.accord@nhs.net or call on 0300 3000 567. Please state if you have any access or transport needs and register for the event by Monday 20 th February.
If you watch Estuary TV you may have seen Bayard’s interview about Healthwatch just before Christmas. If you did not, follow the youtube link below: http://youtu.be/XOnvXCnTEHQ?t=5m42s
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Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire Newsletter January—February 2015
In our last (November/December) newsletter, we reported on work we carried out as a consultee to gauge public opinion on an application by E A Broadburn (Chemists) to hold a license to dispense at Taylors Avenue Medical Centre. We can now report that the Local Pharmaceutical Committee has approved their application.
We welcome CARE (Christian Action Resource Enterprise) to our Partner Programme. CARE offers practical help through the following services: • CARE Housing • CARE Family Support • CARE Shop • CARE Parenting • Daily Bread Food Larder (in partnership with North East Lincolnshire Churches Together) Our list of 11 current partners is as follows: Alzheimer's Society Friendship at Home Getting Hooked on Positive Activities Harbour Place Age UK North east Lincolnshire Foresight VANEL Booth Lifehouse Class Act Theatre Arts & Community Trust Carers Support Service CARE More details on each are available on our website. If you represent a voluntary or community organisation and are interested in becoming a partner, please contact Paul Glazebrook (details at end of newsletter).
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Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire Newsletter January—February 2015
One of our partners, Getting Hooked on Positive Activities, is carrying out a young people’s survey on a local community project development. For survey and more details contact Sean Snelson (our co-opted Board member) on 01472 359701 or via email on sean@ghopa.org
We also reported in our last newsletter about the engagement that the local Council and Clinical Commissioning Group were planning in preparation for this Act which has major provisions coming into place from 1 April 2015. A number of you went along to an initial Care Act Partnership meeting in December at Centre4, Wootton Road, Grimsby and further meetings are being arranged but group membership is now closed.
Our volunteers are the backbone to all it is that we do, so to show our appreciation to all of them we arranged a Christmas meal for all of our volunteers in December. It was a fantastic afternoon enjoyed by all. Our volunteers help Healthwatch NEL with all sorts including: Enter & View which gives authorised representatives chance to go into health & social care premises to hear and see how the consumer experiences the service. Admin who help out in the office with emails, calls and documents. Promotion volunteers help out with all of our stands throughout the month explaining Healthwatch and what we have to offer to all members of the public. Volunteering is continuing to do well and we have a lot planned for 2015, but you can never have enough volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering with us then please contact Tayo Davenport on 01472 361459 or email: tayo@nbforum.org.uk .
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Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire Newsletter January—February 2015
We recognise that there is still a need to raise basic awareness of Healthwatch and have embarked on a series of promotional events in addition to a regular monthly stand activities. On 15 December 2014 we were at the Tesco Extra on Victoria Street, Grimsby and engaged with a total of 166 people. We are booked to be at Asda on 27 January 2015 from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. We will have a stand at Care4All , Queen Street, Grimsby on 30 January 2015 from 10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. We are also planning two sessions at Freshney Place on 6 and 13 February 2015 so look out for us there.
Residents of the East Marsh over the age of 50 are invited to attend “ Age Uk North East Lincolnshire East Marsh Day “ To take part in a FREE 2 course lunch, activity, benefit and pension check, information on products and funeral plans, quiz, health check and awareness of activities, help and support available in your area.
The day will begin at approximately 10am .
You can be picked up and dropped off at your door by there mini bus service.
Numbers are limited so please ring the number below to book your place by Monday 26th January.
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Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire Newsletter January—February 2015
Contact The Team
Paul Glazebrook
Tayo Davenport
Bayard Tarpley
Partnership Co-ordinator
Communications & Engagement Worker
Project Support Officer
Meet The Board
Michael Bateson
Sam O’Brien
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Malcolm Morland
Jane Mansfield
Esther Smith
Sean Snelson (Co-optee)
Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire Newsletter January—February 2015