Healthwatch City of London November Newsletter
Chat from the Chair
It’s been an eventful few months for the country as whole and in health and social care we have another new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay. He has previously, briefly, held the role for three months this year under Boris Johnson, he was also a health minister in 2018 so not entirely new to the subject.
In his last speech as health secretary in the summer, he said tackling ambulance handover delays was his top priority. Over the next couple of months, we will be carrying out some surveys and Patient panels around the London Ambulance Service, helping them to obtain your views on their service, which will help shape their new organisational strategy for 2023 – 2028.
We held our first successful Patient Panel where we discussed the provision of footcare and were joined by Hoxton Health, who provide the toenail clipping service for three of our local GP Practices. Our next Patient Panel is scheduled for 23rd November, we’ll be joined by Charlotte Pomeroy, the Chief Participation and Place Officer for NHS North East London, who will be discussing patient engagement in the new NHS landscape. Please do join us to share your views and hear their plans.
Last week we attended the Neaman Practice Patient Participation Group where we heard feedback from their patient survey. The feedback was positive, which is good news, but we were able to share some of the feedback we get from you about issues you’ve had with the Practice over the past few months. We have our quarterly meeting coming up in which we will raise these points with both the management team and the Practice doctors. If there is something you’d like us to raise, please do get in touch. info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk or you can complete our survey https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/patientexperienceNeaman
Both the practice and HWCoL are committed to working together to make sure services meet your needs and to do that we both need feedback, good or bad to make we get the best out of our local services. Let us know what you think not only about GP services but about wherever you receive your care.
The COVID 19 booster vaccine and flu vaccine programme is well underway, all housebound patients should have received theirs, but please do let us know if you haven’t.
Finally, we know that this is a worrying time for many as it gets colder and bills increase, if you have a vulnerable or elderly neighbour or friend that you check on them to offer support. If you are worried about a friend or neighbour details of how you can help are below.
Stay safe
Gail
Organisational update
Trustees at Healthwatch City of London are delighted to announce that Rachel Cleave has been appointed as our new General Manager. You will all know Rachel in her role as our Communications and Engagement Manager and latterly as our Interim General Manager since May 2022. Rachel has a real passion for making services responsive and better for users as well as working with partners to improve services. She has really impressed those she works with over the last two and half years with her commitment to making the voice of local people is heard. We are looking forward to working with Rachel as she continues to help us make a greater impact for you. We hope you will join us in congratulating Rachel. We are so very pleased for her and really pleased to be able to recognise with this promotion the real and tangible contribution she has made over the last couple years especially in keeping us all up to date through her weekly newsletters and bulletins during Covid.
Healthwatch City of London Patient Panel – Patient participation
The second in our series of Patient Panels will be held on Wednesday 23rd November at the Golden Lane Community Centre between 10.30 – 11.30. The sessions are open to everyone to come along to hear about the chosen topic of month. We want to know how you experience services and what improvements or changes would help make the services better. We will have a dedicated topic at regular intervals supported by a survey. We will than make sure that those providing services hear your views. This month we’ll be joined by Charlotte Pomeroy Chief Participation and Place office at NHS North East London. Charlotte will be talking to us about how they plan to engage with patients, and how you can have your say and be involved in Healthcare provision. Is there something you would like to talk about? Let us know and join one of our Panels.
Join us on Wednesday 23rd November between 10.30 – 11.30 Golden Lane Community Centre, Golden Lane Estate. Let us know you’re coming by emailing us at info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk
Winter vaccinations
There could be a significant flu surge this winter happening at the same time as rising Covid-19 cases. Colder weather makes it easier for the virus to spread, and darker nights mean spending more time with friends and family indoors where it is less well ventilated. It is also expected that many people will have lower protection against the flu virus due to having reduced contact with others last winter.
Who is eligible?
A free Covid-19 booster is available for:
- All adults aged 50 years and over
- Women or people who are pregnant
- Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
- Persons aged 16 to 49 years who are carers
- Persons aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group
A free flu jab is available for:
- All adults aged 50 years and over
- Women or people who are pregnant
- Those in long-stay residential care homes
- Carers
- Those aged 6 months to 65 years in at-risk groups, including people with the following health conditions:
- Respiratory (lung) diseases, including asthma
- Heart disease, kidney disease or liver disease
- Neurological (brain or nerve) conditions including learning disabilities
- Diabetes
- A severely weakened immune system (immunosuppression), a missing spleen, sickle cell anaemia or coeliac disease
- All children aged 2 to 10 years on 31 August 2022
- Secondary school children in years 7, 8 and 9 – any remaining vaccine will be offered to children in years 10 and 11, subject to vaccine availability
The Neaman Practice have sent out with a link via text, please follow & book an appointment. The Practice will be co-administering the Covid jab with the flu jab. If there are no slots available, new slots will be released every Friday. If any issues do occur, please contact the practice and they will assist you accordingly.
If you are a Housebound patient, you should have received your vaccination, if you haven’t please see the following advice given by the Neaman Practice.
How will I get my Booster Vaccination?
In City and Hackney we have a Primary Care Network roving team who have agreed to deliver Covid booster vaccinations to housebound patients. Together these providers will cover all of our housebound patients within City and Hackney. All housebound patients registered in at the Neaman practice will be offered the vaccination in your home.
Housebound patients will be contacted by the City and Hackney roving team to arrange their vaccination. They will generally contact you by a phone call.
During these appointments you will be able to receive your Flu vaccination also.
When will I get my vaccination?
Booster vaccinations of our housebound patients are currently underway. If you need to have a booster vaccination in your home, please wait to hear from the Roving Team. Please note the Neaman Practice do not facilitate these appointments.
If you are unsure if you are on our list, please call reception (020 7600 9740) and speak to Jahara.
I have become housebound since I got my last covid dose, what should I do to get my Booster Vaccine?
If you have become housebound since you received your second dose you should let your GP know. Your GP will be able to make a note on your patient record to say you are now housebound. We will then know to contact you to offer you a booster vaccination within your home.
Photos and video consultation policy - Neaman Practice
The rise in online GP consultations has increased the use of photographic and video being used by GPs. This is where patients are asked to send a photo to the GP for analysis and diagnosis. We have requested the policy on how these images are stored and used by the Neaman Practice. Please see the policy attached below, which is now also available in the policy section of their website. Practice Policies - The Neaman Practice
City Connections November newsletter
Our colleagues at City Connections have produced their November newsletter which is full of events and useful information for the carers community. There are some new drop-in sessions organised by Farzana Khanom who is currently working on a project to understand the needs of City Carers and the help provided.
Contacting your doctor via the NHS app
On the NHS App, there is an option for messaging your GP.
You can leave a message to which you should receive an automated reply stating that you will get a response within two working days.
You should receive a text with a time that you doctor will contact you via telephone.
If you have used this service, please let us know whether it was useful and if you received a satisfactory outcome. info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk
City Advice – Cost of Living drop in advice sessions
In response to feedback from the local community, and the current economic climate, City advice is keen to ensure their service is as accessible as possible.
They are now holding fortnightly information sessions at the Golden Lane Community Centre. Please see the information attached for scheduled dates. Drop-in sessions are also held at Toynbee Hall advice centre every Thursday from 10am – 12 noon. They advise that although they are holding advice drop in session, it is better for people to contact them by email city.advice@toynbeehall.org.uk or telephone 020 7392 2919 in the first instance, so they can discuss the matter, and then allocate you to an adviser who can arrange to meet.
Keep up to date with the latest advice
HWCoL are constantly updating our advice and information pages. Please make sure you visit them regularly. https://www.healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk/advice-and-information
Get in touch with us
Visit our website for more information, news, and events, have your say about your care, and spread the word about Healthwatch City of London.
www.healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk email: info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk Tel: 020 3745 9563 Facebook: facebook.com/CoLHealthwatch Twitter: @HealthwatchCoL
Portsoken Health and Community Centre, 20 Little Somerset Street, London E1 8AH
