Healthwatch City of London December Newsletter

Chat from the Chair

Welcome to our December newsletter, our final edition for 2023 and  in this newsletter we are taking a forward look at 2024.  So what can you expect from us? Our upcoming Patient Panels for the New Year, include Deaf Awareness, which will address how best to communicate with people who are deaf or hard of hearing with some really helpful insights from Jane Richardson, a qualified speech and language therapist. We will also be holding one on safeguarding, an essential topic to ensure that those who are most vulnerable within our community are safe and free from harm. Come and learn more about how as a community we can help protect each other. By popular demand we will be holding a training session on Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in collaboration with the London Ambulance Service (LAS). Being able to perform CPR and knowing how to use a defibrillator is an essential life skill, that saves lives. Building on the themes above;  the UK Emergency Video Relay Service has recently launched a new app that enables British Sign Language (BSL) users to contact emergency services with a BSL translator. This new app is critical for people who are deaf or hard of hearing to be able to access emergency services, more details can be found below.

We recently had our Christmas Afternoon Tea Party and it was lovely to see you all there, lovely to see familiar and new faces, enjoying a mince tart over a cup of tea.

We recently met with members of the senior management  team at the Royal London Hospital and colleagues  from Healthwatch Tower Hamlets where we discussed how we can best work together to address your issues and share your thoughts on services at the Royal London, we look forward to working closely with them and of course you on the issues that you care about.  

Finally we met with the new Director of Nursing at St Bartholomew’s Hospital to plan an Enter and View, if you are interested in helping us to help them improve services for you, please do contact us at info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk

Healthwatch City of London will be closed during the Christmas and New Year period, we will close Friday 22 December and will be reopening on Thursday 4 December. We will shortly be issuing information leaflets on the opening hours for local health services that you will be able to access over the holiday period.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday season,

Gail

Your Patient Panels in 2024

Patient Panel into Deaf Awareness

In the New Year we will continue to hold our Patient Panel series on issues and topics that you have told us impact on you. Our first Patient Panel for 2024 will be on Deaf Awareness and the ‘do’s and don’t’s’ of communicating with people who are deaf or hard of hearing. We will be joined by Jane Richardson, a qualified speech and language therapist who has worked for ten years in community teams for adults with learning disabilities in Newham and Hackney. Join us on Thursday 25, January at 10:30am to 11:30am at the Portsoken Community Centre.

Refreshments will be provided.

Patient Panel into Safeguarding

In early February, we will be holding a Patient Panel into Safeguarding. Safeguarding consists of measures that are used to protect individuals’ health and wellbeing and human rights, in order to live a life that is free from harm and abuse. Safeguarding applies to all members of our community, however it does target those who are most vulnerable or susceptible to abuse, such as children and those who are elderly.

We will be joined by Dr Adi Cooper, the chair of the City and Hackney Safeguarding Adults Board and members from the City of London Corporation, who will walk you through what safeguarding is and how you are able to promote this and identify issues and how to let the right people know about concerns. You will also have the opportunity to directly ask questions about safeguarding, such as how safeguarding can impact you and those important to you.

More details will be announced soon.

If you are interested in suggesting a topic for a Patient Panel that relates to Health and Social Care in the City of London, please email us at info@healthwatchcityoflondon.uk.org

We need your ideas and thoughts to make it relevant to our community.

CPR training

We know that CPR can be the difference between life and death. The London Ambulance Service (LAS) goal is to make London a city of lifesavers by ensuring that every person has the ability to use CPR and a defibrillator in critical situations. We are currently organising training sessions with the LAS for early next year.

If you are interested please reach out to us at info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk

Have you heard of the City and Hackney Place-based Partnership?

The City and Hackney Place-based Partnership is one of the seven Place-based Partnerships within the North East London Integrated Care System. The partnership is made up of local authorities, the NHS, patient representatives and community and voluntary sector organisations. The Partnerships vision ‘Working together with our residents to improve health and care, address health inequalities and make City and Hackney thrive.’

They are working on issues identified by  local residents in City and Hackney as important and  by NHS staff who are working on the frontline. The areas of focus include

• Giving every child the best start in life
• Improving mental health and preventing mental ill health
• Preventing ill health and improving outcomes for people with long term health and care needs

If you want to read more about the City and Hackney Place-based Partnership you can read more here City and Hackney - NHS North East London (icb.nhs.uk)

We are currently attending Place-based meetings and will continue to provide updates as the work continues. We want to know if you have experienced any change when it comes to your Health and Social Care, if there are any improvements or if you have not noticed any change, especially towards the Place-based Partnerships key areas of focus, please let us know at info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk

City Carers Community Share & Learn

Are you helping to look after a family member, friend or neighbour?

City Carers Community are holding zoom sessions to anyone who is currently or has previously looked after someone in the City of London or is living in the City of London and is caring for someone living outside.

You will be able to have the opportunity to listen to other carers experiences,  share your knowledge and ask any questions you may have.

There will be extra sessions over the Christmas period, including Monday 18, Wednesday 27 and Monday 1 January, all from 11am to 12pm.

If you are interested in attending these sessions or are looking for more information, please contact CityCarersCommunity@gmail.com 

Have you received your winter vaccinations?

If you receive your winter vaccinations now, you will be ready for the Christmas period as vaccines can take up to two weeks for your body to build up the maximum protection against these viruses. Your last opportunity to book your winter vaccines online through the national booking system will be will be Thursday, 14 December. You can access the booking system through www.nhs.uk/wintervaccinations

You can still book your winter vaccination after December 14 through your local GP or pharmacy. If you know someone who does not have internet access, please make sure to pass this message on.

Are you a British Sign Language (BSL) user or know someone who uses BSL?

BSL users can now contact emergency services with a BSL interpreter through an app and website. The UK Emergency Video Relay Service has launched the free app, providing service every day of the year that enables BSL users to contact emergency services, as well also enables Ambulance service call handlers to be able to give Deaf people instructions on how to give CPR.

For more information on the app, you can watch this video, or for more information, click here .

Managing Diabetes and the Menopause or know someone who is?

The changes to female hormones and the start of menopause can impact your blood sugar levels and change the way you have experienced your diabetes, making it harder to manage.

Join Annie Eltringham Cox, a Community Diabetes Specialist Nurse who will discuss menopause and how it affects women’s experience of living with diabetes and what you can do about it. You will also have the opportunity to directly pose any questions who have surrounding diabetes and menopause.

The session is on Tuesday, 23 January from 6:30pm to 8pm on Zoom. To register, please visit https://diabetes-menopause-2023.eventbrite.com

Join the City and Carers Connections Winter Celebration

City and Carers Connections will be holding a winter celebration on Friday, 22 December from 10:30am to 12:30pm and the Golden Lane Community Centre.

They will be joined by Songhaven for some enchanting carol singing, you will be able to indulge in beautiful festive foods and spend time with your family, friends and those in your community.

For more information you can contact Gow at  gow@cityconnections.org.uk or via 07514670270

Move your body with We Swim

Are you looking for some fun physical activities to get your body moving while in a safe environment?

We Swim have organised safe and supportive sessions where you can get in the water and move your body. All disabilities and abilities are welcome, sessions are currently available at the Barbican, Old St and Crouch End, for more information and to join visit the We Swim website via WeSwim.club

Join Songhaven for their final concerts for 2023

Songhaven concerts are dementia-friendly but are  open to all. Songhaven will be holding their final concerts for 2023 at Holy Cross Church, Holy Sepulchre London and St Paul’s Church. The 45 minute concerts include three professional guest artists performing well-loved songs, in a relaxed and inclusive space, with a singalong finale and refreshments after.

The next concert at Holy Sepulchre, Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2DQ will be Friday December 15 at 1:15pm.

All concerts are free, with an optional donation at the end.

Booking are required, you can book online via: www.songhaven.co.uk/liveconcerts

Join Musicali-Tea in the New Year

Musicali-Tea will be running a Tea, Tales and Tunes session every Thursday from 12pm to 2pm, from January 11, where you can meet other people in your neighbourhood, hear a talk from a city guide and enjoy a relaxed interactive musical performance from a professional musician each week.

There will be refreshments provided, including sandwiches. Places are free, however booking is essential as places are limited. For more information, please visit

Events at Holy Sepulchre London — Holy Sepulchre London (hsl.church)

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 8A