Healthwatch City of London April Newsletter
Chat from our Chair
Welcome to our April newsletter, as ever there is lots going on here at Healthwatch City of London. Earlier this month our trustees and our dedicated team met to refine our objectives and plan what we will be doing this year to make health and social care services responsive to you as well as planning how we keep you up to date with the latest developments.
In this newsletter we are announcing our Spring/Summer round of events which include our Patient Panels. Please do join us to learn about Medicine Management and Sexual and Reproductive Health form the experts.
We are thrilled to announce our joint event with the Neaman Practice to be held on Saturday 29 June, you will be able to join us at the Golden Lane Community Centre and meet the Neaman Practice team and find out more about services on offer and how you can play a bigger part in helping us to make your voice heard.
We recently conducted a Patient Journey, in which we the experiences and the barriers that a local resident faced through their journey with the NHS. We hope to do more of these to find out how you experience services and then identify common themes that we can share with providers of care. Our aim is to help improve services by providing examples of where things go wrong. We know that many of you find it hard to make a complaint, its tiring sorting things out when they don’t work so let us know about your experiences so we can work to make things better for all of us. If you are interested in sharing your story and having your voice heard, please reach out and email us at info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk
Enter and View at Barts is in its final planning stage so if you have something you would like to tell us about your experiences of Barts Cardiology and its administrative services then please do tell us. Access to the survey is below please do help us by completing it.
We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events.
Gail
Chair, Healthwatch City of London
Our upcoming events
Patient Panels
Medicine Management
In April, we will be holding a Patient Panel on Medicine Management, we will be joined by Deborah Osowa, Lead Pharmacist from the Neaman Practice, she will be speaking about the importance Medicine Management, when you should have your medications assessed, how your medications are managed by hospitals and GPs and the conditions that pharmacists are now able to diagnose, give advice on and treat.
Join us on Friday, 26 April from 11:30am to 1pm on Zoom.
To register, visit https://www.healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk/events
To find out more about medicine management visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/medication-safety-management/
Sexual and Reproductive Health
The new Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy for City and Hackney was recently approved at the City of London’s Health and Well Being Board. At the Patient Panel we will be joined by Froeks Kamminga, Senior Public Health Specialist who will be focusing on the main themes of the strategy, which include:
- Healthy and fulfilling sexual relationships,
- Good reproductive health
- STI prevention and treatment,
- Getting to zero new HIV transmissions
- working with vulnerable populations and those with complex needs and what this means for us.
Join us on Thursday, 23 May from 3pm to 4pm on Zoom.
To register, please visit https://www.healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk/events
You can read the strategy here https://democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk/documents/s197181/Appendix%202%20…
Our Patient Panels are here to give you the information you need on Health and Social Care in the City. If you would like to hear any information on particular topics, please let us know by emailing us at info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk
Have you ever wondered how public health can impact you?
We are excited to be joined by Sandra Husbands, the Director of Public Health for City and Hackney. She will be providing an important update about public health in the City and what public health services you can access.
Join us on Friday, 19 April at the Golden Lane Community Centre from 10:30am to 12pm.
To keep updated on all of our events, visit https://www.healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk/events
Save the date for our Health in the City event
As Gail mentioned above we are excited to announce that our summer event, Health in the City will be held on Saturday, 29 June. We will be joined by the Neaman Practice and other health organisations to showcase the services available in the City. More information will be announced soon, we look forward to seeing you there.
Barts Cardiology Enter and View
Our much announced Enter and View at St Bartholomew’s Hospital is about to start. We will be viewing the administrative services Cardiology department to better understand the reasons behind the negative feedback we have received from you about communication at Barts.
As a local Healthwatch we have the statutory power to Enter and View, a legal right to visit places that provide publicly funded health or care services, to see and hear how people experience the services.
This gives us the opportunity to:
- Collect the opinions and experiences of people using these services, their carers or relatives.
- Talk to staff who are providing care
- See the nature and quality of services
- Develop insights and make recommendations to improve care.
Phase one is about getting more feedback from you and to do that we have launched a survey for you to share your views which you can access www.surveymonkey.com/r/BartsCardiology. If you cannot access the survey digitally please email us on info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk or give us a call on 020 3745 9563 and we can arrange for a paper copy to be sent.
If you would like to participate in the Enter and View, please email us at info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk
Training and DBS checks will be provided.
New Rough Sleeping Assessment Centre is now open in the City
A new Rough Sleeping Assessment Centre has just opened in the City of London, funded by the City of London Corporation. Thames Reach, the London-based charity will be operating the centre and providing 24/7 support, every day of the year, the organisation works to help people who are homeless or are at risk of finding homes, build supportive relationships and to lead fulfilling lives. The centre also provides 14 short term stay beds for rough sleepers.
The centre will work directly with health and social care providers to determine the best path away from rough sleeping and will help clients into long term accommodation.
For more information, visit https://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/new-rough-sleeping-assessment-centre-opens-in-square-mile/
Need help with travel costs to attend your appointment?
Barts Health has announced that patients eligible to receive help with hospital travel costs can now make their claim in person, by post and by emailing the cashier’s team.
To check to see whether you’re eligible, visit https://www.bartshealth.nhs.uk/news/helping-patients-with-travel-costs-15691
Important Cost of Living Support information
East London NHS Foundation Trust have put out information on how to reduce your cost of living with tips on reducing your household bills and food costs.
There is also information on the local resources and support you can access as well as food havens and warm spaces.
New unpaid carer's leave entitlement
From 6th April a new statutory right allows employees with caring responsibilities to one weeks unpaid leave to either give care or arrange care for a 'dependent' who has:
- a physical or mental illness or injury that means they’re expected to need care for more than 3 months
- a disability (as defined in the Equality Act 2010)
- care needs because of their old age
The dependant does not have to be a family member. It can be anyone who relies on them for care.
You can access more information Boost for carers who will receive new unpaid leave entitlement under government-backed law - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
City Carers Community: Virtual drop in (run voluntarily by residents)
Are you helping to look after a family member, friend or neighbour? Open to anyone who is looking after someone living in the City of London or you are living in the City looking after someone living elsewhere.
They meet on the 1st & 3rd Monday of every month. 11am & 8pm. Next sessions are on 15 April and 6 May.
To join, you can email Shirley and Karen at CityCarersCommunity@gmail.com
Wait well, stay well
Are you currently waiting for a procedure or treatment? NHS North East London has created the Wait well, stay well website which is a great resource for those who have an upcoming procedure or is waiting for treatment.
On the website you will find great tips, frequently asked questions and information on how to promote your physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Visit the website Home - Wait well, stay well (icb.nhs.uk)
