Healthwatch City of London May Newsletter
Chat from our Chair
Welcome to our May newsletter which is packed with exciting news about our upcoming events and important projects we are currently focusing on.
The big news is about our Health in the City event in collaboration with the Neaman Practice, on Saturday 29 June, at the Golden Lane Community Centre. You will be able to meet the Neaman Practice and other health organisations in the City, such as NHS Cancer Alliance, City Carers Community and the Forget Me Not Café to hear about what’s on offer from those looking after us. We decided that as it’s June and hopefully warm and sunny that we’ll make it ‘a bit of a do’ and get our community together with family fun including facepainting and balloon animals! Along with some refreshments.
Last month saw us meet so many new faces at our Public Board meeting with the City and Hackney Public Health team, a great turn out from locals and some really interesting questions from our audience to Dr Sandra Husbands, Director of Public Health and her team as they presented their annual report which focuses on the sexual health of the City.
Later in April our Medicines Management Webinar with Deborah Osowa, Lead Pharmacist from The Neaman Practice was fully booked, but don’t worry if you missed it, there will be another one.
We are looking forward to holding our Patient Panel on Reproductive and Sexual Health with Freoks Kamminga, Senior Public Health Specialist, she’ll be focusing on the new Sexual and Reproductive Health strategy for City and Hackney, focusing on contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) testing and where you can find support in the City.
We are also sharing important information regarding the recent increases in NHS prescriptions .
It’s not too late to take part in our Enter and View at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and please do tell us about your experiences in interacting with administrative services there, still time to tell us about those .
Finally make sure you take part in our Digital Apps survey, love them or hate them they are here to stay so we need to make sure they work for us. To have your say find out more below.
We look forward to seeing at our events.
Gail
Chair, Healthwatch City of London
Come along to meet the Neaman Practice and your health services in the City
On Saturday 29 June we are holding a Health in the City event at the Golden Lane Community Centre from 10am to 1pm. In conjunction with the Neaman Practice the event will showcase health and wellbeing services that are available to you as City residents.
Just some of the services the practice now offer are a dietician, diabetes nurse, physiotherapist, pharmacist as well as the wellbeing services provided by the Together Better programme, namely arts and crafts, coffee mornings and organised walks.
But its not only services provided by the Practice who will be there, we’ll be joined by City Advice who provide advice for City residents, workers and students surrounding many issues such as benefits, housing, debt, employment rights and family issues. We will also be joined by the NHS Cancer Alliance, City Carers, and the Forget Me Not Café, with more to be announced.
Representatives from the City of London Adult services and the Childrens services team will on hand to answer any queries you have about their services too.
For the little ones, and young at heart there will be goody bags, face painters and balloon artists!
It promises to be a great and informative day, so do join us.
Our upcoming events
Patient Panels
Our patient panel series are valuable information sessions where we invite an expert in their field to present on an issue relating to Health and Social Care. Community members are able to leave the session with important information regarding their Health and Social Care and the expert has the opportunity to leave the session with an in depth understanding of the current concerns that community members face. Build up your knowledge and have your say by joining us at these increasingly popular events. Refreshments always provided and a chance to meet neighbours.
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 next 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, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) prevention and treatment, getting to zero new HIV transmissions and working with vulnerable populations and those with complex needs and what this means for us.
She will also be speaking on important factors of sexual and reproductive health which include contraception and where you can access sexual health clinics in the City
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…
Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training with the London Ambulance Service (LAS)
CPR can be the difference between life and death. The LAS conduct training sessions surrounding how to use CPR, a defibrillator and basic life saving information in order to prepare you for critical situations.
After a very successful CPR training session with the LAS in early March, we are holding another session on Friday 6 September from 10am to 12pm at the Golden Lane Community Centre.
To sign up, please visit www.healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk/events
Our Patient Panels are here to give you the information you need on Health and Social Care in the City. We invite in experts that are able to share and highlight important issues in the City and that may directly impact you, if you would like to hear any information on particular topics, please let us know by emailing us at info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk
You can find our events and register by checking out our events page www.healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk/events
St Bartholomew’s Hospital Cardiology Enter and View
Have you had issues with communications from St Bartholomew’s Hospital? We have had feedback regarding poor communication with St Bartholomew’s Hospital, ranging from lack of details on appointment letters, surrounding crucial information such as dates, times or the location of where their appointment is being held. Patients have also received both a text message and a letter with contrary details with no information on who to call to confirm their appointment.
Based on the feedback we have received; we are conducting an Enter and View at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in their Cardiology department to better understand the reasons behind the negative feedback we have received.
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.
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. A disclosure and barring service (DBS) is a certificate that will include details of convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings that are held on the Police National Computer, we provide one to ensure that our volunteers are able to attend the Enter and View.
Update on Spring COVID-19 booster vaccination
The spring covid booster programme is underway. The programme is organised on behalf of the Primary Care Network by Richmond Road Medical Centre. You should have now received an invitation to book an appointment to receive your booster, if you are eligible. The criteria for this is:
- If you are aged 75 years and older
- Living in a care home for older people
- Over the age of 6 months with a weakened immune system
- (full details can be found on the NHS website Getting a COVID-19 vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk))
We understand that the message sent out from the Richmond Road medical practice is a little confusing, and the full options of where to obtain your booster locally isn’t given. The booster can be obtained at Chauhan S Pharmacy, 36 Goswell Rd., Golden Lane Estate, London EC1M 7AA.
Increase in NHS prescription costs
It was announced that NHS prescription charges will rise from 1 May 2024. Charges for prescriptions and prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) will increase by 2.59% from 1 May 2024.
Charges for wigs and fabric supports will increase by the same rate.
A NHS prescription will cost £9.90 for each medicine or appliance dispensed, this is an increase of 25 pence.
The 3 month PPC will cost £32.05 and the 12 month PPC will cost £114.50.
The hormone replacement therapy (HRT) PPC will cost £19.80, this is an increase of 50 pence.
Help can be obtained if you struggle with the cost of prescriptions and if you have to pay for regular medication, you can get more information on this on the government website https://www.gov.uk/help-nhs-costs
City of London Corporation drafts air pollution strategy
The City of London Corporation has a statutory obligation to ensure that air quality is improved and to protect public health. The City of London Corporation has created a Air Quality Strategy, Delivering Healthy Air in the City of London, 2025-2030, which will be out for consultation.
In the City, air quality has significantly improved, in 2022, 7% of publicly accessible area breached the national standards for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), which is down from 70% in 2018. As there has been such great improvement, it is likely that with continued action, in the next 2 to 3 years, the national standard for NO2 will be everywhere in the City of London.
To read the air quality reports visit Air Quality reports - City of London. You can read the 2019-2024 Air Quality Strategy here Air Quality Strategy - City of London
Health and Wellbeing in the City
Join the Forget Me Not Memory Café in the City!
The Forget Me Not Memory Café helps older people, people with dementia and those with physical and mental health and wellbeing issues and their carers improve their confidence, motivation and cognitive behaviour.
It hopes to reduce anxiety, agitation and loneliness who many in our community struggle with.
There is music entertainment, activities and exercise followed by refreshments!
To join you can email forgetmenotproject17@gmail.com or pop in on Tuesday at 2pm for a chat with Madhumita.
For more information visit forgetmenotproject17.co.uk
Do you want to get the chance to meet new people while enjoying fun activities?
Join a Toynbee Hall group activity!
At Toynbee Hall, you can join that suits you interests, such as
- Film club
- Seated yoga
- Sewing group
- Ballet
You will have the chance to meet new people, try a new hobby or enjoy one you already love!
To see what you’re interested in and when you can attend, visit What’s on – Toynbee Hall
