| Your Local Consumer Champion for Health and Social Care Services |
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| Please find below our revised newsletter - the last e-bulletin was sent in error. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused |
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| Welcome to our Healthwatch East Sussex e-newsletter, providing you with information straight to your inbox |
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- Breaking News - East Sussex CCGs agree outcome of Better Beginnings consultation on maternity and paediatric services
- Outstanding Healthwatch Team
- What Have You Been Contacting Us About?
- Hospital Discharge Survey
- Healthwatch East Sussex Annual Event
- CQC Inspection East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
- Patient Participation Development Days
- Volunteer Recruitment
- Information and Signposting Library Role
- Training Dates for New Volunteers
- Patient Led Assessment of the Care Environment
- Learning Disability Alert Card Toolkit
- The Care Act
- Consultations
- Health Course - Online Learning
- Online Volunteer Resource
- Give Us Your Feedback
- Local Events
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| East Sussex CCGs agree outcome of Better Beginnings consultation on maternity and paediatric services |
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The three East Sussex Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) meton the 25th June 2014 to make a decision on the outcome of the Better Beginnings consultation on local NHS maternity and paediatric and emergency gynaecologists.
The decision that has been made can be found at the Better Beginnings website:
www.betterbeginnings-nhs.net/ccgs-agree-outcome-of-better-beginnings-consultation/
Now that this decision has been made, Healtwatch East Sussex will be providing further information about next steps as we are made aware of them.
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| Outstanding Healthwatch Team |
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| Healthwatch East Sussex - highly commended |
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We are pleased to announce that Healthwatch East Sussex has been voted as one of three highly commended Healthwatch, during the Healthwatch England Annual Conference last week.
The award was for “Outstanding Healthwatch Team”, which saw Healthwatch Staffordshire voted the overall winners, with regional commendations for Healthwatch Rotherham (North), Healthwatch Barnet (London) and Healthwatch East Sussex (South).
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Pleasing as this commendation is, we continue to need your partnership in promoting the Healthwatch East Sussex services across your networks. Through your support we can ensure people’s experiences and concerns about the health and social care they receive can be heard.
If you would like more information, you can contact us in the following ways:
Tel: 0333 101 4007
Email: enquiries@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk
Text: 07826 021 114
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| What Have You Been Contacting Us About? |
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| East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust |
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• Sharing your stories around maternity experiences
• Experiences using paediatrics services over the two sites
• Hospital transport – carers not allowed to accompany the cared for person
• Ambulance transfers
• Care and dignity of older people
• Parking charges
• Long waiting times in A & E
• Communication around appointments
We have also received feedback concerning recurring postponement of appointments for the Diabetic Review Clinic at Eastbourne District General. If this has happened to you, please contact us on 0333 101 4007, or email enquiries@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk with your experience.
Healthwatch East Sussex meet every other month with the Director of Nursing to share your feedback.
You can request the notes from these meetings by emailing enquiries@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk or by phoning 0333 101 4007
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| Hospital Discharge Survey |
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| Did The Hospital Discharge You With Care? |
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The purpose of this study is to find out if patients are discharged safely and with care following their stay in hospital.
Your feedback is very important and will help the people who are responsible for paying and monitoring the success of the local health services you receive, understand the experiences of not only patients, their families, carers but also people who provide residential and home care services.
To give your feedback please visit our website http://www.healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk/hospital-discharge
Forms are available if you are:
• A patient, carer or family member
• A provider of residential care
• A provider of home care services
If you require hard copies of these forms, please contact us on 0333 101 4007
Closing date for feedback is 31st July 2014; the results from this survey will be published in September 2014.
For further information on the Healthwatch England Special Inquiry, please visit http://www.healthwatch.co.uk/then-what-special-inquiry
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| Your Feedback About Mental Health Services in East Sussex |
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Following our five listening events, Healthwatch East Sussex has now shared the report of the events to Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and they have now started discussions about how we can take the recommendations forward.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to these events.
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If you have feedback on any of the above or about any health or social care services you use – particularly “ Good News” please share it with us.
There are lots of ways you can give your feedback:
Enquiry Line: 0333 101 4007 Monday – Friday 10.00 – 16.00 hours
Email: enquiries@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk
Text Phone: 07826 021 114
Website: http://www.healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk
Freepost address: Freepost RTER-ZRLC-CRTK, 8 Saffrons Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 1DG
Or
Visit our Information Desks:
Bexhill Library every Monday 10 – 12.00
Herstmonceux Information Centre Tuesday afternoon’s 14.00 – 16.00.
We will publish in our next Edition “What happens?” as a result of sharing your feedback!
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| Healthwatch East Sussex First Annual Event |
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Healthwatch East Sussex will be launching its first Annual Report and celebrating the work of our volunteers.
Date: Friday 18th July
Time: 10.30am - 13:00, (registration from 10am) luch will be included
Venue: Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club, 3 Harbour Quay, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 5QF
To register for this event please visit http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/healthwatch-east-sussex-annual-celebration-event-tickets-11980543127
If you do not have access to a computer and would like to register, please contact 0333 101 4007 or text: 07826 021 114.
Our Annual Report will be available to view onour website after 30th June 2014. To request a hard copy please contact comms@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk
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| CQC Inspection East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust |
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| Involving Young People in Healthwatch |
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If you are connected with any organisations or network supporting the involvement of young people in health related issues (including mental health), please get in touch.
We are also keen to hear from young people who are interested in volunteering with Healthwatch or finding out more about the Young Inspector programme, recently transferred across to East Sussex Community Voice from the local authority.
Contact Helen Connor for further information:
Email: Helen.Connor@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk
Tel: 01424 230550
Mob: 07909 253671
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| Patient Participation Development Days |
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If you belong a Patient Participation Group (PPG), Patient Reference Group (PRG) or Forum, look out for news and the all-important date about three forthcoming events late summer/ early autumn; one in each Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) area.
These days will provide opportunities to network with other PPG members, share ideas and good practice as well as take part in learning workshops.
More information in our next e-bulletin
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- Library Information Service approx. 2 – 4 hours per week, various locations available
- Authorised Representative to undertake enter and view activity – next training session September 2014 (tbc)
- Healthwatch Champions – are you connected with any local group and willing to share information and updates about Healthwatch East Sussex?
- Mystery Shoppers – if you are aged 16 – 20 and would be interested in getting involved please get in touch
- For more information, please contact Elizabeth on 01323 400520 or email Elizabeth.Mackie@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk
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| Want to be a patient assessor? |
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The assessments give patients and the public a voice that can be heard in any discussion about local standards of care, in the drive to give people more influence over the way their local health and care services are run.
Assessment teams are a collaboration between staff and patient assessors, therefore patients must make up at least 50 per cent of the assessment team. Anyone who uses the service can be a patient assessor, including current patients, their family and visitors, carers, patient advocates or patient council members. The only restriction is that current staff are not able to assess the hospital they work at as a patient assessor.
If you are interested in becoming a patient assessor, or for more information please contact: elizabeth.mackie@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk or call 01323 400520
Full training will be provided, and more information about PLACE Assessments can be found by visiting:
www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/qual-clin-lead/place/
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| Information and Signposting Library Role |
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| Find out about health and social care services at your local library |
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Do you want to find out about local health and social care services, come and visit Healthwatch East Sussex at a weekly drop-in session in Bexhill Library.
Visitors to the library will be able to meet a trained Healthwatch volunteer who can give simple, non-clinical advice, information and signposting and can provide access to your local Healthwatch team, to share any views or concerns you may have about local health and social care services.
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Your Healthwatch volunteer, will be at Bexhill Library, on Western Road, every Monday morning from 10am to 12 noon.
For more information, or to find out more about becoming a volunteer, please contact Debby Matthews on, 01323 400521
or email debby.matthews@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk
(Pictured, Healthwatch Champion, Valerie Greenwood at Bexhill Library)
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| Training Dates for Volunteers |
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If you are interested in becoming an Authorised Representative to visit local health and care services as part of enter and view activity, the next training session is on the 18th September, at Uckfield Civic Centre.
The session is free and lasts a full day (lunch included) which covers understanding the role of an Authorised Representative.
Additional training is required together with a satisfactory DBS clearance.
Please contact Elizabeth Mackie on 01323 400520 for more details or email elizabeth.mackie@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk
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| Patient Led Assessment of the Care Environment (PLACE) |
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Inspections for 2014 ended in May. Healthwatch East Susssex provided Patient Assessors for 22 sites across Sussex Partnership Trust, East Sussex Healthcare Trust and Independent Providers.
The reports will be available from mid-September.
Patient Assessors will meet with the both Trust’s to give their initial feedback on the process and any key areas. Patient Assessors work with the Trust’s throughout the year on monitoring any action plans arising from the inspections
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| Learning Disability Alert Card Toolkit |
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This wallet and card toolkit is designed to support people with learning disabilities.
People with a learning disability can find it difficult to communicate their needs to other people and this toolkit aims to help them by letting people know about their condition and how they might be helped.
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It can be shown if the holder needs:
• Help from the ambulance service or other health care providers
• Help from other emergency services
• Support from their contacts
• Help in difficult/stressful situations
• Help on public transport
• To explain about their disability
• To alert others of their needs to communicate more effectively
The wallet and card toolkit is being made available to organisations and groups who work with and support people with learning disabilities free of charge.
The project was suggested and designed by people with learning disabilities.
We would like to thank the Aldingbourne Trust who facilitated focus groups and provided advice during the research and development of the toolkit.
For further information or to receive further copies of the card and wallet toolkit, please contact:
enquiries@secamb.nhs.uk or telephone: 01737 364428.
Please note the toolkit can be modified and supplied to other groups. Prices available on request
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| The Care Bill becomes The Care Act |
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The Care Act represents the most significant reform of care and support in more than 60 years https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/care-bill-becomes-care-act-2014
Many people are unsure what this means for them; will their care and the support they receive now change? how will care needs be assessed in the future?
Healthwatch East Sussex already know many people have lots of questions, please contact us with any questions or comments you have to help steer our discussions with East Sussex County Council Adult Social Care.
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| Health and Social Care Information Centre |
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| Health Course - Online Learning |
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| Healthwatch East Sussex has teamed up with Learning Services |
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Are you interested in releasing the full potential of the Internet in helping you find out about health services and providing feedback?
Learn My Way provide a free, online, 30 minute course to show you how to:
- How to look up conditions and symptoms online
- What you can do to maintain a healthy lifestyle
- How to find a local GP
- How to leave feedback on your GP service and hospital
- How to find local facilities to help you improve your fitness
It's free to sign up for the course, click on the link below and enter you details and centre number 4692.
www.learnmyway.com/user/register#step1
If you have any questions or would like to arrange to come and see us for some support please contact the Learning Services Team at Eastbourne Library on 01323 463903 or david.hide@eastsussex.gov.uk
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| New Valuable Sources of Information Around Mental Health |
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The Mental Health Directory of Community Support, was produced in November and contains information about the full range of community level support and mental health services available in the community; many of which people can self-refer themselves into.
This is available from www.eastsussex.gov.uk website or email Karolina Hutnik Karolina.Hutnik@eastsussex.gov.uk for paper copies.
A new publication called Information Booklet for Mental Health Carers in East Sussex, is packed full of useful information for carers of people with mental health problems. Produced by the Improving Carers Experience (ICE) project.
Contact Alan on 01273 617100 or email alan.icepro@btconnect.com for more information on how to get a copy.
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| Volunteer Online Resources |
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Any volunteer not already signed up for the on line resource section on the website should contact Charlie Rustem for log in details. You can email charlie.rustem@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk or phone 01424 230551
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Healthwatch East Sussex proactively talk and listen to people from every part of your community about health and social care services. We then talk to health and social care providers about your experiences of care with the aim of changing these services for the better.
Some of the services we would like to hear your experience on are:
- Ambulance Services
- Care Homes
- Dentists
- Doctors
- Home Care
- Hospitals
- Mental Health Services
- Opticians
- Pharmacies
There are a number of reasons why you should talk us:
- Service providers have to listen to us, so they will be listening to you
- Because if we can't help you we will know someone who can
- We are powerful and well connected and will make sure your voice is heard
We have a number of ways you can contact us and have your say:
Freepost
Freepost RTER-ZRLC-CRTK
Healthwatch East Sussex
8 Saffrons Road
Eastbourne
East Sussex
BN21 1DG
Telephone
0333 101 4007
Text
07826 021 114
Visit our website
www.healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk
and fill out our "Speak Out" form
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| Local Health and Social Care Events |
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| Surrey and Sussex Review of Stroke Services |
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In 2013/14, the Clinical Commissioning Groups in Sussex and Surrey and the provider services (community, hospital and ambulance services) agreed that a review of stroke services was required in light of variations in the achievement of national quality standards in stroke care. This will help commissioners to understand where there may be gaps and then to commission the right services to improve the experience for patients and their families and stroke outcomes for patients.
At this stage, no decisions are being made about the future location of services either directly after a patient has had a stroke or through rehabilitation and there will be no changes to the location of services which have already been decided through public consultation, such as in East Sussex.
We want to ensure that patients and carers who have been affected by stroke are fully included in this review from the start, and in Surrey are intending to build on the surveys and interviews previously undertaken by the Stroke Association in 2012.
Therefore, between now and September 2014 we would like patients who have had a stroke and their carers to tell us about their experiences and their thoughts on what should be put in place to improve the quality of care for themselves and others in the future. We are in the process of finalising a questionnaire to gather those experiences and will forward that to you as well as a link to an electronic version.
Caroline Huff
Clinical Lead
Sussex Collaborative
Delivery Team
36-38 Friars Walk
Lewes
BN7 2PB
If you have any questions or would like to become involved, please do not hesitate to contact either:
Caroline Huff (Sussex) on c.huff@nhs.net or on 0787 940 4172.
Hester Wain (Surrey) on hester.wain@nhs.net or on 07766 204719
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