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Information for our Health Advisory Board Meeting to be held 4th July 2023. -
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Healthwatch Sandwell are aware the challenges people facing regarding getting GP appointments, especially during the pandemic. We would like to capture the other side of GP surgeries, what are surgeries doing to improve the patient experience? -
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Ideas Made Real is for young people aged 16-24 to turn their social action projects and community ideas into reality. Each successful young person will receive an award of up to £8,000 and expert support from United By 2022’s youth team to bring their project to life. Whether it's addressing homelessness, promoting mental health awareness, or improving their surroundings, Ideas Made Real is designed by young people, for young people. Ideas Made Real is part of our GEN22 programme and last year’s projects won a national award.
To celebrate the West Midlands turning 50 this year, Ideas Made Real will hand the reins over to young people to create lasting impacts in their neighbourhood, their community and their home. If you have ever felt that no-one is doing anything about an issue that you care about, then this is for you. Previous participants say that Ideas Made Real made them feel confident and connected, and proud they made a difference for a community important to them, or in the place they call home. -
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Here are our January Insights from the Healthwatch Sandwell Team!
Click the link below to see what we have been doing. -
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As Muslims begin to prepare for the month of Ramadan, the NHS has shared a reminder about how to stay safe and healthy during the holy month. Ramadan is expected to start on the evening of Sunday 10 March, subject to moon sighting, and end on Tuesday 9 April, during which time many Muslims will fast and not eat or drink during daylight hours. Fasting during Ramadan can be challenging, especially for those living with a long-term health condition such as diabetes, those who take prescribed medicines or anyone who needs a medical appointment during the holy month. The NHS has issued important advice to ensure a healthy and safe Ramadan, including:
If you have a long-term health condition:
Having a medical condition doesn’t mean people can’t fast, but they may need to take precautions such as reviewing their medication and closely monitoring how they’re feeling. There is also an exemption for people with diabetes, especially for those on insulin or those with any medical complications. If you have diabetes and want to fast during Ramadan, please speak to your GP or diabetes nurse about the safest way to do this. If you monitor your blood glucose levels, you should continue to do so while fasting.
If you take prescribed medication:
If you are taking prescribed medicines to control an illness, you should continue taking them during Ramadan to prevent further, serious complications developing. You can check with your GP or pharmacist if the doses need to be adjusted or the times that you take them need to be changed. This will allow you to control your illness while completing a fast safely. Those who are unsure about fasting should always seek advice from their healthcare professional.
If you have a medical condition:
It is important that people keep all medical appointments where possible in Ramadan. If you feel you are unable to keep your appointment, please contact your GP or hospital to re-schedule your appointment for as soon as possible after the Holy Month ends.
If you are due an MMR vaccine:
Vaccines play an important part in maintaining our health and with an increase of measles across the West Midlands, getting your measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is vital. Measles is a highly infectious disease which can lead to serious complications if it is not treated. The British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) scholars have confirmed that getting an MMR vaccine will not invalidate the fast, so if you or your child has missed the first or second dose of MMR vaccine, you should still have the vaccine during Ramadan to stay protected. In the UK, there are two types of MMR vaccines. One of these, (Priorix®), does not contain pork and can be requested from your GP practice.
If you become unwell during fasting:
The BIMA advises that if you become unwell during Ramadan, you should stop fasting and seek medical advice. Your local pharmacy can offer advice and some medicines, and this can help you treat your condition yourself at home. Pharmacists can also help you see the right person, if you need to see someone else. If you have a more serious illness, you should visit your GP practice website or NHS 111 online for advice. If you cannot access the internet, call 111 or your GP practice directly. It’s important to remember fasting is not considered compulsory for many groups, including people who are unwell, people with learning difficulties, people who are travelling and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating. -
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Healthwatch Sandwell is an independent organisation that champions the voice of Sandwell residents in their health and social care services. Experiences and insight gathered from engaging and listening to people is shared with health and social care providers and commissioners to help inform and improve services.
Successful management of living with diabetes and reducing associated health risks requires patient and health care services to work together. NHS healthcare services have a responsibility to ensure patients are offered diabetes management education, so that they are well informed and able to be involved in managing their condition and decisions about their care, including medications. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance also recommends an individualised approach, is required to meet any patients’ needs and circumstances including dietary advice, culture and beliefs.
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10.1%Sandwell adults are registered with diabetes. People from ethnic communities African, African Caribbean and South Asian (Indian, Bangladeshi & Pakistani) have a higher risk of developing diabetes and at younger age than white population. -
Advice and Information -
Lets spread awareness of Bowel Cancer this Month. -
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Come and say hello to Leanne and Melissa who are offering advice, information and signposting the second Thursday of every month! Leanne and Melissa are also hear to listen to your Health and Social Care experiences. -
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Come along and talk to Melissa at one of the locations shown below! We want to listen to your patient experiences. We can also offer information, advice and support. -
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What is a the GP Showcase?
Healthwatch Sandwell are aware the challenges people face regarding getting GP appointments. We would like to capture the other side of GP surgeries, what are surgeries doing to improve the patient experience?
This will help:
• Inform patients about improvements the surgeries are making
• Build relationships with Practice Managers and Patient Participation Groups (PPG)
• Promote PPGs
Here is our latest GP Showcase with Dr Arora Surgery. Please take a look to see how they are supporting their patients.
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Opticians are at the frontline of eye care. By carrying out detailed examinations, they are helping to improve eye health across the country. They also prescribe and fit glasses and contact lenses. Chapman Opticians have a wide variety of frames and lenses giving lots of choice and can advise on styles of eyewear that suit individual needs. -
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This report will provide an overview of the Enter and View visits conducted between April 2023 and March 2024. This will include visits to support services related to diabetes however, the visit to Harvest View, 28 Harvest Rd, Rowley Regis will not be included as it will be a standalone report.
Enter and View programme focused on Patient’s experiences of support services related to diabetes e.g. diabetes clinics, phlebotomy, retinal screening services (at hospital eye clinics and opticians etc), foot clinics and urology. There were a range of these services (22 venues approx.) A sample of Clinics were visited to ensure that the 6 towns were covered – see appendix 1. Some sites offer a range of these services so some visits were combined. -
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Here is a snapshot of what the team have been doing in March! -
Advice and Information -
1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem, but you are not alone. Help, advice and support is there for you. -
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Have you been invited for your annual health check? Here are some things you might need to remember when you go to your appointment. -
Advice and Information -
Please check for eligibility criteria -
Advice and Information -
Find NHS Health Checks near you. -
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NHS Health Checks at Wednesbury Library. Please check eligibility criteria. -
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As a nation, we're a generous lot. You could say that giving is in our blood. But it’s blood we need more people to give to save lives.
Every minute, the NHS needs 3 lifesaving blood donations - everything from emergency surgery, to the precious blood that keeps people with sickle cell healthy.
Sickle cell is more common in people of Black heritage. To get the best possible treatment, people with sickle cell need blood that closely matches their own. This often comes from donors of the same ethnicity. That's why we particularly need donors of Black heritage to sign up and start giving. We also particularly need O negative and O positive donors to book an appointment. O negative can be given to anyone in emergencies, and O positive is blood type most commonly requested by hospitals.
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Take a look at what the team have been doing! -
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Our Annual Report is now live! We have been working hard during 2023-2024 to listen to the voices of local people and influence changes in the services that people use. -
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The IT issues that have been affecting GP practices have now been resolved. -
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Healthwatch Sandwell is delivered by Engaging Communities Solutions CIC (ECS). ECS deliver seven local Healthwatch across England. We are carrying out a project to gather feedback across all seven local Healthwatch areas to understand what people know about Pharmacy First and their experiences of using it after it’s introduction at the beginning of 2024. -
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Harvest View (opened 24th November 2022) is an integrated social care and health facility with 80 en-suite rooms alongside communal areas for Service Users who need specialist support from both social care and health staff all under one roof. The focus is on reablement1 with a view to helping Sandwell residents get back home after a hospital stay or those who need some structured support to avoid a hospital stay altogether.
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Please click the link below to see what was discussed during our Health Advisory Board meeting, held on 4th July 2023. -
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Here are the meeting minutes for our Health Advisory Board meeting held on 24th October 2023 -
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Here are the meeting minutes from our Health Advisory Board meeting held on 23rd January 2024 -
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All information supporting the July Independent Strategic Advisory Board meeting to be held on 1st July 2024 -
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Please see a snap shot of our Diabetes Prevention week information! -
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Bereavement Support and Coffee and Chat Group. -
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Moodmaster Well-Being Sessions -
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Sandwell Carers Sessions. -
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Your Space Your Way - a support group for people with hoarding behaviour. -
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People of South Asian, Black African, and Caribbean backgrounds are at a higher risk of developing certain eye conditions, and almost half of those with sight loss are from households with low incomes.
We are trying to gather as many experiences as possible from people who have used NHS eye care services recently. Help us spread the word by sharing our survey with your supporters.
Each response we receive will help shape eye care services and improve the care people receive.
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Here are the meeting minutes from our Independent Strategic Advisory Board meeting July 2024 -
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Join us at our next Independent Strategic Advisory Board meeting. All meeting details can be found below. -
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The rewards of foster caring extend far beyond the positive influence on a child; as fostering can lead to personal growth, fulfilment, and a sense of purpose to your own life. As of 31st March 2021, there were 45,370 fostering households and 76,640 foster carers in England. This is a 2% and 4% increase since 2014 to 2015, respectively.
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Take a look at our July Insight report for an update on what Healthwatch Sandwell have been doing during July! -
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Would you like help with stopping smoking?
Do you want to give up smoking to improve your health and well being ?
Are you pregnant and want to give up to protect your unborn baby?
Then this resource is for you! -
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SANDWELL Metropolitan Borough Council has awarded the new Healthwatch Sandwell contract to existing provider Engaging Communities Solutions Community Interest Company.
This means ECS (Engaging Communities Solutions) will continue to deliver the contract they have held since 2018 and maintain the high level of support offered to local residents throughout the borough.
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Three-quarters of women who are hesitant about cervical screening would use a self-testing kit if it was available for free on the NHS.
A poll of 2,444 women highlights that pain, fear, and misconceptions make them hesitant about taking up invitations for cervical screening appointments. -
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A self-testing kit, which detects human papillomavirus (HPV), a group of viruses that can lead to cervical cancer, helps women carry out cervical screening in the privacy and convenience of their own homes. HPV home kits are currently available to buy at pharmacies at costs of between £29 to £129 but they’re currently not available on the NHS.
Earlier this year, a trial led by Kings College London to offer women a self-testing kit concluded it could boost the number of women undergoing cervical screening by 400,000 a year. -
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What is a the GP Showcase?
Healthwatch Sandwell are aware the challenges people face regarding getting GP appointments. We would like to capture the other side of GP surgeries, what are surgeries doing to improve the patient experience?
This will help:
• Inform patients about improvements the surgeries are making
• Build relationships with Practice Managers and Patient Participation Groups (PPG)
• Promote PPGs
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News -
A&E (Emergency Department)
From the 6th October, Sandwell A&E is relocating to a new purpose-built A&E at Midland Metropolitan University Hospital to better serve you and the residents of your local area.
Where is the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital A&E?
Grove Lane, Smethwick, B66 2QT -
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Buses will stop outside the The Midland Metropolitan University Hospital. -
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Healthwatch Sandwell collaborated with the NHS Youth Worker Team Manager in Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust to create a report to spotlight a youth worker pilot project for young people with long term conditions. The short funding timelines for the pilot project were highlighted alongside the impacts. The spotlight report called for consideration of extension and time and funding for the pilot project work. -
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As winter approaches and viruses spread, flu and COVID-19 pop-up vaccination clinics are being set up to encourage people to get winter strong. The community pop-up clinics are being hosted at a range of locations in Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall and Sandwell, with no appointment necessary. Anyone aged 18 and over who is eligible for an autumn COVID-19 or flu vaccine is encouraged to come forward as soon as possible.
Those eligible for a COVID-19 and flu vaccine include:
• all adults aged 65 years and over
• people who live in a care home for older adults
• people aged 6 months to 64 years with health conditions that make them more vulnerable
• frontline health and social care staff, including in care homes for older adults
• pregnant women -
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The Midland Metropolitan University Hospital opened on 6 October. On the same day Sandwell Hospital's accident and emergency department closed.
Are you Punjabi speaking and need information and advice on this? -
Advice and Information -
Cervical screening, previously known as a smear test, saves over 4,000 lives every year in the UK. However, some women find it uncomfortable, so it's important to know what support is available and what adjustments you can request.