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December 2017
Message from our Chief Officer
As the end of 2017 approaches so does the time for reflection. This year has been a
busy and active time as the health and social care sector evolves. As 2018 dawns
we will continue to champion the absolute need to have the public voice heard in the
development of the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership, including the
future of Community Hospitals, and to help us to do this we need to hear about your
experiences of the health and social care services in the City. We hope that you will
do this by contacting us as detailed in this newsletter.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our staff, volunteers and
Management Board for their time, passion, commitment and overall hard work.
Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter, for sharing your experiences
and I wish you all a restful, happy festive break and a prosperous New Year.
Please note: Our office will be closed from 1pm on 22nd of December and will
reopen at 8am on Tuesday 2nd of January 2018.
Season’s Greetings
from all the staff,
volunteers & the
Management Board
at Healthwatch
Stoke-on-Trent
As the Government looks
to launch its national “stay
well for winter” campaign,
local fuel poverty charity
Beat the Cold is playing its
part to help those whose
health is at risk from a cold
home to stay warm.
Residents of Stoke-on-
Trent with certain health
conditions are urged to
contact the charity to see
what help they can get.
Each year thousands of
people die needlessly due
to “excess winter deaths”.
It is estimated that a third
of these deaths can be
attributed to the cold
homes. It is also estimated
that for each death, there
are 8 cold related hospital
admissions.
Beat the Cold is working to
reduce these figures by
supporting those at risk
from a cold home, to be
less “fuel poor.”
Put simply, fuel poverty is
where you cannot afford to
heat your home to a safe
temperature, and may
ultimately lead to decisions
of “heating or eating.”
During the remainder of
this winter, and into the
summer months, Beat the
Cold will be offering
tailored advice and
support to those whose
health will be put at risk by
living in a cold home, to
make those changes.
With some of the highest
levels of respiratory poor
health in the county, due in
part to a history of pottery
and mine working, and an
estimated 15,349
households in the city
expected to be fuel poor,
there is still a lot of work to
do.
If you, or a person you
know may have their
health put at risk this
winter through cold, you
can call the charity on:
01782 683813.
Staying Well this Winter
The City Council has been looking at chemist services in the city and has written a
consultation report about their findings with some recommendations. It is called the
Stoke-on-Trent Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (draft) and looks at the
provision of chemist services across Stoke-on-Trent and if these services meet the
current and future needs of the city. They have identified possible gaps and
suggested how these could be improved.
They are asking for feedback via a survey which will be
available until December 17 and the results will be used
in a final version of the document. Both the full report
and the survey can be found at: http://bit.ly/2zopbqk
City Council reviewing chemist services
Age UK Boccia Boost Launch
On the 5th of October Age UK North
Staffordshire launched their Boccia
Boost programme at the Royal Voluntary
Service (RVS) Hanley Community
Centre.
Boccia is a non-contact sport, which
relies on the skill and subtlety of the
player, rather than their size, speed and
strength. Boccia can be played in a
range of settings and is accessible to
both disabled and non-disabled people.
Age UK North Staffordshire has teamed
up with the ‘Get Out Get Active’
programme and the English Federation
of Disability Sport to bring boccia to
Stoke-on-Trent. Over the next few
months they will be working with
organisations involved in supporting
older people, from across the Stoke-on-
Trent area, to offer taster sessions of
boccia. Additional support will be
available for those wishing to set up their
own boccia group.
For individuals who are looking for a
new way to stay active and meet new
people, Age UK North Staffordshire will
also be setting up boccia clubs in
community venues across Stoke-on-
Trent. For more details, contact the
project coordinator, Shula Baker, on
01782 200739 or email:
NHS England has published new guidance to help identify the tell-tale signs of
anxiety and depression in people aged 55 and older. ‘Mental health in older people’
has been published to support Age UK’s YouGov research which has shown nearly
half of adults aged 55 and older have experienced depression or anxiety, with more
than a third saying they did not know where to go for help.
Following World Mental Health day on the 10th of October, NHS England and Age
UK have called on GPs to help spot the signs of poor mental health. Alistair Burns,
National Clinical Director for Dementia at NHS England, said: “GPs are the first port
of call for many older people, so we are equipping doctors and their teams to better
spot and tackle mental ill health in older adults.”
Older people encouraged to seek help with
mental health problems
PRESS RELEASE of six
Staffordshire CCGs
Health care leaders across
Staffordshire and Stoke-on
-Trent’s clinical
commissioning groups
have announced the
appointment of Marcus
Warnes as their single
joint Accountable Officer.
As the current
Accountable Officer for
NHS North Staffordshire
CCG and NHS Stoke-on-
Trent CCG, Marcus
stepped into the new role
from the 1 November 2017
for five out of the six
CCGs. He will be
supported by Tony Bruce
who will remain as
Accountable Officer for
East Staffordshire CCG
until he leaves in March
2018. Marcus will then
take on the role for East
Staffordshire CCG.
The appointment follows a
competitive interview
process, with the final
appointment approved by
NHS England.
The six CCGs agreed that
a joint Accountable Officer
would help streamline and
strengthen commissioning
and leadership
arrangements, to deliver
better outcomes for the
people of Staffordshire
and Stoke-on-Trent.
The six Clinical
Commissioning Group
Chairs’ across
Staffordshire and Stoke-on
-Trent, said: “We are
delighted that Marcus has
been appointed this key
role that will lead to closer
collaboration across our
county. Marcus has been
an integral leader in
developing improved
processes to commission
services across
Staffordshire. As on
several key aspects of the
Sustainability and
Transformation he has
worked tirelessly to join up
the local health economy
with partner and provider
organisations. Marcus’
insight into local health
needs and his strong track
record in leadership will
support us all in delivering
our priorities.
“We would like to reassure
residents that each CCG
will retain its own legal
status, ensuring decisions
are locally led. However,
all CCGs are in agreement
that this appointment
presents a real opportunity
for our CCGs to work
closer together to deliver
improved care for our
patients.”
Marcus Warnes appointed
Accountable Officer, said:
“I am really pleased to
have been appointed and
looking forward to the
exciting challenge of
aligning our
commissioning and
leadership decisions
across the CCGs. Over
the coming weeks I will be
meeting with staff, GPs
and our stakeholders to
listen to the diverse needs
across our county and the
opportunities for closer
working.”
Marcus Warnes appointed as single Accountable
Officer for Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire CCGs
OPEN shares concerns about GP services
The Older People’s Engagement
Network (OPEN) is a community group
that holds city-wide forum meetings with
the specific aim of giving the people who
are 50+ years old an opportunity to have
a say about public services.
OPEN has recently shared important
feedback about GP appointments with
Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent. Many
people expressed frustration with GP
telephone booking systems, describing
how they struggle to get an appointment
and that for some, alternatives such as
booking online may not be an option.
There was also a view that it is
sometimes easier to walk to the surgery
to make a same day appointment rather
than phoning. For those not able to do
this, it could result in sense of isolation.
Other issues raised included feeling
uncomfortable discussing personal
medical issues with receptionists and
experiences of long waiting times for
appointments.
Not all the comments and views were
negative though, and innovations such as
telephone consultations as well as the
use of practice nurses were praised.
Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent is keen to
hear your opinion about these issues.
Just visit our online Feedback Centre:
www.healthwatchstokeontrent.co.uk. To
learn more about OPEN, visit:
www.saltbox.org.uk/open
Appointment of a substantive independent chair
NHS Improvement PRESS RELEASE
Fran Steele, Delivery and Improvement Director at NHS Improvement, said: “We are
delighted that Sir Neil McKay is joining the ‘Together we’re better’ board as Chair for
this next phase.
David Pearson has done an incredible job in his role as interim Chair and we thank
him for his invaluable contribution, particularly for bringing different system partners
together so successfully. The improvements that Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
need to make for its residents will only be achieved through strong partnership
working between the NHS and local authority organisations and the foundations now
in place need to be built upon. We look forward to working with Neil as he gets
started in his new role.”
World Aids Day 1st December
International Day of Persons with
Disabilities 3rd December
International Volunteer Day for
Economic and Social Development
5th December
Human Rights Day 10th December
December National Awareness Days/Weeks
Supporting your recovery
Royal Voluntary Service offers a support
service for those who have had a recent
stay in hospital or are at risk of
admission. The service is called
Supporting Your Recovery and is aimed
at those aged 65 or above in the Stoke-
on-Trent area.
The service aims to either assist in the
transition following a hospital stay or to
prevent possible admission. They match
a volunteer with a service user and
empower them to get back into the
community or to undertake tasks that
encourage and increase independence,
such as assistance with meal preparation
or shopping.
The service is led by the service user
and on the first meeting it is agreed with
them what they would like to achieve in
their time with the service. Their aim is to
improve social interaction and allow
service users to take up the reins of their
lives in a positive manner. They also
provide a chair based exercise
programme, Move It Or Lose It, either as
part of a group or in one-on-one
sessions, to help with mobility.
The service offers a 12 week support
and is free of charge.
For more info, call 01782 917 938 or email: [email protected]
New technology, earlier diagnosis and better coordination of care will transform
cancer services. The NHS is on-track to transform cancer services in England by
2020- 2021 according to a new report published by NHS England’s National Cancer
Programme. The report details the investment the NHS is making in cancer
transformation, including £130m over the period 2016- 2018 in new and upgraded
radiotherapy equipment and £200m over the next two years to accelerate rapid
diagnosis and enhance patients’ quality of life.
Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes – Progress Report 2016-17 describes
progress across the field including the establishment of Cancer Alliances across the
country to bring together clinical leaders, healthcare workers, patients and charities
for the better coordination of care. You can read the full report here:
www.england.nhs.uk/publication/achieving-world-class-cancer-outcomes/
Transformation of cancer services
CareLink telephone befriending
CareLink uses telephone
befriending to support
people over 50 in Stoke-on
-Trent who are struggling
with the effects of
loneliness and isolation, to
keep them healthy and
independent in their own
homes for as long as
possible.
Trained volunteers phone
the CareLink friends at
regular times each week,
showing older people that
someone cares and is
interested in them. They
also monitor clients' health
and wellbeing, reminding
people to take medication,
keep warm and eat regular
meals if needed, and
picking up concerns before
they become serious.
For those with more
complex needs, they
provide more face-to-face
help and support in
addition to their
befriending calls. Support
may include taking people
to appointments, helping
them to engage with and
secure other services,
identifying suitable social
activities, and supporting
them to attend until they
are able to do so
independently.
CareLink service accept
people who are aged 50
and above, are socially
isolated and suffering from
loneliness, live within
Stoke-on-Trent and are
registered with a Stoke-on-
Trent GP. If you could
benefit from the service,
you can ask your GP to
contact them, or you can
refer yourself by phone on
01782 810320 Ext 2, or by
downloading and
completing a form from the
referrals page on their
website:
www.saltbox.org.uk/
referrals-guide
The Dudson Centre, Hope Street,
Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 5DD
Tel: 01782 683080
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.healthwatchstoke.co.uk
Twitter: @healthwatchSoT
Facebook: Facebook.com/Healthwatch-Stoke-on-Trent
Don't want to complain to your provider?
Use our Feedback Centre anonymously
http://www.healthwatchstokeontrent.co.uk
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