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Welcome to the latest edition of the NHS West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group newsletter
 
November 23 2018
The CCG's Governing Body will be meeting in public next Wednesday in Bury St Edmunds - more information below - the meeting includes a paper on the draft mental health and emotional wellbeing strategy. 

Learn to check your pulse and be atrial fibrillation aware

Local health professionals are supporting this week’s Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Week by encouraging people to remain alert to any changes in their heartbeat and to be aware of the symptoms of the condition.

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is a heart rhythm disorder that causes an irregular and sometimes abnormally fast heartbeat. Having AF means that your heart is not pumping blood as well as it should. Because of this, blood clots are more likely to form in your heart, leading to an increased risk of stroke.

It is estimated that around 2000 people in west Suffolk are living with undiagnosed AF.

Look out for the NHS West Suffolk CCG stall during the Christmas Fair at the Guildhall in Bury St Edmunds on November 23 – 25. You will have the opportunity to take a pulse check and learn more about atrial fibrillation.
Read more HERE

Grab bag - if you're aged 14 - 18 please take this survey

Please help us with our new initiative to launch the ‘Grab Bag’ in Suffolk .

This is a discreet bag given out to young people presenting in A&E that contains vital information for our young community about local services.

Please take this short survey.

We want to find out what young people would find useful i.e. mental health services / benefits advice / local hostels or shelters / freebies etc.

This short survey will help us identify which services to include and give you an opportunity to put ideas forward.

If you are a young person aged 14-18, a parent/carer or professional working with vulnerable youngsters, we want to hear from you
Take the survey HERE
 
New Birth Reflections service launched at West Suffolk Hospital

A new service, Birth Reflections, has been launched at West Suffolk Hopsital to support parents after giving birth. The confidential service is offered by midwives to ensure parents can discuss their birth experience after the initial weeks of new parenthood.
 
Six weeks after giving birth, new parents are invited to contact the hospital and arrange a time to come in to meet the midwifery team to discuss their birth experience, or perhaps even prepare for a future birth.

Photo caption: Some of the maternity team at West Suffolk Hospital: (From left to right) Justyna Skonieczny, maternity ward manager, Robyn Harris, senior midwife, Karen Bassingthwaighte, acting maternity outpatient services manager, Cathy Adkins, senior midwife, and Nina Fawcett, community midwives team leader.
 
Read more HERE
New west Suffolk volunteer role assists patients home from hospital
 
A new volunteer role, developed by West Suffolk Hospital with the support of the national NHS Helpforce initiative, is helping patients to get home and settled safely when they leave hospital.
 
Usually, if a patient is well enough to go home, their loved ones or family members often collect them. However, sometimes this is not possible, and they may need to find an alternative way home.
 
The hospital's voluntary services team, in partnership with Helpforce, has developed a transport companion role, where volunteers support patients in a taxi when they are discharged from hospital, to ensure they have a smooth care experience when leaving and returning home. To begin with, this service will be available for patients discharged from the emergency department and acute medical unit.
Read more HERE
 
The Suffolk GP+ service offers doctors' appointments in the evenings and at weekends.

GP+ is staffed by GPs, nurse practitioners, nurse prescribers and in some locations physiotherapists.

It aims to make it easier for you to book an appointment – allowing you to see a clinician at a convenient time that fits in with your working day.

Ask the receptionist at your GP practice.
Read more HERE

Perinatal mental health services 
 

This survey is for both mothers and partners and has been created for you to provide your experiences and to help shape the development of support services.
Take the perinatal mental health services survey HERE
Give your feedback
 
NHS England regularly invites feedback on the shaping of existing or new services.
See current NHS consultations and surveys HERE
Dates for your diary 
The next meeting in public of the Governing Body of NHS West Suffolk CCG will take place NEXT WEEK on Wednesday November 28 at West Suffolk House, Western Way, Bury St Edmunds IP33 2SP. The meeting will begin at 9.15 a.m. and you're able to speak with Governing Body members from 9.00 a.m. More information including agenda and meeting papers HERE

 


Community Engagement Group (CEG)- The next meeting of the NHS West Suffolk CCG Community Engagement Group will take place on Thursday December 6 at The Green Duck, Western Way, Bury St Edmunds IP33 3SP from 10.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend. More information about the group HERE
 
If you cannot attend the December meeting, the Community Engagement Group members would still be very interested in hearing from you. If you have any questions relating to WSCCG-commissioned health care services that you would like raised at the CEG meeting please email getinvolved@westsuffolkccg.nhs.uk
Do keep in touch - our mailing address is:
getinvolved@westsuffolkccg.nhs.uk 

See previous editions of the newsletter HERE


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NHS West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group, West Suffolk House, Western Way, Bury St Edmunds IP33 3SP.