What is Healthwatch and what do we do?
- We encourage those who design and run health and social care services to find out what you think and to involve you in improvements and changes.
- We find out about major changes to services to make sure that the people who use them understand what's being changed and are involved.
- We find out what you think about services by:
- Visiting local community groups and events.
- Visiting services and speaking to patients.
- Hosting events, our newsletter, website and social media pages.
- We present your views in reports and make sure those who have the power to change things hear what you have to say.
- Health and social care services have a legal duty to respond to our recommendations and requests for information.
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Our 2018/19 annual report is now available
In our annual report, we take a look at our achievements over the last twelve months, and how our work has made a difference to local health and care services.
Read about our work over the last year including case studies on:
- Our work speaking to local carers
- Visits to intermediate care services
- Our work with young people around sexual health
The report is available on our website at the link below.
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Win a shopping voucher if you share your experiences - Last chance to enter when you send us your views!
Our key issues for 2019-20
This year we are championing three topics that people told us were most important to focus on.
1. Mental health
2. Co-ordination between services (especially for older or vulnerable adults)
3. Access to information about services, and to help to stay well and manage your health.
Share your experiences of these or any other health and social care issues.
Share both good and bad experiences in confidence, with us: your local independent health and social care champion.
Tell us about any service you or your family received, such as a hospital, GP, dentist, pharmacy, home care, social services or mental health service. If you do this by 30th September 2019 you could win a £20 Gift card. Enter by completing the survey using this link.
Have your say on local NHS Cancer Services.
Have you had a previous or current diagnosis of cancer or are you a carer for someone with cancer?
Share your thoughts on care including:
- Care at your GP Practice
- Overall Support
- Psychological Support
If you have used cancer services in Wandsworth and are willing to share your views and experiences with Wandsworth CCG, please complete the CCG's short anonymous survey and help make sure that local services keep moving in the right direction by visiting their website.
(Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG's) were created following the Health and Social Care Act in 2012. They are clinically-led NHS bodies responsible for the planning and commissioning of health care services for their local area.)
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Come and volunteer for us to share your knowledge and gain experience
Here are a couple of our current available roles.
Volunteer Healthwatch Representatives
Represent Healthwatch Wandsworth on local committees, boards and working groups hosted by other organisations to make sure the collective voice of local people is heard and that their needs and interests are considered.
Enter and View Volunteers
The Healthwatch Enter and View team have a specific legal power to speak to patients receiving services, so those who lead the visits become 'Authorised Enter and View Representatives' once they have received full training.
For more information on the current roles available, please visit our new website.
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Our new website is now live.
We hope you think it has a user-friendly layout. On the new website you can:
- Find out about getting involved in our work.
- Read our latest reports.
- Read our advice and information and other articles.
The website address is still the same as it always has been www.healthwatchwandsworth.co.uk.
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Our latest reports and notes from our Assemblies
News from our previous Assembly event - 22 May 2019
Our public event last May was all about improvements to local services and how these changes are reflected in documents such as the local Health & Care Plan.
This included a focus on improvements to local health and care services and the Outpatient departments at St George's Hospital in Tooting, and on a new plan to improve health and care in Wandsworth, as well as on outpatient care.
If you missed this event - don't worry - the information is on our website.
We also have more events planned.
Listening to local carers about support
We spoke to a variety of carers from different backgrounds, who support people with a variety of health needs. Using our carers survey we found out about their experiences, challenges, and the suggestions they had to improve things for themselves and fellow carers.
Carers particularly felt that they needed to have easy access to mental health coping strategies, wellbeing resources and general support. One carer highlighted that they did have a referral to mental health services but there was a long wait to get the support needed.
The council told us they will work with the Wandsworth Carers Centre and Wandsworth CCG to clarify what carers can expect at each stage of care, and will continue to hold weekly surgeries at the Carer's Centre for outreach to communities. They will also set up carer champion's meetings to support carer champions.
Visit our website for the full report and response to our report from the council below.
Developments around Wandsworth Prison Health and Care
Last year Healthwatch Wandsworth spoke to people at Wandsworth Prison about their healthcare and we also heard from their family members.
We have been following developments since our visit and have a recent update on how things are going including:
- Prison inductions - the prison service have been trying to make sure people have inductions to find out about health and care services available.
- Feedback - prisoners provide feedback and experiences of healthcare at a prison council meeting every month through a representative from each wing.
Find out more on our website.
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Just to remind you of a few upcoming events.
Our next Healthwatch Assembly on Health Inequalities
- Thursday 26th September, from 10.30am - 1pm
At this assembly event we will be discussing local initiatives to tackle health inequalities and we want to hear local experiences and suggestions to help make sure plans work.
The event will be in the Hyde Park Room, Lanesborough Wing of St George's Hospital, Tooting.
This is a free event and everybody is welcome. To register for this event click on this Eventbrite link.
Save this date too - 11th December 2019
We also have the date for our next Healthwatch Wandsworth Assembly, on Wednesday December 11th.
James Blythe, the Managing Director of Wandsworth and Merton Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) will be giving an update on how the Clinical Commissioning Groups will work in the new year.
Brighter Living Fair, 20 September, at the Civic Suite, Wandsworth
Wandsworth Council's Brighter Living Fair is for adults who have or are looking for care and support.
- Local organisations will have stalls to provide lots of information
- There will be free activities ranging from drop in arts and crafts workshops on how technology can help you stay independent; and a carers' allowance workshop.
- There is a free shuttle minibus service if you need help to get there.
Healthwatch will also be there if you want to speak to us.
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Healthwatch Wandsworth 2020 Assembly events
It's the time of year when we are planning our Assembly events for next year. We will be holding them in March, June, September and December.
We try to run 4 free Assembly events each year to help you hear about key local health and social care issues and services. We also aim to make sure that decision-makers are present to hear directly from you about what you think.
Our goal is for as many people who'd attend, to be able to do so.
We'd like to hear from you about which time of the day would be best for these events if you would be able to come along. Please click one of the five options below.
Morning
Afternoon
Early Evening
I would attend any of the above times
I probably wouldn't attend at any of these times
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Podiatry Services
Podiatry is devoted to the study, diagnosis and medical and surgical treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower extremity.
Wandsworth Healthshare are now providing podiatry services in Wandsworth.
To book an appointment for more information or call 020 812 6050 or email enquiry@healthshare.org.uk
See this webpage for more information.
New NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service
From October this year, the new NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service will offer local pharmacy appointments to anyone calling NHS 111 about minor conditions such as an earache or a sore throat.
See this website for more information.
Are people with dementia getting the care they need?
Read about the research from Healthwatch England suggesting that dementia care needs to be improved across England. Often, people needing care are unaware of what they can access and what they are entitled to.
To find out whether people are getting the right dementia support as their condition deteriorates, Healthwatch England:
- Reviewed what over 700 people told them about their care, and analysed data from 97 councils about whether people's needs were being assessed and reviewed.
- They found that people don't always have a clear understanding of the support available to them and how to access care.
For more information about their findings, read the report using this link.
Plans for improving health and care in Wandsworth
Health and care organisations in Wandsworth are looking at what they can do together to improve health, and will be launching plans soon. We talked about their ideas at our last Healthwatch Assembly event and the new Health and Care Plan will be out soon.
Keep an eye on our website for more information.
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Anything you'd like to tell us?
We're keen to hear about all your experiences with health, social or mental health care services in Wandsworth, so please get in touch and tell us what you think.
We're interested in all kinds of experiences, good and bad. What you tell us really does make a difference.
Phone - 020 8516 7767
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