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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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Share your views on intermediate care services
Wandsworth Council are developing an integrated model for care that promotes recovery, rehabilitation and re-ablement, to encompass physical, mental health and social care needs.
Intermediate care services are currently provided in different settings including hospitals, care homes, or at a person’s home, and may involve coordinated support from doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and more.
Intermediate care:
- Helps people rehabilitate to recover and increase independence as far as possible after being unwell, or
- Helps people keep well so that a problem doesn’t get worse and lead to the need for more serious help and care.
Complete our survey online
We want to hear what people who may be receiving or have previously received rehabilitation from this type of service.
Responses to this survey will be anonymised and shared with Wandsworth Council to help them and other decision-makers understand how Intermediate Care services can be improved for patients and better meet their needs.
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Have you been discharged from St George's Hospital in the last six months?
We want to hear from people about their recent experiences of being discharged from St George's Hospital. We need to hear about this before 6th January 2020.
We are particularly interested to know:
- If you feel you were adequately prepared for discharge from hospital?
- Were you and/or your carer/family sufficiently involved in planning for your discharge?
- Were you given a leaflet about discharge and was this helpful?
- During preparations to leave the hospital was information provided and arrangements made for you to be back at home?
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Help shape important Dementia Services in Wandsworth
NHS Wandsworth CCG need to choose an organisation to provide Wandsworth's Dementia Support Service in future and are looking for local people to be involved. They are recruiting people to join an interview panel for the support service in Wandsworth.
Find out more here.
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Are you interested to help shape and drive the work of Healthwatch Wandsworth?
Elections of members of the Healthwatch Committee will be at our next event in March 2020. Becoming a member of the committee is an opportunity to be a central part of our work.
Our committee members will contribute to our strategic direction within the framework of WCA’s corporate responsibility including:
- policy
- strategic objectives and evaluating performance
- risk assessment and proposing mitigation
- monitoring performance against targets and the local Healthwatch Wandsworth specification.
Committee members attend five meetings per year and get involved with various work of our staff and volunteers as appropriate.
Keep an eye out for more information on our website and in newsletter January.
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Thank you for your time
At the end of a busy year we also wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been involved in our work this year.
Whether you have taken time to read our newsletter, if you've taken part in our surveys, if you've attended one of our events or if you've spread the word about Healthwatch Wandsworth and have encouraged others to take part!
Your contribution is captured in our knowledge bank and really does help shape our current and future work.
And, of course, a special thank you to our volunteers, who through their time and expertise have made a real difference to your local health and care champion.
We hope you'll continue to stay in touch and take part into the next decade.
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Click on the video above to see our presentation about what we do.
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News from our Assembly on 11th December 2019
On 11th December we invited people to come to our networking event to find out more about what we do. It was also an opportunity for us to speak to members of the community about how we go about our work as their independent health and care champion.
You can watch the video from our event above if you haven't already seen it or were not able to attend. You can still tell us what you think by following this link.
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Just to remind you of upcoming events.
Our Healthwatch Assemblies in 2020
Provisionally dates will be as follows but they are still to be confirmed:
Thurs 5th March
Thurs 21st May
Tues 29th September
Weds 9th December
Information will be updated on our website as arrangements are finalised.
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Wandsworth Diabetes Patients' Group
Date and time: Tuesday 4th February 2020, 6pm - 8pm.
Location: The Church Hall of St Mary Magdalene.
The patient group are meeting for the first time in their new home.
They've changed the meeting time so that more working people can attend this meeting place for diabetes patients. Carers are also welcome because living with Diabetes can affect the whole family.
After this particular meeting they will meet on the first Tuesday of each month except January.
Find out more information here.
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Know Your Rights In Hospital Workshop (Learning Disabilities)
Date and time: 17th January 2020, 10:30 - 14:30
Location: Share Community, 64 Altenburg Gardens, London. SW11 1JL.0 t:30
A free workshop in Wandsworth for people with a learning disability, carers and support workers. The workshop is about rights in hospital and how to get good health care.
Find out more information here.
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At the first signs of a winter illness, see your pharmacist
Doctors and Healthcare experts in Wandsworth are urging patients to visit their pharmacist at the first sign of a minor illness this winter. With expertise in lots of different medicines, they can help with a wide range of minor illnesses, from skin rashes to earaches and flu.
As we move into the winter months, there are many pharmacies across Wandsworth that can help you to get the help you need. Many pharmacies are open late and offer private consultations, no appointment necessary.
See this webpage for more information.
Keep your home warm this winter
Stay warm this winter by visiting the Council's Winter Warmth page for helpful tips and links to support services. Wandsworth and Richmond Assessment Point (WRAP) is a free council one-stop support service for vulnerable residents in Wandsworth, to help them stay warm for less.
Find out more.
Wandsworth Wellbeing Hub
The Wandsworth Wellbeing Hub is a free and impartial telephone sign-posting service and website.
Many people tell us they want a place to go to get information about managing their health and to know what services could help. The Wandsworth Wellbeing Hub could help.
Hub Navigators can have a chat with you, then help you to find and put you in contact with local services, organisations or communities that can support you with your health and wellbeing needs. Some examples of things that people often get in contact about include:
- Losing weight.
- Doing more exercise.
- Tackling social isolation.
- Joining a support group for a specific health condition.
- Quitting smoking.
- Getting legal/benefits advice.
Find out more.
Free self management courses
If you have a long-term health condition or are a carer, a self-management course could help you take more control of your health and wellbeing.
The self-management courses, The Expert Patients Programme and Looking After Me aim to empower people living with long-term health conditions and carers to take more control of their own health and wellbeing.
Find out more.
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Please note that between Monday 23rd December 2019 and Friday 3rd January 2020 our office will be operating with reduced availability.
Between Tuesday 24th January and Wednesday 1st of January the office will not be open.
In the meantime, if you require support please contact the relevant organisation, listed below:
In a serious emergency, where your situation is life-threatening, please call 999 go to your nearest A&E.
If you have a health issue that is non-urgent, please:
- Visit your local pharmacy or contact your GP or
- Contact the NHS 111 service by dialling 111 from your telephone, for more help and options.
POhWER
If you are unhappy with the care or treatment you have received from the NHS, and would like help to make a complaint, POhWER can help. They provide guidance, information and advocacy to help people get matters put right.
Telephone: 0203 553 5960 | Email: LondonIHCAS@pohwer.net | Website: https://www.pohwer.net/Wandsworth
Letter: London IHCAS Advocacy Hub, POhWER, Hertlands House, Primett Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 3EE
VoiceAbility
If you live in Wandsworth and need support to tell people what you want, and to understand your rights, you can contact VoiceAbility. They provide advocacy for people who may be vulnerable and need support to speak up about their care needs.
Telephone: 020 7924 7772 | Email: wandsworth@voiceability.org | Website: https://www.voiceability.org/services/london-borough-of-wandsworth
Letter: VoiceAbility, Unit B102, Trident Business Centre, 89 Bickersteth Road, Tooting, London, SW17 9SH
Wandsworth Wellbeing Hub
For guidance and help to find organisations and services to support your health and wellbeing needs, you can contact the Wandsworth Wellbeing Hub.
Telephone: 020 3880 0366 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) | Email: waccg.wandsworthhub@nhs.net | Website: https://www.wandsworthccg.nhs.uk/hub
Letter: Wandsworth Wellbeing Hub, 120 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1RH
Wandsworth Adult social care
If you, or someone you know, have / has care and support needs, and you need information and help, you can speak to Wandsworth Adult Social Services. Adult social services provides information and help to adults who have difficulty with everyday things.
Telephone: 020 8871 7707 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) | Email: accessteam@wandsworth.gov.uk | Website: https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/adult-social-care/
Letter: Adult Social Care and Public Health, The Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, London, SW18 2PU
Emergency out of hours
Please contact the switchboard on 020 8871 6000 and ask for the emergency social worker.
Children and families
If you need information on the activities and support services that may be available to you and your family, you can contact THRIVE Online (previously known as the Family Information Service).
THRIVE Online provides information and assistance to parents, children, young people and professionals on support services and activities for the 0-19 years age group (25 if the young person has a special need).
Telephone: 020 8871 7899 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) | Email: thriveonline@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk Website: https://thrive.wandsworth.gov.uk/kb5/wandsworth/fsd/home.page
Letter: THRIVE Online, THE 4, Wandsworth Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, London, SW18 2PU
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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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