Welcome to our September newsletter
This month our newsletter includes:
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It is with some sadness that I have decided to retire as Executive Director of East Sussex Community Voice (ESCV), the host organisation for Healthwatch East Sussex, on 31st January 2023. Recruitment of my successor is now underway. This also means that I will be standing down as Chair of the East Sussex VCSE Alliance at the same time and members of the Alliance will elect my successor later this year.
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I have immensely enjoyed my five years working as Executive Director at ESCV and steering Healthwatch East Sussex into a nationally recognised local Healthwatch for our work on diversity and inclusion. I am also delighted that my three years as the VCSE Alliance Chair has now led to the Alliance being hosted by ESCV with strategic support and funding from East Sussex County Council.
I would like to thank everyone for the support and encouragement they have so generously given to me and to Healthwatch East Sussex during my time here. We really could not have achieved all that we have without you. I know I will miss you all when I go but I believe this is a good point to ‘hand over the reins’ to someone else as the brave new world of integrated care systems opens up.
John Routledge
Executive Director, East Sussex Community Voice [delivering Healthwatch East Sussex]
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Healthwatch Reports and Publications
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Patients need to speak up about their health and social care experiences says Healthwatch
During June and July 2022, Healthwatch staff and volunteers undertook engagement ‘roadshows’, attending a number of community events and venues across East Sussex, often alongside our NHS colleagues.
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We wanted to identify if health and care services are doing enough to listen to the public and patients, explore how they gather feedback and identify what could be improved so patients feel confident that their issues are heard and acted on.
We heard:
- Many people don’t know how to give feedback about their health and care experience and/or have never been asked for it.
- Healthwatch East Sussex is not widely known by residents in the county.
- More should be done to make people feel like they are listened to when it comes to their health and care needs.
- Many respondents stated that they were not confident that the NHS or local authority would act upon their opinions.
- Comments made to Healthwatch show that many patients are unhappy about how inaccessible some health and care services currently are.
- When individuals are able to see their GP, dentist or other providers, they often receive a very good service.
The key findings from our sessions are set out in our recently published report, which we will be sharing with partners and stakeholders.
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Healthwatch Poll: Have you used private healthcare?
This month we are looking to capture people's experiences of considering and/or using private healthcare in the last 12 months.
We want to hear whether you have chosen to use any private healthcare services and if so, which ones and why that is the case?
We'll share the results in our next newsletter.
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Results for last month's poll
In our August newsletter we asked you about your experiences of giving feedback to Health and Care services.
Most respondents (38.5%) identified leaving mixed feedback, with the approximately a quarter offering only positive or negative feedback (both 23.1%).
It is interesting that 15.4% of respondents reported not being asked to give feedback on services, and that everyone who was asked to give feedback indicated that they did so.
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Healthwatch East Sussex is coming to Eastbourne for our 2022 Listening Tour Eastbourne
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From Saturday 15th October, we will be launching a two-week programme of activity across Eastbourne to talk to local people about their views and experiences of health and social care.
We are keen to hear about:
• How easy or difficult it has been to access services?
• The quality of the health and care you have received.
• If you feel listened to?
• If you know the support available to you when it comes to social care?
We will use the feedback we receive to make recommendations to support positive change to local health and care services.
There are lots of ways for residents, communities and professionals to get involved in the Listening Tour. To find out more click the button below.
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NHS in Sussex launches the Autumn COVID-19 Booster Campaign
As part of a package of NHS measures to prepare for winter, the NHS has launched the Autumn COVID-19 booster programme.
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This is aimed at supporting enhanced protection against Coronavirus through the winter months.
The booster vaccination is being offered to:
- Residents in care homes for older people;
- People aged 50 years and older;
- People aged 5 years and over in a clinical risk group;
- People aged 16 to 49 years who are carers; and
- Health and social care staff.
The NHS is prioritising protection for those at greatest risk, and is inviting eligible people via a letter, email or text when it is their turn to come forward.
For more information, including who is being offered the Autumn booster and how to book please visit our website here.
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50 new surgical hubs set to open across England
On the 26th of August the Government announced plans to open 50 new surgical hubs across England.
The hubs will provide at least 100 more operating theatres and 1,000 more beds to deliver millions more operations, and should reduce the backlog of patients waiting for care.
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Located on existing hospital sites, the surgical hubs will focus mainly on providing high volume low complexity surgery, as previously recommended by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, with particular emphasis on ophthalmology, general surgery, trauma and orthopaedics (including spinal surgery), gynaecology, ear nose and throat, and urology.
For more information, please click here.
To read Healthwatch England’s response to the plans click here.
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Keep warm and well in East Sussex - Warm Home Check Service
The Warm Home Check service is free for East Sussex residents and offers free telephone advice for anyone struggling to keep warm at home. It also provides eligible households with a holistic home energy efficiency assessment. This can include:
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- advice on how best to keep your home warm and reduce energy costs
- advice on financial support available to help with heating costs
- small home improvement measures such as pipe insulation, draught-proofing or boiler service.
For more information, please click here.
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Macmillan Cancer Support – improving cancer support and information locally
Macmillan Cancer Support wants to hear from you.
They are running two surveys to help develop plans for improving cancer support and information in East Sussex.
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NHS Sussex COVID 19 Vaccine Survey
With the COVID-19 Autumn Booster Vaccination programme starting earlier this month, the NHS in Sussex are keen to hear from people who are eligible if they are planning to have their vaccination, and to understand what support people may need to take up the vaccination.
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You can share your views via the online survey here.
The survey closes on 30 September 2022.
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