Welcome to our November newsletter
Please do share your experiences with us, so we can work with policy makers, commissioners and service providers to improve services based upon what you say.
This month our newsletter includes:
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In December we say farewell to Charlie Rustem, who has led our communications work since Healthwatch East Sussex started in 2013. Charlie will be sorely missed but we all wish him well in his new job at RNLI in Sussex.
The world of communications has changed dramatically over the years that Charlie has been with us which is why we have once again updated the Healthwatch East Sussex communications strategy to inform our future plans. We want the public, partners and other stakeholders to be truly involved in our work.
Our aim is to communicate and engage with our local population to deliver our organisational vision of ‘People centred public services in East Sussex where all members of the public are empowered to have a say in service design and delivery.’
Key elements of our new communications strategy are to:
- Deliver clear and consistent communications and engagement approaches
- Build on our positive image as a trusted partner in the East Sussex voluntary and community sector, and health and social care system locally
- Continually develop effective mechanisms for meaningful and sustainable communication and engagement with key stakeholders, partners and the public
- Ensure that the views, comments and opinions of the public, our diverse local communities and service users are captured and used to improve local services
- Report our findings in a clear and accessible format
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Your feedback on health and care in October
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During October, our Information and Signposting service received 30 enquiries related to health and care services. We heard most about Dentists, GPs and Hospitals.
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Dentists – you told us:
- A majority of enquirers were struggling to find a dentist taking new NHS patients.
- People having problems accessing NHS dental appointments were a mixture of adults and children, and included both urgent treatment and routine requirements.
Please see our Healthwatch guide on dentistry which sets out your rights and offers advice.
Please tell us how dentistry is for you via our survey which is currently live.
GPs – you told us:
- Various concerns were raised including: delayed referrals, inadequate testing/diagnosis resulting in patients seeking private treatment, an NHS health check query, and no contact from a GP since new patient registration had been undertaken.
- Some references to limited access to face-to-face appointments and telephone appointment availability.
We are currently undertaking a Mystery Shopping exercise to explore information and signposting on GP websites and out-of-hours phone messages and will report on this shortly.
Hospitals – you told us:
- Concerns were raised around having a choice of which hospital to attend due to travel issues.
- Missed/late diagnosis potentially resulting in more difficult treatment for an infant.
- Reference to accessibility issues with a hospital’s complaints procedure.
Healthwatch East Sussex meet bi-monthly with East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust to feed back what we hear.
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Good or bad, we want to hear your feedback about your experiences of any health and care services in East Sussex. You can feedback anonymously if you prefer.
Your comments can help shape and improve future health and social care in East Sussex, so we want to hear from you. It all starts here. Let’s make things better for everyone.
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Tell Us Your Experiences of Dentistry in East Sussex
Our survey into people’s experiences of dentistry launched last month is still live.
If you have not yet participated, then please complete our questions via the link below:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/EastSussexDentistry2021
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So far, respondents have told us:
- some practices are performing very well, but others less so
- delays in obtaining appointments are common
- respondents are struggling to find NHS dentists accepting new patients
- finding up-to-date information on which dental services are operating and how to access them can be difficult
- it can be a struggle to understand what NHS dentistry charges and costs are
We especially want to hear from people aged 25 and younger. Your answers will help us understand public and patient opinion, which we will share with health and care providers and decision-makers.
Hard copies and support in completion is available and via:
enquiries@healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk or call 0333 101 4007
The closing date is midnight on the 30th November 2021.
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Book your COVID-19 booster now
Only 1 in 3 people have so far received their autumn booster, which is needed to top-up protection after the second COVID-19 vaccination.
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Who is eligible for COVID-19 boosters?
- everyone aged 40 and over
- frontline health and social care workers
- those aged between 16 and 39 with an underlying health condition putting them at greater risk from the virus.
- You must be at least six months (182 days) from the date of your second vaccination.
From Monday 8th November, you can book your booster appointment a month in advance for the day you reach the six month (182 day) milestone, rather than waiting days or weeks for a convenient appointment.
- If you have not been contacted and it’s been 6 months and 1 week (190 days) since your second dose, you can try to use the National Booking Service by ringing 119.
How do I get my COVID-19 booster?
- You can use the National Booking Service website or by calling 119 when you receive an invite from the national service (a text or a letter). If you have not been contacted and it’s been 6 months and 1 week (190 days) since your second dose, you can try to use the National Booking Service by calling 119.
- You may be contacted by your GP led vaccination service if they are not using the National Booking Service to arrange their bookings. This may be by text, letter or phone call.
- You can attend a walk-in session that is offering the booster vaccinations. See the latest list of sessions.
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These webpages are also available as documents for download, and hard copies are available through libraries, GP surgeries and other locations.
Documents are available in Easy Read/Large Print and 10 different languages.
If you would like one of the information leaflets or publications translated into your language, or have other queries, please contact Adult Social Care and Health on 0345 60 80 191.
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To achieve this, unvaccinated individuals will need to have had their first dose by 3rd February 2022, to have received their second dose by the deadline.
NHS England and NHS Improvement is working with NHS Employers, the Department for Health and Social Care and wider stakeholders to develop detailed guidance which will be issued in due course. Initial information is available here.
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Developing cardiology services at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust – share your views
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust have been looking at ways to improve the quality of their cardiology care (care of people with heart problems).
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They want to offer patients the best possible cardiology care. That is why they have launched a 12-week public engagement period on proposed changes to their inpatient cardiology services.
Their engagement period closes at midnight on Friday 14 January 2022. We hope you will take the opportunity to tell them what you think.
You can find lots of information here to help you respond to the consultation.
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Loneliness can have an enormous impact on people’s lives, their relationships and their wellbeing. In 2018 the following proportions of people said they feel lonely living in their local area ‘often’ or ‘some of the time’:
- Eastbourne Borough - 26%
- Hastings Borough - 30%
- Lewes District - 25%
- Rother District - 24%
- Wealden District - 21%
While most of us experience loneliness at some point in our lives, there are some groups who are at particular risk of loneliness; for example, young people, older people, those who are out of work and people living with a health condition or disability. Those with a heightened risk of loneliness are also likely to have been hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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You can help!
The Community Wellbeing: Connected People & Places project is inviting anyone who works or volunteers directly with residents in East Sussex to an online interactive workshop to gain your input about actions that can be taken on loneliness.
You can sign up on Eventbrite and join one of the interactive online workshops for the area you work in, or would like to attend, on one of the following dates by clicking on the place names below:
These workshops will explore steps to create a more connected and less lonely East Sussex.
This project is bringing together local authorities, the NHS, the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VSCE) sector and others - with the support of Collaborate CIC - to improve community wellbeing and tackle loneliness.
If you have any questions please contact Taj: tajwar@collaboratecic.com
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New pop up COVID-19 vaccination sessions planned for Hastings
From the 12th November a new series of pop up vaccination sessions in Hastings have been underway.
These take place at Asda in St Leonards on Sea as well as other community locations. People can get their 1st, 2nd or booster at the clinics subject to vaccine availability.
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If you haven't had your vaccinations - please use these clinics to get your important protection.
These are in addition to the services at the Kings Centre and in Hastings town centre.
See the latest list of COVID-19 walk in vaccination services.
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