Welcome to our March newsletter
This month our newsletter includes:
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Throughout March the team at Healthwatch East Sussex have been busy sharing our Rye Listening Tour Report which we published at the end of February.
To date it’s been widely shared throughout our networks and we presented it at the East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board meeting in March.
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Over the next few months, we will continue to share the findings whilst following up the recommendations, especially the focus on accessibility of services. We will keep you updated on progress via future newsletters and on our website.
I am pleased to share that East Sussex Community Voice, our host organisation, has been successful in achieving 'Investors in Volunteers' accreditation. You can find more information about this towards the end of this newsletter.
I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all the incredible hard-working volunteers that support Healthwatch East Sussex. Their commitment and dedication is central to everything we do, and we couldn’t do it without them.
Veronica Kirwan
Executive Director
East Sussex Community Voice, delivering Healthwatch in East Sussex
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Order repeat prescriptions in good time ahead of the Easter Bank holiday weekend.
In your preparations for the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, don’t forget to order any repeat medications in good time, as GP practices will be closed and pharmacy opening times are likely to change.
To find an open pharmacy near you this Bank Holiday, you can visit the NHS England website via the link below.
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Healthwatch East Sussex share their Rye Listening Tour findings with the East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board
On the 5th March, our Executive Director, Veronica Kirwan and Communications Officer, Alexandra Hawkins presented our 2023 Rye Listening Tour Report at the East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board.
This was an opportunity to share what residents of Rye and the surrounding villages told us during the tour with local health and care decision makers.
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Residents told us they generally experienced a good quality of care, and appreciated the efforts of those delivering health and care services.
They also told us where they thought development and improvements could be made, including:
- the impact the current public transport system was having on people getting to services and appointment
- the lack of outreach services being available to people in Rural Rother
- the effects of cost-of-living on people's wellbeing
Following our presentation members of the board were able to comment and ask questions.
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Get your blood pressure checked
High blood pressure is the largest known single risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). It can lead to heart attacks, strokes and dementia.
CVD causes 1 in 4 deaths in England - around one death every four minutes and is a leading cause of disability.
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As the condition usually has no symptoms, it is estimated that 4.2 million people in England have undiagnosed high blood pressure. The only way to know is to get a blood pressure test, which is a free, simple, non-invasive procedure.
If you're aged 40 and over, you can get a free blood pressure check at your local participating pharmacy, without needing to book in advance.
Find a pharmacy that offers free blood pressure checks near you by searching “pharmacy blood pressure check” or visit the NHS website directly via the link below.
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What we are hearing, monitoring and doing? Quarter 3: October to December 2023
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Each quarter we draw together public and patient experiences of health and care shared with us via enquiries to our Information & Signposting service, reviews on our Feedback Centre, public events and through our community and professional networks.
This document is a summary of the things we have heard about health and care, the issues we are monitoring and the actions we are taking.
You can read our latest summary over on our website by clicking the button below.
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Children's mental health webinars launch for parents and carers
A series of online videos to help parents and carers support their children to manage a wide range of mental health conditions are now available.
The webinars are available to access via the Sussex Partnership website.
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Thousands of parents and carers across Sussex have benefited from the webinars that have already taken place.
The webinars are available to watch here and are part of rolling monthly programme.
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Sussex Surgical Centre – name announced for new facility at Eastbourne
The name of the new elective surgical facility at Eastbourne District General Hospital has now been formally announced as the ‘Sussex Surgical Centre’.
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The name had been chosen after a competition amongst NHS staff who had the opportunity to put forward their choices for a name for the new facility.
The Sussex Surgical Centre name is a combination of two winning entries, reflecting the role of the new centre and how it will support not just care in the Eastbourne and East Sussex areas, but across the whole of Sussex.
The project will deliver a modern, purpose-built day surgery unit which will include a preassessment area, four theatres, admission, recovery and discharge space as well as support facilities.
It will be open from 7am to 11pm and conduct procedures from 8am to 6pm, initially five days a week before moving to six days in the future.
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Healthwatch England response to the increase in dental charges
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On the 7th Match, the government announced that NHS dental fees will go up by four per cent from 1 April.
Responding, Chris McCann, Healthwatch England’s Director of Campaigns said:
“We are disappointed that the government has rejected our call to freeze NHS dental charges this year.
“Our latest research shows that one in five people are put off going to the dentist because of cost. This is up from 15% in March last year. Worryingly, 40% of those experiencing the greatest financial pressure said they had avoided going to the dentist because of cost, compared to just seven per cent of people who said were very comfortable.
“The rise in dental charges is compounded by that fact that last year’s increase of 8.5% was the highest on record.
“And while it’s true that some people are entitled to exemptions from NHS dental charges – they may not be able to benefit due to other dental pressures. We’ve heard from women during pregnancy and after birth, who don’t end up receiving free NHS dental care they’re entitled to, because they can’t find an NHS dentist able to see them during this period.
“There is a twin crisis of access and affordability in NHS dentistry that must be tackled. We’re calling on both DHSC and NHS England to ensure they fully promote the exemption categories and also the NHS Low Income Scheme which can partly but not fully cover dental charges for those who qualify.”
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