Healthwatch Torbay is the independent champion for health and social care in Torbay, South Devon, home to over 130,000 people in the three main coastal towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham.
We take your experiences of using health and care services - both good and bad, and share these with those who have the power to make change happen.
On Sunday 13 November, a Remembrance Service will take place at the Cenotaph in Princess Gardens, Torquay.
The service is an opportunity for all faiths, cultures, and backgrounds to unite and remember the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces community from Britain and the Commonwealth.
It is also an opportunity to show appreciation for military and civilian personnel who continue to serve. After the parade to the Cenotaph, there will be the traditional two minutes of silence at 11am, followed by a short service and the laying of the wreaths.
Pregnancy is a major life event for any family. It can be joyful and fulfilling but also challenging.
With one in four women experiencing mental health problems during pregnancy and in the first year following the birth of a child, support from maternity services can significantly impact their mental health and wellbeing.
Healthwatch have launched a national survey to understand better what is working and what needs improving for people who develop mental health difficulties relating to their maternity experience.
Our national survey aims to give you the opportunity to share your views and experiences to help us better understand what is working and what needs improving for new parents. For instance, we want to know whether the support you received for your mental health during pregnancy and birth met your needs. We also want to see if you had your six-week postnatal check-up and what it was like.
Click the play button to watch a BSL interpreted video of our report on YouTube
Accessing services in Devon: Feedback from the Deaf community
In 2022, Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay held a series of meetings with the South West representative of the Royal Association for Deaf people to discuss various concerns that were being raised around access to British Sign Language (BSL) qualified interpreters.
These concerns include:
Interpreters to support appointments in hospital and GP surgeries
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust are looking for new members to join their council of Governors to help to influence and shape their priorities and be an essential link in providing feedback for them from the local communities they severe.
This is a voluntary role, they welcome a wide representation and no formal qualifications are required, just simply an interest in healthcare and a keenness to represent your community.
They currently have several vacancies for Public Governors. These consist of:
3 vacancies for Public Governors in the Torbay Constituency
2 vacancies for Public Governors in the Teignbridge Constituency.
1 vacancy for a Public Governor in the South Hams and Plymouth Constituency
1 vacancy for a Public Governor in the Rest of the South West Peninsula Constituency
Nominations are open from 10 November and close at 5pm on 8 December 2022
What people have told us about Urgent and Emergency Care services
This Healthwatch England briefing discusses people’s experiences of urgent and emergency care (UEC) services from December 2020 to August 2022.
It mentions how Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay reported on four Emergency Departments across Devon in September 2021. At all four hospitals they found that people had gone to the emergency department because they could not access another service, such as the GP or NHS 111. In one visit to one of the emergency departments they found that over half (51%) of patients attending were there because they couldn’t see their GP.
The key themes identified included:
People feel confident that they will receive high-quality care from urgent and emergency services, but believe they will have to wait a long time to receive it.
People’s confidence in services changed throughout the pandemic.
Those who were admitted to hospital following a visit to A&E were more likely to say their confidence in the service had increased.
Older people have lower level of confidence in urgent and emergency services.
Protect yourself and your baby – vaccinations available during pregnancy
Flu and Covid-19 can cause complications during pregnancy that could harm you and your baby.
Vaccines offer the best protection against these dangerous viruses. The NHS has recommends that, if you are pregnant, you get vaccinated against flu to protect you and your baby from serious illness. It is also recommended that you have a Covid-19 booster vaccination, if it is more than three months since your last dose.
Do you have a child who is short-sighted, or are worried they may become short-sighted in the future?
Staff at the University of Bradford want to hear your (and your children’s) views on short-sightedness and the new ways it can be manage it.
They have an online focus group running on Tuesday 29th November 6:30-8:30pm, which will give you information about what short-sightedness is, why it happens, and what methods can be used to stop it getting worse. The discussion group is currently only open to UK residents and includes children up to the age of 18.
If you have any questions, or are interested but cannot attend this date, please email myopia-research@bradford.ac.uk to be considered for future meetings.
The Torbay Community Helpline which started initially for those affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic is open to the people of Torbay to request help, volunteer their assistance or refer anyone they believe/know needs help.
The helpline is operated by staff, volunteers, associates and partners of Torbay Community Development Trust, with funding from the National Lottery Community Fund and Office for Civil Society.
The phone line is open on 10am to 6pm on Mondays - Friday and 11:30am - 12:30pm on Saturdays.
Carers' Celebration and Information Day is taking place at Paignton library on Saturday 19th November from 10:30am to 2pm.
The day is about celebrating Carers Right Day and launching plans for Torbay's Young Carers Under 25.
There will be a variety of things happening throughout the day such as family friendly activities, live music, arts and crafts, information stands, carers advice and support and so much more...
Everyone is welcome!
For more information you can email, signposts@nhs.net or call 01803 208455
Click the play button to watch the video on YouTube
Help with the cost of living in Torbay
Would you like to learn some useful tips on keeping household costs down?
Torbay Council, Citizens Advice South Hams, Torbay Community Development, Healthwatch Torbay and Citizens Advice Torbay have partnered together to produce a series of videos showing you how you can reduce household costs.
The first video is now available to watch, it focuses on how you can save money on food bills.
SignHealth are a passionate and caring Deaf-led team working towards a future where there are no barriers to good health and wellbeing for Deaf people, they partner with the NHS and service providers across the country.
In 2020, we changed the way we produce our email newsletters, and will be using this version to share purely Healthwatch Torbay bulletins from now on.
If you would like to continue to receive a local in-depth email newsletter like this one from Engaging Communities South West, please click the link below to subscribe.
Healthwatch Torbay
Paignton Library & Information Centre
Great Western Road
Paignton
TQ4 5AG
Telephone: (Freephone) 0800 052 0029
Text Message: 07469 244112
Email: info@healthwatchtorbay.org.uk
Healthwatch Torbay is the independent champion for health and social care in Torbay, South Devon, home to over 130,000 people in the three main coastal towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham.
