Welcome to our January newsletter
This month our newsletter includes:
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As the days lengthen and the weather starts to warm up (hopefully) for most people our mental health and wellbeing has a better chance of improving. A lot of this is to do with it becoming more attractive to spend time outdoors, especially in green spaces which have been proven to boost not just our mood but also our immune systems.
The recent decision by a judge to remove the right for people to go wild camping in Dartmoor, the only place in England where this was allowed, is bad news for everyone who wants to see the public have greater access to the countryside. With mental health problems growing for many, especially young people, we need more access not less to help take pressure off the NHS as well as improving our quality of life.
In East Sussex we are lucky to have good access to green space and the coastline but it is often the people who need that access the most who struggle to get there. For some ethnically diverse communities this is because they don’t feel welcome in the countryside, for the most deprived communities it is often because access is further away and transport is either not available or too expensive.
One of the best investments that the NHS and local authorities in Sussex could make is to help improve public access to green spaces and this could be made even more valuable if the public were given access to more land and rivers that are currently out of bounds.
John Routledge
Executive Director
East Sussex Community Voice delivering Healthwatch in East Sussex
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Healthwatch Poll: Your experiences of dentistry
This month Healthwatch in Sussex is working to gather the latest insight into people’s experiences of using or seeking to access NHS dental services in the county.
We want to hear from anyone who has had contact with any NHS dental services since 1st December 2022.
If you our yet to complete the short poll, you can do so here, or by clicking the button below.
Your feedback will help us tell decision-makers how things currently are for local people.
Poll Deadline: 31st January 2023
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Results for last month's poll
Last month we were looking to hear more about people’s experiences of donating blood to the NHS.
42.8% of participants had donated blood either regularly or in the past and 7.1% of participants said they would like to donate blood in the future.
If you want to give blood or to learn more about the process and who is eligible - please click here for more information from the NHS.
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Rising health and living costs: steps you can take
New data from Healthwatch England reveals an increase in people avoiding vital care due to rising costs, and highlights how the cost-of-living crisis is creating barriers to accessing necessary healthcare.
Below is some guidance on looking after your health during the cost of living crisis.
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1) Are you eligible for free NHS treatment and prescriptions?
You are exempt from charges for certain health services if you are:
- aged under 16
- aged between 16 and 18 and in full time education
- aged over 60
- on a low income and in receipt of certain benefits
Exemptions from charges may include NHS prescriptions, NHS tests and treatments, such as eye tests or dental treatment, and even reimbursement for some travel costs to appointments, depending on your circumstances.
For a full list of who is entitled to help with NHS costs and how to apply, check your eligibility here.
2) Can you save money with a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC)?
A PPC could save you money if you pay for regular prescriptions. As the NHS website explains:
- The certificate covers all your NHS prescriptions for a set price.
- A prescription costs £9.35 per item, but prepaying for an unlimited number of prescriptions is:
- £30.25 for 3 months
- £108.10 for 12 months (or 10 Direct Debit instalments of £10.81
- You will save money if you need more than 3 items in 3 months, or 11 items in 12 months
You can find further details about the certificate, and how to purchase it here.
Before buying a PPC, check if you’re entitled to free NHS prescriptions and other help with health costs using the NHS eligibility checker.
3) Are you entitled to a free eye test?
Some people are entitled to a free eye test, and maybe even an optical voucher to reduce the cost of glasses or contact lenses. This includes those with diabetes or glaucoma.
To find out if you are entitled to a free NHS sight test or an optical voucher visit the NHS website here.
If your job requires you to use display screen equipment (DSE), your employer must pay for a full eyesight test if you request one. Your employer may also have to pay for glasses in certain circumstances. Further guidance can be found here.
4) Are you entitled to extra help with heating costs?
Winter conditions present an increased risk to our health, especially if you are older or have long-term health conditions such as heart or kidney disease, asthma or diabetes.
There are various grants and benefits to help with heating costs, more information on the help you may be entitled to is available here.
East Sussex County Council has also set up a support page with help and advice around the cost of living crisis. The provides information and advice on what support there is for East Sussex residents. You can access the page here.
For more information about looking after your health during the Cost of Living crisis please visit our website here.
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Have your say on the health-related behaviour change service
East Sussex County Council is asking residents and stakeholders what they think about proposed changes to the local service that helps people to eat well, manage their weight, move more, quit smoking and drink less.
The consultation is open until 10 March 2023.
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Annual Health Checks for people with a learning disability
People with a learning disability may have worse physical and mental health than people without a learning disability and are more likely to experience a number of health conditions. There is also a likelihood of a shorter life expectancy than the general population.
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Because of this it is essential that people with a learning disability are offered an Annual Health Check and given a meaningful Health Action Plan afterwards.
There is a national target for 75% of people with a learning disability to receive an Annual Health Check and Health Action Plan, and the Sussex Learning Disability Health Facilitation Teams are supporting medical practices to ensure as many people as possible are seen by their GP or practice nurse every year.
If you are a parent, carer or service provider and believe someone in your care has not had a health check in the past year then please contact their GP to arrange one. If the person is not on the GP’s Learning Disability Register, they can arrange for them to be added. Please let the receptionist know of any reasonable adjustments that will make the appointment easier for the person.
There are many easy read documents available free of charge to help people understand various procedures. illnesses and medical conditions. Please contact your local LD Health Facilitation Team via email at sxicb.ldahfteastsussex@nhs.net if you require assistance with obtaining any easy read information or videos.
Some additional documents and resources that you may also find useful are available below:
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Cold Alert service for East Sussex
Cold Alert is a free service for the people of East Sussex that alerts you by text, voicemail, or email when there is severe cold weather forecast in your area.
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It provides information about when, where and how long a period of severe cold weather is forecast to help you plan ahead. For example, this may enable you to ensure that you have enough medication or access to prescriptions to avoid the need to go outside or travel.
The services runs until the 31st March 2023.
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Hear to Hear – An Overview of the Work of East Sussex Hearing
East Sussex Hearing provides a range of services to support the D/deaf, deafened and hearing-impaired community across the county, providing training and advice to individuals, businesses and organisations.
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The charity has a range of services to help address health deprivation in relation to hearing impairment. This includes, audio screening, hearing aid maintenance, British Sign Language (BSL) & Lip-reading classes. It also has an outreach service that fits hearing assistive equipment.
Key is the delivery of a programme of ‘Deaf Awareness Roadshow’ events; that are aimed at raising the issues of hearing loss and give advice on the support available, to not only those with hearing impairment, but also the wider community. This links in with programme of hearing awareness training workshops and audio audits which are offered to both the public, private and third sector.
With one in six of the UK population suffering hearing loss, and that figure increasing to one in five by 2030, the demands on the charity grow ever greater.
East Sussex Hearing continues to raise the profile of this most common and isolating of disabilities, yet one that is not seen and still lacks awareness.
It challenges the perception that hearing loss is more than an inconvenience, to be at best tolerated but more than often ignored.
For more information, please visit the East Sussex Hearing website here.
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Healthwatch East Sussex - Impacts of the rising cost-of-living on health and wellbeing Survey
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Healthwatch East Sussex is working to gather the latest insight into people’s experiences of the rising cost of living, including any direct impacts on your day-to-day life and changes in your behaviour.
We want to hear from anyone who has or is being affected by these changes, especially where they impact on your wellbeing, including the use of health and care services.
Your feedback will help us tell decision-makers how things currently are for local people.
Please spend 10 minutes to complete our short survey so that we can hear how things are for you.
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This follows on from work already carried out by the East Sussex Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise Sector Alliance, who have recently published a Position Paper on the Cost of Living Crisis and Financial Exclusion, which you can read here.
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