Our Social Care Task Group
During Engagement activity carried out with Healthwatch Members and members of the public in October 2022, it was agreed that Healthwatch would focus on Social Care as our new priority from in 2023.
Primarily the focus will be on people who have been discharged from hospital and who have a social care need and are provided with a package of social care support.
Dementia
One of our work priorities is Dementia, we have been working closely with a number of people around dementia and in May 2022 in light of Action on Dementia Week 2022 we published our report ‘Living with Dementia in Stockport’. A lived experience report from people who deal and live with dementia everyday in Stockport. For Action on Dementia Week 2023 we are hosting a Dementia Awareness day for the people of Stockport. For more information on the event please click here.
GP Access
For the last year we have been asking you your experience while trying to access your GP. More than 600 people completed the survey and we are currently finalising the report. There has been a mixed response to the report with 38% of people giving positive feedback and 37% of people reporting negative feedback with the rest giving both positive and negative feedback. If you would still like to feed back to us about accessing your GP, please visit our feedback centre. If you are looking for to register for a GP, please click here.
One Size does not fit all in Mental Health and Serious Mental Health
We have been working closely with the Independent Mental Health Carers Group in Stockport to finalise a report around people's experience with mental health and serious mental health in Stockport. The report is 70 pages long and has some powerful stories and people's struggles with mental health and serious mental health. If you are looking for mental health support you can visit our mental health information page.
Finding an NHS Dentist
If you are looking for an NHS dentist you can use the 'Find a Dentist' tool on the NHS website.
You can also speak to our office team for any updates about local dentists as we are contacting dentists on a regular basis to keep up to date information on their capacity to accept new NHS patients.
Stockport Lived Experience Panel & Network
Do you or someone close to you have lived experience of a health condition or using social care services? Have you faced barriers and challenges accessing health care due to a condition? Or perhaps you run a health and social care community group to support others.
If so, we’d love you to join our Lived Experience Panel and Network. By getting involved, you’ll help us to better understahd your needs and in turn, be instrumental in helping us shape health and social care services for all.
Would you like to champion better care? Email us at info@healthwatchstockport.co.uk
British Sign Language Interpreters
Walthew House and Healthwatch Stockport have been working closely for several years to raise the issues that Deaf people face, particularly when accessing healthcare. Such as staff not knowing how to book British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters and much more.
If you have any feedback around any issues you have faced at the hospital, please contact us.
Join the Community Voice Partnership
Do you or your family use health and care services in Stockport? Do you want to help shape the future of health and care services in Stockport?
The Community Voice Partnership helps to ensure the voices of residents and communities are captured and included in the plans and decisions of Stockport’s health and care system.
More information will be provided soon so watch this space!
Volunteer with Healthwatch Stockport
We are currently updating our membership and giving refresher training and training for new members. For more information on becoming a member and what that entails alternately you can visit our events page here to find out when our next information session is.
There are many different volunteering roles in Healthwatch. To find out more about the roles click here.
Let us know your experience and views
If you feel like there is an issue we should look at in our work programme for the next year, please leave us feedback - this will allow us to look at common themes that are occurring.
