IRU - Thursday 16th February 2023 | Healthwatch Stockport

Welcome to this week's Information Round-up

This week has been a busy week for Healthwatch, we have been discussing social care and the issues we face today, we have now had our first Enter and View training since Covid-19. The Strategic Monitoring Group (SMG) met and talked about the projects we are currently working on. We have now published our second Inform newsletter, if you would like you a paper version you can find out how to receive one below.

You may have missed these recent articles that we have published since the start of the year.

If you want to receive the IRU link weekly you can sign up here and you will receive an email every week with the link as soon as it is public.

Take part in our Social Care Project

Healthwatch is undertaking a project focused on examples of people not getting the right help when they need social care support.

We are doing a series of interviews with people, who feel overlooked or underserved by the current social care system. We want to understand the impact this has on your life.

We are doing these interviews to support us in arguing for improvements to the social care system. We are particularly interested if you pay for your own social care but are struggling to cover the costs, but we are interested in all experiences.

We are able to offer up to 10 people £100 each to take part in this research.

More information

Read our Latest Inform Newsletter

We have now published the latest Inform Newsletter - Winter 2022/23. There is many updates including issues affecting the Deaf community, progress on our Learning Disability programme, The Big Conversation, Social care and much more.

Read the newsletter here

Access to your GP in Stockport

last chance to have your say on accessing your GP in Stockport. So far over 500 people have fed back to us about their previous experience, join them and have your voice heard and help us shape health and care services in Stockport. We will be closing the survey on Tuesday 28th February 2023.

Take the survey

An open letter to NHS England to improve the Accessible Information Standard

Our national partner Healthwatch England (HWE) have published an open letter to NHS England to express disappointment at the lack of progress in reviewing the legally-binding Accessible Information Standard (AIS).

It’s been nearly a year since HWE launched the Your Care, Your Way campaign to highlight that everyone should receive healthcare in a format they need, be it British Sign Language, easy read or electronic.

Here are a few highlights of the campaign so far:

HWE formed a coalition of UK’s leading charities and organisations that work with people with additional communication needs.
HWE shared experiences from more than 7,000 people who struggled to access healthcare because they didn’t get health and social care information they can understand and communications support if they need it.
HWE’s Freedom of Information request to NHS trusts concluded that many health services fail to comply with the AIS, which the Government established to protect people’s rights to accessible healthcare.
HWE called on NHS England to improve the AIS to make sure everyone, especially people who have sensory impairments and learning disabilities, gets healthcare information in the way they need it.

More information

Overeaters Anonymous in Stockport

About

Overeaters Anonymous is a Fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength and hope, are recovering from compulsive overeating. We welcome everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively. The OA Programme is based on the twelve step recovery programme of Alcoholics Anonymous. In OA we admit that we are powerless over food and cannot manage our eating behaviours alone. In OA we find others who can help us to find a saner and more beneficial way to deal with our eating problems and our living problems.

More information

Eating Disorder Awareness week is 27th Feb to 5th March 2023.

You can find your closest Overeaters Anonymous meeting below

Find a meeting

Menopause Awareness Training supported by Stockport & District Mind

Message from Louise Gresty (Stockport and District Mind)

Menopause Awareness Training supported by Stockport & District Mind

Mind in Greater Manchester are funding a project to improve health outcomes for women and people experiencing reproductive health issues through delivering workplace training, raising awareness of the issues and an improved mindfulness offer.

Menopause affects everyone; the people going through it, their colleagues, friends and families. The menopause awareness training is a 3-hour interactive and practical workshop, which highlights its challenges and gives participants the information and knowledge to better support others going through this transitional time of life.

Menopause Awareness for All

90 min workshop of all employees or volunteers

Who is it for:

Employees and volunteers in any workplace or organisation.

Menopause affects everyone; the people going through it, their colleagues, friends and families. This essential course will give participants the information and knowledge they need to navigate or support people in this important, transitional life stage

Workshop style:

The workshop will be interactive and practical. It will provide ideas, tools and build confidence.

Content:

During the session you will learn about:

The effect of falling hormones and the range of symptoms that they can cause.
When it happens, how long it can last.
What can help.
How you can support a friend or colleague.
The positives!

Dates:

Wednesday 22nd February 2023: 1.30pm – 3pm (on Zoom)
Wednesday 1st March 2023: 1.30pm – 3pm (on Zoom)
Thursday 2nd March 2023: 2pm – 3.30pm (on Zoom)

Book on

Supporting Employees Through the Menopause Course

A 3 hour course for managers.

Who should attend:

If you manage people, you should attend this course.

The course is aimed at equipping managers, supervisors and HR professionals to support employees in the workplace throughout their menopause journey.

Workshop style:

The workshop will be interactive and practical. It will provide ideas, tools and build confidence in managers to effectively support their staff.

Content:

The workshop will cover:

What is the menopause
How the menopause can affect people in the workplace
Why this is important. Including; business continuity, legislation and reasonable adjustments
How to create a menopause friendly environment
How to support and hold appropriate and effective conversations with employees going through the menopause

Following attendance, you will receive an E-Resource pack full of information and links to further support.

Course Dates:

Monday 8th March 2023: 1.30pm – 4.30pm (on Zoom)
Wednesday 13th March 2023: 9.30am – 12.30pm venue to be confirmed)

Book on

Womens Health 22nd Feb Course

Download (PDF 578 KB)

Stockport Maternity Voices Partnership

Message from Meg (Stockport Maternity Voices Partnership)

About

Stockport Maternity Voices Partnership is an independent formal committee where service users, service providers, commissioners, and VCSE stakeholders work in partnership to make positive improvements to local maternity services through centering service user voices. It links with clinical networks and local communities to contribute towards local and regional strategic direction and advises on all aspects of maternity care as well as gathering feedback to inform decision making.

On 29 March we're holding a planning meeting to agree priorities for our organisation for the year ahead. As a group of people who directly or indirectly work with pregnant or new families we would like to extend the invitation to you. It is vital that your voices are represented to reflect an holistic approach to planning - without your organisation's involvement planning will lack this critical area of expertise which, if you take part, could have a positive impact on the safety and experience of the pregnant population.

We recognise time and resources are pressured and we would like to understand how we can ensure a wider breadth of participants. To help us understand this, we would be grateful if you could complete the attached barriers to participation survey, especially if you are unable to attend.

Take the survey

Meeting details

29 March, 7-9pm

Online

Click here for meeting link

If you're unable to attend this meeting we warmly welcome you to our bi-monthly meetings. The dates and times for these will be published shortly and will vary in days/day parts to enable participation. Please email StockportMVP@gmail.com to be put on the distribution list for these.

Get Onside - Mental Wellbeing football - Monday nights at Stockport Sports Village

Message from Steve Flynn (BOOST)

Please see details of a new Mental Wellbeing football session that we have launched in partnership with Stockport Town FC and Life Leisure, taking place every Monday evening, 7-8pm at Stockport Sports Village in Woodley.

Sessions are free, inclusive, mixed gender and all abilities welcomed.

If you know someone who might benefit, please get in touch or complete the attached form. Cheers for now!

Go to form

Get Onside Flyer 080223

Download (PDF 1.08 MB)

Monthly Poetry Club 40+ at Disability Stockport

Please see attached info on a new Peer Support Poetry Group at Disability Stockport. It will be held on the first Friday of every month for people interested in poetry, who over 40 years old.

Isbah will be running the group there & if you need any more info, please contact her; Isbah Hussain isbah.hussain@disabilitystockport.org.uk

POETRY CLUB PURPLE Disability Stockport

Download (PDF 185 KB)

[Job opportunity] Stockport and District Mind

Message from Louise Gresty (Stockport and District Mind)

We are subcontracted by Signpost Stockport for Carers to deliver a crucial element of the Carers Support Hub work; supporting people identified as Carers (unpaid family/friend carers) of those with mental health problems.

We are looking to recruit two Mental Health Carers Support Workers to support our work with Carers in ways that recognise their expertise and promotes their wellbeing.

If this sounds of interest to you, you can find out further information and details of how to apply by visiting our website;

Stockport and District Mind's website

City of Trees Initiative

Message from Chris Hughes (Stockport Homes)

Groundworks are offering Free Green Skills Training Courses for Greater Manchester Communities – see attached flyer for details.

Green Skills RRV Courses 2023

Download (PDF 3.65 MB)

Concessionary pass questionnaire

Message from Mariana Pacheco (Connect with 10GM)

Since the Covid-19 pandemic fewer people are using public transport in Greater Manchester. However, the reduction has been greatest amongst older people: concessionary pass use in Greater Manchester usage is considerably lower than pre-pandemic levels.

To understand more about why this is the case, and to help ensure that the Bee Network is accessible and attractive to all age groups, Transport for Greater Manchester, the Greater Manchester Ageing Hub and the Greater Manchester Older People’s network are asking for your time completing a short questionnaire. We estimate this questionnaire will take a maximum of 10 minutes to complete. This is the link to the online questionnaire.

The questionnaire is designed for completion by those eligible for an older person’s concessionary pass. If you need assistance to complete the questionnaire, please phone 0161 244 1000. The survey is open until 3 March 2023.

If you are an organisation working with and for older people we ask that you:

Promote the survey through your networks to encourage completion.
Your organisation and staff may want to support older people to access and complete the survey in your activities and services.

You can find the questionnaire here: Concessionary Pass Travel 2023 (tfgm.com)

Diabetes is Serious Survey

Message from Lisa Holland (Diabetes UK)

Since the pandemic, people living with diabetes have told us they’ve faced cancelled appointments and struggled to speak to their healthcare teams. This needs to change. No one should have to manage diabetes alone.

We know how important it is that people living with diabetes get the right care and support, but we need your help to make sure everyone – especially those with the power to make change – knows it too.

That’s why we’re asking you to share our quick survey. Learning about the experiences of people living with diabetes over the last year will help us fight for diabetes care to be a priority in 2023. Whether it’s hearing about cancelled appointments or people not getting the emotional support they need, we’ll be taking the results from this survey straight to the Government.

We already know that when we come together, we can make a real difference. Thanks to thousands of people who shared their experiences last year, our Diabetes is Serious campaign had a huge impact in 2022. We were able to tell nearly every MP just how serious diabetes is and worked with many of them to submit letters and questions to the Government to make diabetes care a priority.

Please share our survey with your contacts, to help us keep diabetes at the top of the agenda: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/8R1O64/