Information Round Up Thursday 22nd February 2024
Welcome to this week's Healthwatch Stockport Information Round-up (IRU), filled with news, updates, events and more. Our Round up brings together updates from us at Healthwatch, our health and social care services, community groups to name a few.
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Healthwatch Event - Bookings Now Closed
With less than a week to go, bookings have now closed for our Healthwatch Stockport Network Event! The event is taking place from 12pm to 3.30pm on Wednesday 28 February.
Attendees will hear about what we, Healthwatch Stockport, have been working on and are invited to get involved in our plans for 2024/2025. We're also welcoming special guest speaker, GP, Viren Mehta, who'll share key developments in Primary care. We will share more details soon.
NHS to roll out ‘Martha’s Rule’
Details from Healthwatch England
NHS England has today announced the rollout of ‘Martha’s Rule’ in at least 100 hospitals across England from April, enabling patients and families to seek an urgent review if their condition deteriorates.
This escalation process will be available 24/7 to patients, families and NHS staff, and will be advertised throughout hospitals, making it quickly and easily accessible.
Read more, including Healthwatch CEO, Louise Ansari's response
Share For Better Care Healthwatch Campaign
Details from Healthwatch England
‘Share for Better Care’ is a new campaign launched by Healthwatch to help address health inequalities across England.
When services are under pressure, feedback on care can be crucial to identify what is working and what issues need fixing. But not everyone's voice is being heard.
'Share for Better Care' aims to encourage more people, particularly people from ethnic minority communities and people living on lower incomes, to feedback about their care. The insight they provided will help us to identify national and local health inequalities and to improve the quality of care provided to everyone.
Measles - What to Look For and Get Protected
Details from Stockport Council
There is an increase in cases of measles in Stockport and the best way to protect you and your family from catching measles is to get vaccinated at your GP surgery.
Everyone born after 1970 needs to have two doses of the MMR vaccine to be fully protected. These are normally given to children around their first and third birthdays.
If you are unsure if you or your child is up to date with their vaccinations, please check your child’s Red Book or contact your GP surgery.
Anyone with symptoms is being advised to stay at home and phone their GP or NHS 111 for advice. Measles symptoms to be aware of include:
- high fever
- sore, red, watery eyes
- coughing
- aching and feeling generally unwell
- a blotchy red brown rash, which usually appears after the initial symptoms
Reminder: Pathway to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
Details from Healthwatch Greater Manchester
Have you tried to access CAMHS, or are you the parent or carer of someone who has? We know there are long waiting times for young people to be seen and we want to investigate how this is affecting them. Our findings will help decision-makers in statutory NHS and Care services, as well as in the education and voluntary sectors, to effectively prioritise services.
We have a launched a survey to gather young people's personal experiences, as well as a separate survey open to parents and carers for them to share their experience of supporting their children. We want to know more about the pathway to accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), as well as the Autism/ADHD diagnostic paths.
If you're a child aged 13 and over who started looking for support within the past 2 years, you can take part in the survey below:
Children and young people's survey
If you're a parent or who has supported a child or young person trying to access care, please use the link below:
Feel free to be completely open and honest. The information collected will always be anonymised, which means that it will not be possible for someone to identify you by your answers. Please take care not to include any personal details in free text boxes (e.g. name and address).
New Disability Action Plan Launched
Details from Sector 3
The government has launched its Disability Action Plan, setting out the 32 steps they're taking to make the UK accessible for disabled people to live, work and thrive.
The Disability Action Plan actions include:
- A new fund to support disabled people who want to be elected to public office
- Building an online information hub for councils on creating accessible playgrounds
- A new working group to educate businesses on the legal rights of assistance dog owners and make it simpler to report when they are refused access to a business
- Leading new research into emerging issues affecting disabled people in the UK over the next 20 years
Apply For Help With Childcare Costs
Details from Sector 3
Parents and Carers need to apply for the next term of pre-school childcare support by the end of February.
Many families are missing out on support because they simply don’t know they are eligible. And from April 2024, the childcare support offer is expanding to include younger children, meaning even more working parents can get help with their childcare costs.
For more information and to apply, visit Childcare Choices.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority Hate Crime Survey
Details from GMCA
GMCA are reviewing their Hate Crime Strategy for the next four years. Share your feedback in their survey, which closes on Monday 18 March.
GMCA developed their first Greater Manchester Hate Crime Plan in 2019 to prevent and tackle hate crime. The current plan looks at
- how we raise awareness
- improve support for victims
- increase the confidence to report
- how we can prevent hate crime from occurring
They're refreshing this plan for 2024 onwards and want your input to shape the future priorities and focus. If you’ve been a victim or witness of hate, they want to hear about your experiences, whether you reported it or not. Sharing your experiences and suggestions will help the GMCA to get a better understanding of what is working and what can be improved
Need support?
If you’ve been a victim or witness of hate crime, do not use this survey to report it, you can find out how to report it, access support and more information on letsendhatecrime.com or call 0161 200 1950.
Stockport Foodbank Easter Egg Appeal
LGBTQ+ Events This Weekend
Details from Stockport Libraries and Ellen Brookes, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
Two exciting events are being held at the Stockport Central Library this weekend.
The first; 'Spilling the Tea on our History' event is taking place on Friday 23 February (6.30-8pm). This free event will be a relaxed discussion about LGBTQ+ history. Light refreshments will be available. See the poster for ticket details.
The second event; 'LGBTQ+ Rainbow Famiiy Crafts and Questions' drop in is being hosted by Proud Trust and sponsored by the Town of Culture. It's a celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month so stop by between 12 and 3pm on Saturday 24 February and enjoy tea, cake and a chat.
The Big Help Out 2024: Open Webinar
Details from Sector 3
The Big Help Out is a national campaign designed to inspire volunteering and is taking place from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 June 2024.
The campaign aims to reduce barriers for communities currently under-represented in volunteering. An incredible 7.2 million people took part in The Big Help Out 2023. It was the UK’s biggest ever day of mass volunteering.
This webinar will provide practical information about the campaign, including:
- What The Big Help Out is all about
- How volunteer-involving organisations can participate
- How The Big Help Out can support volunteer recruitment and engagement
There are two dates to choose from:
Wednesday 6 March, 10am - 11.30am
Wednesday 3 April, 10am - 11.30am
Join The Community of Foster Carers
Details from Stockport Council
If you are ready to start your fostering journey but not sure if it is right for you or your family, why not join a monthly information session? These events are free and are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 6pm at Stockport Town Hall.
You can talk about the role of a foster carer, different types of fostering, local support and training and Stockport's Mockingbird support package. You'll also be able to find out more about tax free payments, meet the fostering community and connect with people who are just starting their fostering journey.
To find out more
0161 474 3400
fosteringstockport@stockport.gov.uk
Energy & Utility Debt Advice Pop-up
Details from Stockport Council
Stockport Council are hosting a pop-up advice session on Friday 23 February (1pm - 3pm) at Bredbury Library.
The Pop-up will include energy saving tips, advice for energy and water bills, as well as support around energy and utility debt to keep everyone feeling warm and well this winter.
If you can't make the drop-in session, visit our keeping well in the winter webpage for advice around staying warm and well during the cold spell.
PS. You can also see our Healthwatch Stockport 'What to know this Winter' leaflet
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust Fundraising Challenge
International Women's Day Events in Stockport
Details from Sector 3 and ARC
Flourish Lunch & Learn Series: Flourish Together is hosting three online Lunch & Learn events to celebrate the power of inclusion for diverse women pioneering social change, to enable Flourishing Futures for All.
I am Woman - The Goodness Collective International Women’s Day Celebration: Celebrate with all the awesome women who have come through the Wave of Change project so far on Tuesday 5 March, 10.30am - 2pm at Stockport Library
Make a Difference IWD Community Awards: A chance to celebrate our local Sheros and Heroes who do amazing work yet are not recognised for their selfless work in our local community. The event is on Friday 8 March at Edgeley Park
Training Courses Coming Up
Details from Christopher Hughes, Stockport Homes
For more information about any of the courses or to book a place, contact:
0161 474 2862
customer.training@stockporthomes.org
Skills for Life Plus (sk-y-light.org)
Priority given to Stockport Homes’ customers.
North West Ambulance
Latest Edition of North West Ambulance Service Magazine
LGBTQ+
GM Ethnic Communities
information and Signposting
For up to date health and social care information, signposting and guidance call Healthwatch Stockport on
0161 974 0753 10am - 2pm or email info@healthwatchstockport.co.uk
Visit our Information and Signposting directory
Do you have a health or social care experience you want to share – how did your last appointment with your GP or dentist go? Are you happy or frustrated with the service you received – let us know so we can work with local services to influence better commissioners and better outcomes for you and your family.
