Information Round Up Thursday 25th April 2024
Welcome to this week's Healthwatch Stockport Information Round-up (IRU). Our Round up brings together news, updates, training and events from us at Healthwatch, local health and social care services, community groups and more.
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29 April: Healthwatch Afternoon Tea - Feedback Event
Have you or a loved one been recently discharged from hospital? If so, did you receive a package of care? We’d like to hear your experiences; positive or negative at our afternoon tea next week:
29 April, 1pm - 3pm at Marple Methodist Church, Church Lane, SK6 7AY
Places are limited, book your place at info@healthwatchstockport.co.uk or call 0161 974 0753
Unable to join one of these events? You can still share your experiences.
Our afternoon tea event is not the only way you can let us know your experiences. If you are unable to come, you can share your feedback in the following ways:
0161 074 0753
info@healthwatchstockport.co.uk
healthwatchstockport.co.uk feedback centre
The more feedback we receive, the better we understand your experiences, good, no so good or in-between.
Reminder: Four Exciting Co-Chair Opportunities Available (Closing Dates 30 April & 3 May)
Together with Stockport Council, Healthwatch Stockport are looking for three Co-Chairs with lived experience to help drive and lead the following partnerships and inspire change:
Making it Real Board - Adult Social Care
To support the current Chair of the Making It Real Board, working together with the wider group to ensure that the voices of people with lived experience of using adult social care services are heard and to help improve the lives of individuals, family and Carers who receive adult social care support in Stockport.
Click here for further details
Valuing People Partnership (Learning Disabilities)
To support the current Chair of the Valuing People Learning Disability Partnership to improve the lives and experience of people with learning disabilities, ensuring their voice is at the heart of all we do.. It meets every two months and is for people with learning disabilities, family Carers, voluntary sector and independent organisations, and advocates to discuss issues relating to learning disability services.
Click here for further details
Preparing for Adulthood
To support the current Chair of the Preparing for Adulthood Group, driving actions that are important to children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities and improve their lived experiences as they progress into adulthood.
Click here for further details
Role details
The Co-Chair roles will be paid an hourly fee, we especially welcome applications from all areas of our community who have lived experience related to the above roles. You or someone you care for may have used these local services.
Please share the attached flyers/adverts with anyone you feel may be interested.
The closing dates for the three roles is Tuesday 30 April.
For any questions, please get in touch with us at:
info@healthwatchstockport.co.uk
0161 974 0753
Community Voice Partnership
ONE Stockport is seeking a Community Voice Partnership Co-chair to help drive and lead the Partnership. You'll ensure the voices of residents and communities are captured and included in the plans and decisions of Stockport’s health and care system.
The Community Voice Partnership Co-chair role is a paid vacancy, and we welcome applications from anyone who has experience of the Stockport health and care system, whether this is as a service user, family member or a carer of someone using local health and care services.
Role description and application form
Send your completed application to info@healthwatchstockport.co.uk by Friday, 3 May,
Interview date: Monday, 13 May, 2024
For any questions, please get in touch with us at:
info@healthwatchstockport.co.uk
0161 974 0753
Help Shape Our Research on Follow-up Appointments
Details from Alison Johnson Healthwatch Stockport & Healthwatch England
Healthwatch England will be carrying out research on follow up appointments and planned care in the NHS. Routine follow-ups account for around two thirds of the total number of appointments in hospitals in England.
Background research suggests that the number of people waiting for follow-up care has grown in recent years. Healthwatch England will be sending a request to NHS trusts in England to get a sense of the size and scale of this problem.
At Healthwatch Stockport, we're keen to gather your feedback and listen to the experiences of those people who've received/waiting on follow up care, specifically:
a) feedback on follow-up care
b) are planning any research in this area
c) Have had any correspondence on Patient Initiated Follow-Up (where patients themselves choose whether or not to book in follow up-care).
You can get in touch with our team in the following ways:
0161 074 0753
info@healthwatchstockport.co.uk
healthwatchstockport.co.uk feedback centre
Celebrating Social Care This Month
Details from Healthwatch England
This month Healthwatch have been joining Skills for Care in #CelebratingSocialCare and the incredible people who work in care. It’s important that we all take time to recognise the work that people who work in social care do and the impact this has in supporting people who draw on care to live their lives how they choose.
Share For Better Care Healthwatch Campaign
Details from Healthwatch England
Share for Better Care’ is an ongoing 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.
0161 074 0753
info@healthwatchstockport.co.uk
healthwatchstockport.co.uk feedback centre
NHS Blood Screening Testing in Stockport
Details from Alison Barbuti, Alison, Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance
Over the coming weeks, hundreds of participants in Stockport who enrolled on the NHS-Galleri trial in 2021 will return to mobile clinics for their last of three appointments for the NHS trial new cancer screening blood tests.
Participants will be asked to give a blood sample to help the NHS see if using the Galleri® blood test alongside existing cancer screening can help detect cancer early. Finding cancer early often means it is easier to treat.
Volunteers were all aged 50 to 77 years old at the point of enrolling onto the trial and had not been diagnosed or treated for cancer in the last three years.
NHS Prescription Charges From 1 May 2024
Details from Healthwatch and Gov.uk
Department of Health and Social Care announced that charges for NHS prescriptions, wigs and fabric supports will increase on 1 May 2024.
Charges for prescriptions and prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) will increase by 2.59% (rounded to the nearest 5 pence). Charges for wigs and fabric supports will increase by the same rate.
A prescription will cost £9.90 for each medicine or appliance dispensed, an increase of 25 pence. The 3-month PPC will cost £32.05 and the 12-month PPC will cost £114.50.
The hormone replacement therapy (HRT) PPC will cost £19.80, an increase of 50 pence. This is because the rate is set at twice the single prescription charge.
Have Your Say on Future Breast Screening
Details from Stockport Council
The Public Health team are keen to hear your views about the future of breast screening in Stockport in a quick survey.
There are currently mobile unit that visits; Shaw heath, Bramhall, Brinnington, Marple and Romiley. The team are now looking into the possibility of having an additional breast screening site located at a venue in Stockport town Centre.
Reminder: Spring COVID-19 Vaccinations
Details from UKHSA
You can book your Covid-19 Spring Vaccination using the NHS national booking system until 30 June. With COVID-19 still circulating, it’s important those at highest risk who are eligible get their vaccine to help top up their immunity:
- Adults aged 75 years and over.
- Residents in a care home for older adults.
- Individuals aged 6 months and over who have a weakened immune system.
The NHS is sending texts, emails, NHS App messages or letters to those who are eligible, but they do not have to wait for the invite to book. Anyone eligible can book via:
NHS website (nhs.uk/get-vaccine)
119 for free (translation services available).
Reminder: MMR Vaccinations Available at Some Local Pharmacies
Some pharmacies across Greater Manchester are now able to offer the MMR vaccination, including Scorah Chemist in Bramhall.
Anyone aged 16 and over who've missed their MMR vaccinations can walk into one of the participating pharmacies to get their vaccination. Children aged five and over who are otherwise unable to get the vaccination can also use the service.
updated information on the website
If you think you or your child may have measles, stay at home and phone your GP or NHS 111 for advice. Stay away from GP surgeries, A&E departments, and other health care venues.
April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month
Details from Bowel Cancer UK
If diagnosed at the earliest stage, nearly everyone survives bowel cancer, however this drops significantly as the disease develops. Visit the NHS website to learn more about the main symptoms of bowel cancer. You can find out more information about bowel cancer, get support and more by visiting Bowel Cancer UK's website using the button below.
Bowel Cancer Awareness Month | Bowel Cancer UK
Cycle and Stride Project
Details from Lizzie Austin, Pure Innovations
CeraCycloan are an alternative education provision, bike shop, workshop and restorative organisation in Stockport and have just celebrated their tenth anniversary.
They're running an exciting new project to promote cycling, good physical and mental health. Under 18’s will need to be accompanied by an adult.
For further information, contact Ceracycloan:
0161 474 0990
There are a number of community groups, events and activities taking place across the borough. Please see the details and/or attachments and continue to share with others.
Stockport Carers Network
Details from Julia Hewer, Signpost for Carers
The next Carers Network meeting will be taking place on 1 May at Torkington Centre, Hazel Grove - the historical home for Signpost! This event is open to anyone with a caring role in Stockport, and those who work with carers.
The focus for this session is practical support, and the event aims to be a good introduction to what might be available for carers privately, from the Voluntary, Community, Faith, Social Enterprise (VCFSE) and statutory services. Hear from Ableworld Stockport, Carecall and others about practical support for you and the person that you're caring for.
Space is limited, and booking recommended. Please see the flyer for details.
Vacancy: Peer Support Worker (Learning Disability)
Details from Claire Lilley, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
Do you have experience of using learning disability services? The NHS Foundation Trust are advertising to work within their Learning Disability Services as a Peer Support Worker.
A Peer Support Worker is someone who draws upon and shares their own experiences of learning disability and accessing health and wellbeing support and / or using mental health services. They'll inspire and inform others in similar situations and support them in finding their own path to wellbeing.
Closing date: 2 May
Peer support workers :: Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
Job vacancy: Peer Support Worker, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, Bury | trac.jobs (nhsjobs.com)
Menopause Awareness With Stockport Mind
Details from Louise Gresty, Stockport Mind
Stockport & District Mind is proud to be offering free Menopause Awareness sessions to small to medium-sized enterprises (SME) across Greater Manchester. New dates have been added including:
Menopause Awareness for Managers:
Thursday 23 May: 2pm – 4pm
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/875283214657?aff=oddtdtcreator
Tuesday 4 June: 10am – 12noon
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/875196946627?aff=oddtdtcreator
Menopause Awareness for Employees:
Thursday 14 May: 2pm – 3.30pm
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/875280205657?aff=oddtdtcreator
Tuesday 11 June: 9.30am – 11am
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/874719057247?aff=oddtdtcreator
Walthew House - Introduction to BSL Courses
Details from Walthew House
Walthew House are offering introduction to British Sign Language (BSL) courses and have two upcoming dates. Course last for eight weeks.
Thursdays starting 2 May, 10am –12pm
Tuesdays starting 30 April, 7pm –9pm
Cost: £50 (£45 for Friends of Walthew House Members)
To book a place on either of the courses, contact Walthew House by:
0161 480 2612
They require full payment to secure your place (by cash, cheque or bank transfer).
Individual Placement & Support in Primary Care Programme (IPS)
Details from Margo Borish, The Growth Company
Are you a disabled person or do you have a long term physical or mental health condition which makes it difficult for you to find and keep work?
The Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) is a free programme to help you find work and/or stay in work. The service supports people with disabilities, mental health conditions and/or long-term health conditions who want to find and maintain employment. It also supports people currently in-work, but facing any barriers.
You can receive access to a personal Employment Specialist who will act as a link between you, your health professionals and your employer to make sure your individual needs are met in the workplace. They too can help you and your employer to implement reasonable adjustments.
The support programme can also help you find the right job based on your skills and abilities, contact potential employers on your behalf, help you with job interview preparation, benefits, self employment advice, and more.
With their two new IPS team members on board, we they have more capacity for referrals (with no waiting list), and accepting new participants over 16 years old.
How to access the Programme:
Contact your health professional to refer you to IPSPC
0161 237 4111
www.gcemployment.uk/wwipspc to register and find out more about eligibility
Dementia United Delirium Training
Details from Helen Pratt, Dementia United, NHS Greater Manchester
Dementia United, alongside carers with lived experience, are delivering a free online delirium training session, for family members and carers during Dementia Action Week in May.
The online training is free and open to all family members and carers.
Thursday 16 May, 4:30pm – 6:30pm
The training will cover;
- What delirium is
- How to identify delirium - look out for the signs
- How to prevent delirium
- Getting help when you need it
- How to manage delirium
To join and receive a calendar of training, email gmhscp.dementiaunited@nhs.net
Training Courses Coming Up
Details from Chris Hughes, Stockport Homes
Stockport Homes are running another free Skills for Life (SFL+) and there a variety of other training opportunities, please see the details and attachments below:
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.
