Healthwatch Round Up - 23 January 2025
Welcome to this week's Healthwatch Stockport Information Round-up!
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#TeamHealthwatchStockport
It has been an insightful and rewarding week. We've ventured across Stockport to connect with local health and social care services and meet the community. We supported the Age UK Stockport 'Winter Warmth' drop in event, presented at the Mental Health Network Forum, Co-Chaired the Community Voice Partnership, joined the Equity Network meet up, and more.
We also welcomed our second SMILE learner for 2025 - Sam, a student nurse! We’ve supported the SMILE Education placement programme for over a year. It offers opportunities for healthcare students to work in primary, community and social care settings and gain experiences.
Get Involved: 'Share for Better Care Week'
To raise awareness of the impact of your feedback, we'll be celebrating our annual 'Share for Better Care Week', from 24 February - 2 March. Organised by Healthwatch England and the Care Quality Commission, the campaign encourages more people to share their feedback to drive improvements in health and care.
Public feedback about NHS and social care support helps services spot problems, identify what's working well, and areas for improvement. Whether you work in the NHS or social care or receive support from them, you can play your part by asking others share feedback on care with us. Watch this space.
Healthwatch Articles & Advice You May Have Missed
Please see the latest news, advice and support articles from us and Healthwatch England.
Joint-letter about the dangers of ‘corridor care’
Healthwatch England and a coalition of trade unions, professional bodies, charities and patient groups, call for an end to treating patients in corridors and other inappropriate spaces.
How can we better support people to stop smoking and vaping?
Smokers and vape users can struggle to access stop-smoking services and education. Their feedback reveals poor promotion, long waits, and inflexible support and outlines steps that could help more people kick the habit.
What should I do if my GP removes me from their list?
GP practices very rarely remove patients from their list. If you are removed from a GP practice, you may need to register with a new one.
Check out our website for more news, advice and informative articles.
Healthwatch Stockport’s Information & Advice Service
Did you know that we run an Information and Advice Service? Whether you're struggling to find the right care, looking for an NHS GP or dentist, looking for a community group, wishing to share your views on a service and more, we're here to help you.
Do you run a local community group or coffee morning? If so, we would love the opportunity to come and talk to your group about the Information & Advice service we offer. Ger in touch soon to book us in!
If you would like further information or to book a session, please contact Claire:
info@healthwatchstockport.co.uk
Greater Manchester Smokefree Hospitals Campaign
Details from NHS Greater Manchester
The NHS Greater Manchester have launched their Smokefree Hospitals campaign, which will run across hospital signage, posters and social media. The campaign supports our NHS trusts towards a future where our hospitals are sanctuaries of health and recovery and make smoking history.
New Video Urges Smokers to Quit During Pregnancy
Details from NHS Greater Manchester
Smoking during pregnancy is one of the things that causes babies the most harm. Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer at NHS England, leads some of our experts in a new video on why it’s so important to not smoke during pregnancy and how the Greater Manchester Smoke Free Pregnancy Programme can help.
Mastercall Patient Forum
Details from Mastercall
Mastercall are very proud to receive fantastic feedback about the services they deliver. In order to further improve our services, they’ve announced their next patient forum on:
4 February 1-2pm.
The purpose of the forum is to act as a two-way channel between Mastercall and its patients. It will achieve this by seeking the views of their patients to inform the way that their service and facilities might be improved.
You can choose to attend in person at their base in Hazel Grove, Stockport or online.
If you’ve been a patient of Mastercall and are interested in attending, contact Alice Burden on:
Cervical Cancer Awareness
January marks Cervical Cancer Month, which raises awareness to those whose lives impacted by cervical cancer, find solutions, and remember those we've lost.
In the UK, around 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, with over 800 losing their lives. Across the UK, health organisations, charities, and communities are joining forces to educate people about the importance of regular cervical screenings (also known as a smear test) and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations.
Central to this year’s campaign is the emphasis on the HPV vaccine - shown to significantly reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer. Therefore it’s so important that children have this vaccine. HPV is a common virus spread through skin contact (usually when having sex). The HPV vaccination programme is offered to children aged 12 to 13.
Find out more here.
Have Your Say: LGBTQ+ Network Priorities
Details from Stockport LGBTQ+ Network
The Stockport LGBTQ+ Network will be setting its priorities for the next 18 months.
As part of this they're looking for specific suggestions from LGBTQ+ people and organisations, as well as their allies, on what the network should focus our efforts around.
The network already has several plans for events during this period. The aim of this survey is to focus more on areas to influence lasting change in Stockport.
Have Your Say: Type 2 Diabetes Care
Details from NHS Greater Manchester
When someone is newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes they should be offered a series of face-to-face education sessions, to help them manage their condition.
NHS Greater Manchester want to hear if you were invited and attended these sessions, and if so, what you thought of them. They'd also like to hear from you if you chose not to attend, so they can design future sessions that better suit your needs. There are several ways you can share your views:
Send a text or video (including BSL) via WhatsApp on 07786 673762;
Register to attend one of their focus groups or drop-in session, by clicking the link:
You have until 2 March to share your views.
Have Your Say: NHS Talking Therapies
Details from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) are running a survey to hear the views and experiences of people who've used NHS Talking Therapies, in particular, about your experience of pre-assessment (also known as triage):
NHS Talking Therapies are psychological therapies for people who are experiencing depression or anxiety disorders.
The survey will take about 15 minutes and closes at midday, Friday 7 February.
Have Your Say: Cancer Patient Experience Survey
The National Cancer Patient Experience Survey aims to understand the experiences of cancer care by asking for patients to give feedback on the care they've received.
Feedback will be used to understand where care is working well and how NHS cancer services can be improved at a national, regional, and local level.
The survey details were sent to those people who are eligible. If you were invited, don’t miss the opportunity to take part as the survey closes soon.
For more information, please visit www.ncpes.co.uk
Change NHS: Don't Forget to Have Your Say
Details from Healthwatch England and NHS
Have you shared your views on how NHS services can be made better? This feedback campaign has been described as the “biggest ever conversation about the future of the NHS.”
To share your experiences, views and ideas visit change.nhs.uk. The website will be live until early this year, and via the NHS App. If you’re sharing feedback as a representative of an organisation, the NHS has asked you to complete the organisation questionnaire.
Have Your Say: Help Improve ADHD Services
Details from NHS Greater Manchester
Join a Lived Experience Group: Online sessions will run on these dates:
28 January 2025, 6pm -7pm
25 February 2025, 6pm -7pm
Help shape the future of ADHD services! For more details or to register, visit:
https://gmintegratedcare.org.uk/childrens-adhd-services/
Call or WhatsApp: 07786 673762
Have Your Say: Digital inclusion Survey
Details from Stockport Council
Stockport Council’s are running their Digital Inclusion survey to find out if you are struggling to get online and discover ways of improving access.
By completing the survey, you'll be entered into a draw to win a Laptop.
The GM Health & Care Champion Awards are back!
Details from NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care
Nominations for the Greater Manchester Health and Champion Awards are open! The Awards recognise our paid and unwaged workforce in health and care services across Greater Manchester. They're organised by NHS Greater Manchester, with support from the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham. Categories include Community Champion and Lifetime Achievement, along with Green Initiative of the Year - new for 2025.
Get Involved: Improving Mental Health of Muslim Women
Details from NIHR (National Institute of Health Research)
A research team from the University of Hertfordshire is looking to speak with women of Muslim faith, aged 18-24, who have low mood or depression.
This study will evaluate a new faith-based therapy programme, which aims to promote and improve mental health and wellbeing of young Muslim women.
How it works:
Those who take part will be randomly allocated to receive one of two programmes:
1. Faith-based intervention - group therapy developed to reflect the Muslim faith and culture.
2. Usual psychoeducation group support - standard mental health programme.
Taking part involves:
- Attending one 90-minute group session (up to 10 people) each week, for six weeks.
- Those who take part in the study will be involved in the study for 6 months
- Completing questionnaires
To find out more and sign up for this research, visit their website or see the attached poster:
youtube video which provides an overview.
Get Involved: Respiratory Infections Lived Experience Group
Details from NIHR (National Institute of Health Research)
Manchester Biomedical Research Centre is working on a number of research studies looking to improve diagnosis, treatment and care for a wide range of respiratory infections.
They are setting up a Lived Experience Group to help them shape all stages of respiratory research (e.g. generating ideas for research, recruitment approaches, helping design content of patient information documents)
- The first meeting will be on Monday 3 February and last 2.5 hours (approx.). This meeting will explain what future meetings and activities will be like to help you decide whether you want to continue to be involved
- No previous experience of research is required.
- This group is being led by Vocal, a not-for-profit organisation, hosted by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with researchers at the University of Manchester.
How it works:
You will be asked to attend three or four meetings a year. Each meeting will last two hours (approx.)
Participants will receive £25 per hour. An additional £5 per meeting is available if online expenses are incurred.
Get Involved: Prostate Cancer Care Research
Details from NIHR (National Institute of Health Research)
The University College London and Prostate Cancer Research are carrying out a study to better understand the experiences of black men taking treatment for Prostate Cancer. The opportunity is open to everyone:
- 18 years and older
- Black men taking treatment for Prostate Cancer
What is this research about?
In the UK, black men are twice as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more likely to die of the disease. The study aims to understand what it's like for black men to take treatment. This is part of a larger project to explore ways to improve treatment and care, also identifying whether certain treatments are more effective for men of different ethnicities.
How it works:
The study will involve a 30- 60 minute interview in person or online via Teams. The interview will explore topics relating to your experiences and your perceptions of Prostate Cancer and its associated therapy and side-effects. As a thank you, you'll receive a £20 voucher.
For more information, contact the research team:
Stevie Mcintosh: Sm01966@surrey.ac.uk
Dr Kayonda Hubert Ngamaba: k.ngamaba@ucl.ac.uk or sop.transform@ucl.ac.uk
Please click the link to consent to the study
Stockport Rocks! is Back For 2025!
Details from Sector 3
Stockport’s official Volunteer Awards, will be returning to Edgeley Park on Tuesday 20 May. They are led by Sector 3 and Stockport Volunteer Hub in partnership with Stockport Council, Stockport County Community Trust and Marketing Stockport with headline sponsorship from KAO Data.
Sector 3 are currently looking for sponsors to donate money/products/time/contacts to enable them to put on this mass event. See the attached sponsor pack. This is a fantastic opportunity to support Stockport’s communities, celebrate volunteers and align your business with community values.
There will be 12 award categories to recognise those who give back. The nomination window opens 1 - 28 February - details to follow.
Holocaust Memorial Day Civic Commemoration 2025
Details from Stockport Council
To mark Holocaust Memorial Day, there will be a couple of events taking place in Stockport.
Commemoration: The commemoration will take place on Sunday 26 January, from 11am to 12.30pm at the Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery, SK3 8AB. Due to limited capacity of the venue, it is essential that you confirm your attendance by email to mayors.office@stockport.gov.uk .
Information on local car parks can be found on the council’s website.
Stockport Libraries Events:
- To mark Holocaust Memorial Day, Stockport Libraries will be having displays in all libraries.
- A Remembrance Event will be held at Bredbury Library on Monday 27 January, 2pm - 4pm. At the event they'll share life Stories, readings, poetry and you can get involved in the interactive activities on the day.
Stockport Human Factor Event
We are thrilled to announce the upcoming Stockport Human Factor Event on 4 March, from 9:30am to 1pm at Stockport County Football Club.
Based on the fantastic feedback from previous local Human Factor events, they're excited to offer a day filled with networking opportunities, a chance to showcase your work and explore ways to work together to improve our community's mental health and wellbeing.
To book your spot, please click here
Parent Carer Forum SEND Information Day
Details from PACT
PACT will be hosting their upcoming Stockport Parent Carer Forum SEND Information Day later this month. This event is a fantastic opportunity to connect with other parents, carers and families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Some of Healthwatch Stockport will be there too!
Tuesday 28 January, 9am - 3pm
Alma Lodge Hotel, 149 Buxton Road, Stockport SK2 6EL
Stockport Mind's Blue Brothers Tribute Night
Details from Stockport Mind
Following the success of last year’s event, the hugely popular Soul Men – Blues Brothers Tribute Act AKA ‘Jake and Elwood’ are back or a musical fundraiser.
Friday 21 March at Cheadle Hulme Conservative Club
The Blue’s Night will be brought to you by resident Quiz Master Rob Keen's Quiz Night and promises a night of music, dancing and entertainment. In addition, there'll be a tombola and a raffle where you can win some fabulous prizes!
Tickets cost £10 and include one free raffle ticket.
Help Create Stockport's Next Mural
Do you want to help create Stockport’s next mural? Well, you can!
@mikesian.studio are hosting two hands-on creative workshops on Saturday 1 February in the Hatworks Museum to help create a huge indoor mural for the opening of @stockr__m.
The workshops are open to all and entirely free to take part! Capacity is limited so book your space via the link on their Instagram page.
Further Events & Community Activities across the Borough
Boost: Women's Boxing will be taking place in February.
Volunteers: Walk and Talk Groups
Details from Stockport & District NCT (National Childbirth Trust)
NCT are looking for Walk & Talk Volunteers to set up and run a Walk & Talk group in the Stockport area.
Volunteers will be supported every step of the way by the Volunteering Team at NCT to help launch their Walk & Talk group. This is a flexible opportunity and volunteers can get involved with as little as two hours per week (at a day and time that suits you).
Training: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
If you potentially come into contact with people in distress, please take some of these free online learning opportunities:
Suicide Awareness for Professionals (suitable for anyone): Evidence-based training developed by 4MentalHealth and delivered in half-day classroom or Zoom sessions by local Stockport trainers.
- Helps you understand how distress develops and how people can be best supported.
- Gives you the confidence and skills to equip someone in distress with the knowledge of how to make a Safety Plan.
info.wellbeing@stockport.gov.uk for more information
Zero Suicide Alliance - suicide awareness: The Zero Suicide Alliance has a series of online training modules. The suicide awareness training is a 30-minute online course aimed at anyone aged 16 and over. The course includes coached scenarios sharing approaches for how you can talk to someone you’re worried about.
MindEd: MindEd offers free online training around suicide and self-harm prevention for people working with adults and children.
Healthy Minds Greater Manchester online course: The Royal Society for Public Health offers an online course for anyone living or working in Greater Manchester. At the end of this one-hour course you will better understand:
- the difference between mental health and poor mental health.
- the things we can do to help us cope with our negative thoughts and feelings.
- the benefit of talking and sharing our thoughts and feelings with someone we trust.
Samaritans online advice: Not a training course, but very useful reading on what anyone can do if worried about someone else, including supporting someone with suicidal thoughts, and a section on myths about suicide, and one on active listening tips.
And don’t forget to look after yourself too: NHS Every Mind Matters provides simple tips and advice on looking after our own mental health:
www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/
Training: Walthew House Tech Drop ins
Details from Walthew House
Walthew House are offering a drop-in session for assistive technology users. If you need help with your phone, tablet, laptop etc, they have knowledgeable volunteers on hand to help you get the most out of your devices.
Drop-ins will be on the last Thursday of each month. Follow Walthew House socials for updates.
The first session will be held on Thursday 27 February, 1pm - 3pm.
Training & Skills Support: WorkWell
Details from Stockport Council
Stockport Council have announced three new initiatives aimed at helping people to access work and skills support.
WorkWell: a UK Government funded initiative aimed at supporting those in work, that are at risk of losing employment, or are very recently unemployed, due to a health condition.
Greater Manchester is one of 15 locations to pilot this programme. In Stockport, this programme is being jointly led by Stockport Council and the NHS, in partnership with Viaduct Care who'll employ Work and Health Coaches to undertake assessments and action plans for participants. WorkWell will run until March 2026, supporting over 800 Stockport residents.
In Work Progression: commissioned by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and will provide Stockport residents in work, with limited career progression opportunities, to either support their progression by, for example, upskilling. This initiative will support around 300 Stockport residents over a period of two years.
The Work and Skills Navigator is a new Council post, and will act as the single point of contact for residents, employers and front line services supporting customers, seeking help for work and skills needs.
All three initiatives will be based in community settings, linking in with the network of Family Hubs and local libraries, and the range of services delivered from these settings.
Training: Autism Courses For Families
Details from Autisk
The Greater Manchester Autism Consortium run a number of courses ans support groups aimed at families and carers of those with Autism. These include courses around understanding sensory needs, supporting stress and more.
Booking is essential, for more information please visit https://www.autismgm.org.uk/events or email gmac.nas.org.uk
Training Courses Coming Up
There are a variety of training courses including those from from Skills For Life (SFL) and others. Please see the attachments below:
For Men to Talk
‘For Men To Talk’ w/c 20 January 2025 Meetings
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care
Integrated Care Partnership Update: 10 Jan 2025
King's Trust
Upcoming courses from The King's Trust
Sector 3
Volunteer Grant, Transforming Public Procurement, Data Storytelling + more
Starting Point
Stockport Council
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.
