News and reports

World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day brings together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic.

Today gives people the opportunity to spread awareness of the pandemic and and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.
Supporting Sandwell with the cost of living.

At first glance this case study and description of events sound relatively straight forward that
is, a person with a progressive degenerative neurological disease > receives support at home >
receives care in hospital > moves to a respite at care home > moves to a more suitable care
home, however, this person’s experience has highlighted many obstacles within the process
and has been fraught with difficulties.

This report will provide an overview of the services at Asda Pharmacy and will provide
customer experience feedback.

Residents of Sandwell regularly express frustrations with accessing GP Surgery
appointments.

If you need to book a blood test at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, there is a process in place. To book a blood test call 0121 507 6104 Monday to Friday, between 8am – 4.30pm. Alternatively you can email swbh.phlebotomy@nhs.net to book an appointment. Please include your name, date of birth, contact number and the date you require your blood test and someone will contact you within one working day.

Healthwatch Sandwell is your independent consumer champion for health and social care services in Sandwell. Our job is to champion the consumer interests of those using the services and give local people an opportunity to speak out about their concerns. We listen to views, concerns, and compliments about services to help shape and improve them so that people are accessing the most quality and appropriate care.

Healthwatch Sandwell is your independent consumer champion for health and social care services in Sandwell. Our job is to champion the consumer interests of those using the services and give local people an opportunity to speak out about their concerns. We listen to views, concerns, and compliments about services to help shape and improve them so that people are accessing the most quality and appropriate care.

Working with voluntary community sector organisations who provide support to carers HWS gathered insight on the experiences of being a carer in Sandwell during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In her speech to the Conservative Party Conference today, the health secretary repeated much of what she had announced on 22 September in ‘Our Plan for Patients’, with slightly less rigid language over patient access to GPs.

Healthwatch Sandwell are aware the challenges people face regarding getting GP appointments, especially during the pandemic. Our report on The Patient Experience of Accessing Primary Care Services will follow shortly.

We would like to capture what surgeries are doing to improve the patient experience as this will help:

• Inform patients about improvements the surgeries are making

• Build relationships with Practice Managers and Patient Participation Groups (PPG)

• Promote PPGs

Today the public have been invited to take part in a National Moment of Reflection to mourn the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and reflect on her life and legacy.