News and reports

The Department of Foot Health cares for a wide range of foot and lower limb problems amongst the population of Sandwell and West Birmingham community, with the primary focus on preventative care to minimise the risk of complications which are associated with, but are not exclusive to, diabetes. A number of specialist clinics tailored to each patients need are provided, including: nail surgery, neurological foot service, biomechanics, diabetic foot care and specialist wound care management, rheumatology, pod paediatric clinics and Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Urology is the medical term focusing on the urinary tracts of men and women, and on the reproductive system of men. The Urology Department at both City and Sandwell Hospital sites provide a general urological service as well as sub-specialist tertiary referral care. The team of consultant urologists is supported by junior medical staff and clinical nurse practitioners providing a wide range of services for benign and malignant urological
conditions.

The Young Adult Diabetes Transition Clinic is a service aimed at providing care, treatment and education for young people with diabetes aged from 19 to 24 years old depending on needs. The paediatric specialist diabetes doctor will refer young adults to the transition clinic when they are ready.

Diabetes UK information on ethnicity and diabetes references research that states people of African Caribbean (and Black African and South Asian) ethnicities are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than the white ethnic population and at a younger age, 25 years old compared to 40 years old. Age related diabetes can also develop much earlier at around 50 years old compared to 70 years old for the White population.

Here are the meeting minutes for our Health Advisory Board meeting held on 24th October 2023

You might remember our Guided By You tour where we held six workshops in six Towns around Sandwell. We visited each Town and spoke to local people about their priorities. We have collated the comments and suggestions from people in each town, this information is now ready in our Guided By You report which is not live!

Want to see what people in your local area are saying? Use the download button below to see what people are saying in your area.

Join us for our Health Advisory Board Meeting 24th October 9:30 am. For information on joining, please contact us on;
0121 569 7211 or email us at info@healthwatchsandwell.co.uk

Celebrating World Menopause Day and Menopause Awareness Month 2023

October is World Menopause Month, and October 18th celebrated as World Menopause Awareness Day, with the focus this year on cardiovascular health. Established in 2009 by the International Menopause Society in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), World Menopause Month aims to raise awareness of the menopause and the possible associated health issues, whilst promoting support options available to improve the health and wellbeing of those navigating the menopause transition.

Healthwatch Sandwell Insight Report - September 2023

Take a look at what the team have been doing during September!

Healthwatch Sandwell are aware the challenges people facing regarding getting GP appointments, especially during the pandemic. We would like to capture the other side of GP surgeries, what are surgeries doing to improve the patient experience?

This will help:

• Inform patients about improvements the surgeries are making

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

• Promote PPGs

Take a look at our August Insight Report to see what patients are telling us about services in Sandwell.

Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre is one of the largest tertiary level facility of its kind in Europe which provides expertise in clinical care, research and education. It is based at City Hospital in Birmingham and is part of the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust. It receives referrals from hospitals and GPs across the region.
It offers a comprehensive set of services including ophthalmology Accident and Emergency, diagnostics, day surgery and outpatients, as well as housing administrative and educational facilities – all services :
https://bmec.swbh.nhs.uk/services/