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HWS were hearing from local people about how Covid -19 was affecting their mental health, so decided to conduct a study into access to mental health and well-being services in Sandwell during COVID - 19 pandemic.
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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. -
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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. -
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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.
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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. -
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Healthwatch Sandwell would like to share their deepest condolences to the Royal Family following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll. -
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Today we held our Annual Public Meeting.
If you were unable to join us you can always look through our presentation to keep up to date and see what we talked about during the event. -
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‘Patients in waiting’ – experiences of hospital treatment pathways and how to change to ‘patients in preparation’ for treatment.
A report by Healthwatch England (HWE) states that people in deprived areas are waiting longer for treatment2. Based on the average deprivation score Sandwell is ranked as the 12th most deprived local authority in England3. Healthwatch Sandwell (HWS) wanted to build upon the HWE findings to explore what the backlog in NHS treatments means for Sandwell resident patients and consider what might improve the ‘patients in waiting’ experience. -
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Eveappeal are delighted to launch our free, interactive, health-education lesson plans for young people aged 7-13, covering the topics anatomy, menstrual health, HPV and cancer. -
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See what the Healthwatch Sandwell Team have been doing in our summer news letter. Why not save the dates from our ‘where we will be section’ and come and talk to us and share your Health and Social Care experiences. -
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Healthwatch Sandwell is your independent consumer champion for
health and social care services in Sandwell. -
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Throughout the pandemic, Mental Health in young people exacerbated due to minimal socialising with the lock down, not attending education and having to support relatives. -
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Flo is a new text messaging service for pregnant women and new parents. It shares useful information throughout your pregnancy and when your child is born. -
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Open letter from NHS, charity and community leaders to people with a weakened immune system. -
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As we progress toward confirming a go-live date for One Health and Care, the new digital shared care record for the Black Country and West Birmingham, we are seeking your support to make local people aware of this new system before launch. -
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Our colleague and Friend John Taylor sadly passed away on the morning of May 25.
John worked hard to raise the profile of Healthwatch, initially as Chair of Healthwatch Walsall before moving across to sit as the Chair of Healthwatch Sandwell in 2019. John was well known and respected for his tremendous work throughout the Black Country and for his great input into the work that Healthwatch England has done. -
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A number of patients had contacted Healthwatch Sandwell during the COVID-19 pandemic as they have been unable to register with a National Health dentist. -
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During January and March we engaged with a staggering 948 people, supporting individuals with GP issues, prescription problems, patient care at Sandwell General Hospital, transport concerns and much more. -
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Black Country NHS needs your help to develop an all-age autism roadmap that will guide how organisations across the Black Country support autistic children, young people and adults, and their families and carers. -
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Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospital Trust are inviting Sandwell residents to workshops about the new hospital, Midland Metropolitan University Hospital:
Proposed changes to Day Case Surgery
Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Smethwick is opening in 2023 and in order for us to provide the highest standard of care we need to make some changes now in preparation for the opening of the new hospital. -
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Everyone will have 2 vaccines, one now and the 2nd one 8 weeks later. After 3 months you will need a booster vaccine. It is very important now the lockdown has ended and we are returning to normal life. -
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Healthwatch Sandwell would like to hear from people in Sandwell to help decide their main priorities for the next 12 months. We are asking for people to complete a short survey about their experiences with local health and social care services. -
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Have you been referred by your GP to hospital for an appointment, treatment, or operation? Are you still waiting? If so Healthwatch Sandwell would like to hear from you. -
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The Pharmacy First service is available for patients registered with practices in the Black Country and West Birmingham.
If you are exempt from prescription charges then you can access this service which gives you over-the-counter medicines rather than you needing to see a GP to receive the medication on a free prescription. -
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Do you want to contribute to maintaining the standards of excellence in local health and social care? Apply to become a Healthwatch Sandwell Health Advisory Board Member. -
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Healthwatch England published the second piece of research on GP referrals, which was based on the experiences of 1,518 people who have asked for a GP referral for tests, diagnosis or treatment. Nearly one in five (18%) of those people required four or more GP appointments to get a referral. Healthwatch England have called on decision makers to do more to understand the referral process eg. collect national data, and to improve communication with patients.
They secured an exclusive article with the Times to highlight the issue of referral delays. -
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Hello May,
Healthwatch Sandwell latest ebulletin. -
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Healthwatch Sandwell will be visiting premises throughout 2023. Keep up to date on the latest Enter and View reports on our website or following us on socials media! -
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9.9% of the Sandwell population have diabetes, which is higher than the National average at 7.1%. and the West Midlands at 8%. NHS G.P. Practice data 2020-21 for Sandwell indicates an overall upward trend. Sandwell also performs poorly on inter-related health conditions, has lower healthy life expectancy and higher mortality rates from preventable deaths. (Sandwell Trends - Public Health England statistics)
Healthwatch Sandwell would like to collaborate with health, care and support services to ensure patients voices are heard. To help inform and improve services Healthwatch Sandwell would like to hear from Sandwell residents living with diabetes. -
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Healthwatch Sandwell (HWS) have the power to visit health and social care services, where health and social care is publicly funded and delivered. This power to Enter and View services offers a way for HWS to meet some of their statutory functions and to collect evidence of what works well. HWS use this evidence to make recommendations to commissioners and providers of health and social care services and to inform changes both for individual services as well as system wide and to improve people’s experiences. -
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During July Healthwatch England launched new research which shows people are experiencing catastrophic health impacts as a result of NHS appointments, procedures and operations being delayed or cancelled.
The Daily Telegraph says “Did you know 4 in 10 NHS patients face multiple delays in treatment?” -
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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.
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Good mental health is essential for individuals, families and communities to thrive.
Mental health is not just about preventing mental illness, but also improving the things that keep us well in our communities.
Our social connections, the environment we live in and the opportunities we have all affect our health and wellbeing, including our mental health.
Mental health is a natural part of everyday life, and individuals with mental health challenges can lead fulfilling lives and actively participate in our community.
The Sandwell Better Mental Health strategy 2023-2026 focuses on improving population wellbeing and preventing mental health issues. Our goal is to make sure that people experiencing mental health problems can get the right care at the right time and at the right place, while also supporting everyone in Sandwell to have good mental wellbeing. -
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We will be back open on 28th December as normal. -
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Message from Healthwatch Sandwell Manager Alexia Farmer and update from the team! -
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Join us at our January Health Advisory Board meeting where we will be talking about our current projects, our future work and team updates. -
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We will be holding our Public Healthwatch Advisory Board Meeting on January 23rd. Please contact us if you would like to join us online. -
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Ideas Made Real is for young people aged 16-24 to turn their social action projects and community ideas into reality. Each successful young person will receive an award of up to £8,000 and expert support from United By 2022’s youth team to bring their project to life. Whether it's addressing homelessness, promoting mental health awareness, or improving their surroundings, Ideas Made Real is designed by young people, for young people. Ideas Made Real is part of our GEN22 programme and last year’s projects won a national award.
To celebrate the West Midlands turning 50 this year, Ideas Made Real will hand the reins over to young people to create lasting impacts in their neighbourhood, their community and their home. If you have ever felt that no-one is doing anything about an issue that you care about, then this is for you. Previous participants say that Ideas Made Real made them feel confident and connected, and proud they made a difference for a community important to them, or in the place they call home. -
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Come and say hello to Leanne and Melissa who are offering advice, information and signposting the second Thursday of every month! Leanne and Melissa are also hear to listen to your Health and Social Care experiences. -
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Come along and talk to Melissa at one of the locations shown below! We want to listen to your patient experiences. We can also offer information, advice and support.