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Advice and Information -
Four questions staff should ask you or a loved one about your oral health if you’re a care home resident, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence quick guide. -
Advice and Information -
Are you having trouble finding an NHS funded dentist? Read our tips on what to do if you’re facing problems. -
Report -
When deaf patients persevere with the consultation without a BSL interpreter it invariably results in misinformation and then misdiagnosis. -
Report -
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. Dentists were not taking on new patients and were not offering routine checks (due to COVID-19 restrictions). However, some patients were able to access a dentist for emergency treatment.
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Report -
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. -
News -
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. -
Advice and Information -
How can I get the most out of my next visit to the dentist? Take a look at our tips to help you prepare for your appointment and make sure you understand your treatment and how much it will cost. -
Advice and Information -
If you are struggling, feel alone or need a little help, then check out our guide on how you can get the support you need. -
Advice and Information -
Do you know about your rights to language support in NHS settings? -
Report -
Communication needs due to a disability, sensory loss or an impairment are covered under the Equality Act 2020 and the NHS Accessible Information Standard (2016) which states that NHS funded health and social care providers must meet the information and communication needs of people who access services. Communication should be undertaken in ways that meet identified needs and information should be provided in formats that are clear and easy to understand. -
Report -
NHS health and social care services care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard 2016. This includes doctors, dentists, hospitals, pharmacies and social workers. The Standard sets out a specific, consistent approach to identifying, recording, flagging, sharing and meeting the information and communication support needs of patients, service users, carers and parents with a disability, impairment or sensory loss. Healthwatch Sandwell have explored with people with disabilities, sensory loss, or impairments
whether health and social care services are meeting their information and communication needs as required under the Accessible Information Standard 2016. -
Report -
Healthwatch Sandwell listen to what people say about their health and care services.
We tell health and care services what people said and how they can make things better. -
Report -
NHS health and social care services care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard 2016. This includes doctors, dentists, hospitals, pharmacies and social workers.
The Standard sets out a specific, consistent approach to identifying, recording, flagging, sharing and meeting the information and communication support needs of patients, service users, carers and parents with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.
Healthwatch Sandwell have explored with people with disabilities, sensory loss, or impairments whether health and social care services are meeting their information and communication needs as required under the Accessible Information Standard 2016. -
Advice and Information -
Healthwatch Sandwell have worked directly with residents with disabilities, impairments or sensory loss, families, carers, and local community support organisations to look at and identify the key issues where services are failing to meet people’s accessible information and communication needs and provides guidance and suggestions on what could work to better meet needs. -
Report -
Healthwatch Sandwell is your local health and social care champion. We make sure NHS leaders and decision makers hear your voice and use your feedback to improve care. We can also help you to find reliable and trustworthy information and advice.
Over the past year we have published 22 reports, engaged with 2,043 people and visited six towns of Sandwell delivering our Guided By You workshops. -
Report -
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.
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Report -
Here are our January Insights from the Healthwatch Sandwell Team!
Click the link below to see what we have been doing. -
Report -
Healthwatch Sandwell is an independent organisation that champions the voice of Sandwell residents in their health and social care services. Experiences and insight gathered from engaging and listening to people is shared with health and social care providers and commissioners to help inform and improve services.
Successful management of living with diabetes and reducing associated health risks requires patient and health care services to work together. NHS healthcare services have a responsibility to ensure patients are offered diabetes management education, so that they are well informed and able to be involved in managing their condition and decisions about their care, including medications. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance also recommends an individualised approach, is required to meet any patients’ needs and circumstances including dietary advice, culture and beliefs.
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Advice and Information -
10.1%Sandwell adults are registered with diabetes. People from ethnic communities African, African Caribbean and South Asian (Indian, Bangladeshi & Pakistani) have a higher risk of developing diabetes and at younger age than white population. -
Advice and Information -
The Accessible Information Standard is mandatory for all organisations that provide National Health Service (NHS) or adult social care.