Healthwatch Bulletin - Health, Social Care and COVID-19 (18.6.21)
Welcome to our bulletins on health and social care and COVID-19 (including the vaccination roll-out). These are attached as separate documents for you to click on and download. Please note that we plan to issue our updates on a monthly basis going forward.
In our series of bulletins you can find updates on:
Attachment 1: You can read about Healthwatch activities and health and social care services.
This month, Healthwatch celebrated being awarded a 3-year contract extension, and the amazing work of our volunteers. We are currently recruiting for a project assistant and we are looking for people to join our new public engagement panel. We published two reports, and the outcomes from our Healthwatch in Sussex webinar on conversations about End of Life: What's important to you. Young Healthwatch published a report exploring Young People's perceived barriers to accessing video/phone mental health appointments.
Attachment 1 also contains information on dental services, several surveys for you to take part in, information about choosing if data from your health records is shared for research and planning, and advice on prostate cancer and cervical cancer. We celebrated Carers' Week and shared new Easy read advice and information as part of Learning Disability Week, and advice for LGBTQ patients about what they should expect from their doctor.
Attachment 2: You can access some of the latest data and news on COVID cases in our city, and also nationally.
Attachment 3: You can read an update on the COVID vaccination roll out across Brighton and Hove.
Healthwatch report: Community Diagnostic Hubs
In April, we spoke to patients from Brighton and Hove and asked them to share their diagnostic experiences, and views about new Community Diagnostic Hubs- these hubs are intended to improve diagnostics across England. Our study was carried out from start to finish in just two weeks (1st -14th April) in order to meet a tight deadline. We spoke to 21 people from communities whose voices are often less heard: people with Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, people from the gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans community, younger people (under 25), and those with complex clinical conditions. We have fed people's ideas back to NHS England who have incorporated these into draft national guidance. We are now working with NHS Commissioners on the development of local Hubs. Read our report
Read our Annual Performance Report 2021
Our annual performance report demonstrates what we have achieved between April 2020 and March 2021. Read our report
Read a Young Healthwatch report
Exploring Young People's perceived barriers to accessing video/phone mental health appointments.Read our report
We're hiring!
Healthwatch Brighton and Hove are recruiting for a Project Assistant to join our small, dedicated, and friendly team. Read more
Join our new people's panel
We are setting up an online meeting to ask for your opinion about the work we plan to do and for you to make suggestions on any areas of work you would like us to consider doing. Our first informal and relaxed ‘public engagement’ meeting will be held on Monday July 12th at 2pm. Email Lester@hwbh.co.uk for more information.Contact us for more information
Let's talk about cancer
Cervical cancer. New publications explain NHS cervical screening. They include information about who is eligible for screening, the cervical screening process and what screening looks for.
Prostate Cancer. In the UK, prostate cancer is the most common cancer to affect men and it is estimated 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. You can find out your risk of Prostate Cancer using ProstateUK clever risk checker prostatecanceruk.org/risk-checker
Visit the Healthwatch website for more info
Your health data
NHS Digital have recently announced plans to allow an NHS system to extract patient data from doctors’ surgeries in England. The new data-sharing system was due to start in July but has now been pushed back to 1 September.
• NHS Digital will never sell your data.
• There are strict rules about how the NHS can use your data. It is only shared securely and safely.
• Shared data helps the NHS. It has been used to find the first treatment for coronavirus and for vaccine research.
1. How confidential patient information is used
2. When your choice does not apply
3. Make your choice
Remote Consultation Survey
The Sussex NHS Commissioners are developing a new remote consultation service to support patients to access their GP Practice by using digital technology including text message, video calls, and online websites. They want to hear about your experiences of using remote consultations through our survey. The survey should take approximately 5 minutes to complete. Please complete the survey by Friday 25th June 2021.
Click here to take the short survey
Local NHS urges people not to delay second doses
Research this week showed how important the second jab is at protecting people against the
Delta/Indian variant. Studies have found the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be 96% effective against hospitalisation after two doses, while the Oxford-AztraZenaca is 92% effective.
To date more than 1.1 million people in Sussex have received their first vaccination, and more than 800,000 have had both doses. And today, anyone aged 18 and over can book their vaccination
COVID-19 cases in Brighton
In the seven days up to 10 June (based on data published on 15 June) we had 213 confirmed new Covid-19 cases in Brighton & Hove – up from 82 cases in the previous week. This is:
160% increase on the previous week
equivalent to a weekly rate of 73.2 per 100,000 residents.
higher than the South East which was 41.2 per 100,000.
higher than the rate for England, which was 72.7 per 100,000 .
Downloads
You can download the bulletin here. If you need it in a different formate please contact us at:
office@healthwatchbrightonandhove.co.uk
01273234041