Healthwatch Northumberland mid-year report July to December 2023

Mid-year trends in feedback Jul-Dec 2023

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Between July and December 2023, we received detailed feedback from 422 individuals from talking to people at face-to-face events, telephone calls, emails, our website, social media, and other sources. This is significantly more than the previous six months (where we heard from 226 individuals between January and June 2023). We signposted 59 people to different organisations for further support. This is down slightly from the 61 people we signposted between January and June 2023. Our social media content had a reach of 77,000 and over 7000 engagements, and our website had 16,000 views.

The feedback we have had in the past six months has mainly been around four services.

1. GP services: 30% of all feedback received in July to December 2023 was to do with GP services. Accessing GPs and arranging appointments were the main issues being raised, with concerns about the quality of care being provided another common theme. However, approximately one in five comments we received about GP services were positive.

2. Pharmacies: 14% of all feedback received was to do with pharmacies, with over half of the comments being positive feedback about Allendale Pharmacy. This was in response to our online campaign in the autumn urging people to tell us about their pharmacy. The biggest concern, featuring in one in five comments, was around receiving incomplete prescriptions and supply issues at pharmacies.

3. Hospitals (unspecified department): Just over 10% of all feedback received in July to December 2023 was about hospitals in general. Just under half of this feedback was positive about the quality of care and the ‘brilliant staff’. The biggest concerns raised were about access, with a roughly equal split between long waiting lists and the distance patients needed to travel to attend appointments. These two issues combined featured in one in five negative feedback comments.

4. Dentists: Dentists made up 7% of the overall feedback we received. Unsurprisingly, getting an appointment with an NHS dentist was the predominant concern, with approximately three quarters of the feedback we received being about this issue. Unlike the feedback on the previous three categories, the sentiments expressed were overwhelmingly negative, with less than one in 25 of the comments we received about dentists being positive.

Read more in our mid-year report for July to December 2023.

Health and social care report Northumberland January 2024

January 2024 feedback

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Health and social care feedback Northumberland January 2024

Difficulties getting a GP appointment featured the most in this month’s feedback, although there was a notable number of comments praising the service patients had received from their GP. The distance to travel was raised as a concern around hospitals but again, there was a sizeable number of positive comments praising the quality of care received in hospital. The third most common issue raised was accessing NHS dentists, with complaints around getting an appointment being the most common.
What did we get up to?

January got off to a busy start with many one-off sessions in the community, over and above our regular Here to Hear sessions. These helped us to gather feedback about Health Visiting Services. This a major piece of work looking into what’s working well and not so well in order to feedback to the NHS.

We analysed what we heard from service users about experiences of getting dentistry work completed, which is our contribution to research into the state of dentistry across the whole of the North East and North Cumbria. This is a joint project with the other Local Healthwatch in the region.

We launched a recruitment campaign for board members and volunteers to join our team. If you are interested in volunteering with us find out more on our volunteering page.

Find out more in our January 2024 feedback report.

Elderly lady in care home

Care home forums: what you said

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Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic we hosted regular online forums for relatives and friends of those living in care homes to tell us about the impact of visiting restrictions and ways they have been keeping in touch.

Those who attended these forums said that it helped to give them a voice and it was helpful to meet with other people in a similar situation. It was agreed that the group would continue to meet once every three months to discuss any issues or concerns. The minutes from the previous meetings and other useful information about care home visiting can be found below.

When the group last met on Tuesday 20 February, we discussed respite care, discharge from hospital and Enter and View.

Minutes from 20 February 2024

Care Home Online Forum – 20 February 2024

Minutes from 8 November 2023

Care Home Online Forum – 8 November 2023

Minutes from 27 July 2023

Care Home Online Forum – 27 July 2023

Minutes from 17 April 2023

Care Home Online Forum – 17 April 2023

Minutes from 9 January 2023

Care Home Online Forum – 9 January 2023

Minutes from 30 September 2022

Care Home Online Forum – 30 September 2022

Minutes from 9 May 2022

Care Home Online Forum – 9 May 2022

Minutes from 7 February 2022

Care Home Online Forum – 7 February 2022

Minutes from 8 November 2021

Care Home Online Forum – 8 November 2021

Care home visiting information

Read Essential Care Giver Myth-buster

Things I wish I’d known before my loved one went to live in a care home

 

The date of the next online care homes forum is to be confirmed. To register or leave feedback outside of the forum, please email Helen Brown: helenb@healthwatchnorthumberland.co.uk or call 03332 408 468.

Accessing dental treatment in the NE and NC

Experiences of NHS dentistry

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Tell us your experience of NHS dentistry

People have been telling us about the challenges they face getting NHS dentistry.

Using your feedback we are working with the NHS Integrated Care Board in the North East and North Cumbria to help shape future services, including planning the next phase of the NHS dental recovery plan in the region.

Across the North East and North Cumbria, the local Healthwatch network is working together to tackle this important issue.

So if you live in Northumberland or anywhere else in the North East and North Cumbria region and have recent experiences with using or trying to access dental services, then share your experiences with us.

We are the independent champion for users of health and care services in Northumberland. Your responses will inform decision-makers in the North East and North Cumbria NHS Integrated Care Board (who are funding this research), service providers and partners including Local Authority Public Health teams.

As a thank you for your time we are offering £100 of Love2shop vouchers to a lucky prize draw winner.

If you require a paper copy or have any questions please get in touch.

Please leave your feedback before Sunday 31 March 2024.

This survey has now closed

NHS talking therapies Northumberland

NHS Talking Therapies

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The NHS is encouraging anyone struggling with feelings of depression, or anxiety such as excessive worry, panic attacks, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress, or obsessions and compulsions, to seek help through NHS Talking Therapies services. These are effective, confidential and free treatments delivered by trained clinicians, online, on the phone, or in person.
If you’re struggling with feelings of depression or anxiety, seeking help through an NHS Talking Therapies service can be one of the best steps you can take to overcome mental health issues and get back on track.
NHS Talking Therapies can help provide support and treatment for common mental health problems, such as

  • feeling anxious
  • feeling low and hopeless
  • having panic attacks
  • finding it hard to cope with work, life or relationships
  • struggling with flashbacks or nightmares about upsetting events from your past
  • feeling stressed
  • worrying a lot
  • obsessive thoughts or behaviours
  • fear of social situations
  • being afraid of things, such as spiders, flying or heights (phobias)

 

You do not need to have a diagnosed mental health problem to refer yourself to an NHS Talking Therapies service. Getting support as soon as you start having difficulties can help to reduce their impact.
For those whose first language is not English, talking therapies can be delivered through multi-lingual therapists or through confidential interpreters, and in British Sign Language (BSL) through SignHealth’s NHS Therapies for Deaf People service.
Your GP can refer you for NHS Talking Therapies, or you can refer yourself online

Please share with us your experiences of NHS Talking Therapies, or any other NHS mental health service that you or your family have used.

NHS health checks Northumberland

Get your NHS Health Check

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It’s easier than ever to access NHS Health Checks

It is easier than ever for people aged 40 to 74 to get a free NHS Health Check, with the service now available in even more locations across Northumberland.

As part of a pilot project, Northumberland County Council’s Public Health Team has allocated up to £300k over the next three years to test the direct delivery of NHS Health Checks by its in-house Health Trainer Team.

This new way of providing services will run alongside the GP offer and will involve Health Trainers delivering checks in targeted workplaces and community settings.

Free NHS Health Checks, commissioned by councils as part of their public health responsibilities, help relieve pressures on our NHS and care system, save lives and prevent people from developing life-threatening conditions by assessing the risk of developing heart disease and stroke, and provide advice and support to reduce the risk of developing these conditions, as well as dementia.

Local authorities have a statutory obligation to ensure eligible residents are offered a check every five years from the age of 40.

To be eligible for a health check you must:

  • Be aged 40-74
  • Be registered with a GP in Northumberland
  • Have not had an NHS Health Check in the last five years
  • Have no pre-existing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease or stroke
  • Not be on statins

More information is available by emailing healthtrainers@northumberland.gov.uk or you can visit the Living Well Northumberland website.

 

If you would like to tell us your experience of booking and having an NHS Health Check, or any other health or care service you have used, please leave feedback.

Growing Healthy 0-19

Online event – Growing Healthy Northumberland 0-19 Service

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Online event – Growing Healthy Northumberland 0-19 Service

Join us on Friday 8 March, 1pm-2pm, to hear from Rachel and Sam from the Growing Healthy Northumberland 0-19 Service.

They will talk about what services are provided by the 0-19 Service for children, young people, and families in Northumberland, including the Health Visiting Service, 5-19 Service and their digital offer.

Suitable for mums, dads, grandparents, carers and professionals alike, Zoom in to find out more about these services for the children in your life.

This event has now passed.

Sign up to our newsletter to hear about future events.

Share for better care 2024

Share for Better Care

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Share for Better Care

Last year, Healthwatch received nearly 400,000 experiences of health and social care. When services are under pressure, feedback on care can be crucial to identify what is working and what issues need fixing. But not everyone’s voice is being heard.

‘Share for Better Care’ aims to help more people give feedback about their care, especially if their community experiences poor health outcomes.

Your experience matters to us

The simple act of sharing feedback is already helping to improve care for the people who use it. We want people to know that their feedback, no matter how small, has the power to transform health and social care across the country.

Together we can improve health and care, but we can only make a difference if we know about your experience.

Have your say

Please share your experience and help us make NHS decision-makers aware of what needs to change to improve access to care, for everyone. We’re completely independent and impartial, and anything you say is confidential.

Share your experiences

 

Northumbria Healthcare wig survey

Hair loss through cancer treatment survey

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Hair loss (alopecia) from cancer treatment can be one of the most distressing side effects. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust would like to understand patients’ experiences of using the wig supplier that the trust uses. If you or someone close to you has used this service, please leave your feedback.

You can also ask a member of staff at the hospital to help you leave your feedback at your next appointment.

The information you provide will be anonymous and will help the trust to understand more about the suppliers used, the services they offer and where improvements can be made.

 

To tell us your experiences of any NHS or social care service you have used in the last 12 months, please get in touch.

Life in rural Northumberland

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