Sorted online event

Online event – Sorted

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Online event – Sorted

Join us on Friday 10 May, 1pm-2pm, to hear from Helena Swarbrook from Sorted (Northumberland’s Substance Misuse Service for young people).

Helena will talk to us about substance misuse, general substance awareness, harm reduction and the first steps in making changes. She will also outline the information, advice and support provided by Sorted across Northumberland for under 18s.

There will be a chance to ask questions after the presentation.

This session is suitable for anyone concerned about their own or a loved one’s drugs misuse or professionals supporting people where drugs may be a concern.

Register now and we will send you a link to join closer to the event.

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Water fluoridation

Water fluoridation plans

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There are plans to extend water fluoridation in the North East to help tackle preventable tooth decay.

Tooth decay is the most common oral disease affecting children and young people, causing pain and distress, preventable hospital admissions, sleepless nights and missed days from school. Ensuring drinking water contains the recommended level of fluoride is an effective way to help prevent tooth decay.

Some areas of the North East already have tap water which contains fluoride at these recommended levels and this has been very effective at reducing dental decay for the population living in these areas. In Northumberland, around 101,000 people are already supplied with artificially fluoridated water.

In the East and North of the county, fluoridated communities include Alnwick, Alnmouth, Howick, Embleton, High Newton by the Sea and Seahouses. In the West of the county, fluoridated communities include Haltwhistle, Henshaw, Haydon Bridge, Corbridge, Heddon on the Wall and Prudhoe. These fluoridation schemes have been in place since 1968.

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) would like to hear your views on expanding water fluoridation in the North East, including those areas of Northumberland without fluoridation.

The public consultation closes at 11:59pm on 17 June 2024.

Have your say on the water fluoridation plans

 

 

Health Trainers online event

Online event – Health Trainers

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At our next online lunchtime event on Friday 12 April, 1pm-2pm, you can hear from local Health Trainers Jack and Kirsty.

They will give an outline of what support is on offer to help to improve and maintain health and wellbeing, plus details of 1:1 clinics, healthy lifestyle programmes, Weigh & Go programmes, health checks, Health Walks and more.

They will also share some top tips for keeping well and there will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the session.

This session is free to attend and open to anyone who lives or works in Northumberland.

This event has now passed

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Think Pharmacy First

Think pharmacy first

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Pharmacists can now provide treatment for seven common conditions without patients needing to see a GP, as part of a major transformation in the way the NHS delivers care.

Highly trained pharmacists at over 90% of pharmacies can now assess and treat patients for earache, impetigo, infected insect bites, shingles, sinusitis, sore throat and urinary tract infections (UTIs) for women aged 16-64 – without the need for a GP appointment.

No appointment is necessary and private consultations are available. Patients will be signposted to other local services where necessary.

By expanding the services community pharmacies offer, the NHS is aiming to help free up GP appointments and give people more choice in how and where they access care.

Don’t wait for minor health concerns to get worse – think pharmacy first and get seen by your local pharmacy team.

More information about Pharmacy First

If you would like to give feedback about a pharmacy you have used please get in touch.

Lady on a bus

Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme

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If you’re referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests by a doctor, dentist or another primary care health professional, you may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS).

What are the qualifying benefits and allowances?

You can claim help with travel costs if you or your partner (including civil partner) receive any of the following benefits:

  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Working Tax Credit (WTC) with Child Tax Credit (CTC)
  • WTC with a disability element or a severe disability element
  • CTC but you’re not eligible for WTC
  • Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
  • You receive Universal Credit and meet the criteria

You can also claim for help with travel costs if:

  • you’re named on, or entitled to, an NHS tax credit exemption certificate (if you do not have a certificate, you can show your award notice) – you qualify if you get child tax credits, working tax credits with a disability element (or both), and have income for tax credit purposes of £15,276 or less
  • you have a low income and are named on certificate HC2 (full help) or HC3 (limited help) – to apply for this certificate, you should complete the HC1 form: claim for help with health costs, which is available from your local hospital, Jobcentre Plus offices or the NHS print contract order line on 0300 123 0849.

How do I claim a refund?

To claim your travel costs, take your travel receipts, appointment letter or card, plus proof that you’re receiving one of the qualifying benefits, to a nominated cashiers’ office.

Nominated cashiers’ offices are located in the hospital or clinic that treated you. They’ll assess your claim and make the payment directly to you.

In some hospitals, the name of the office you need to go to may be different (for example, the General Office or the Patient Affairs Office). If you’re not sure, ask reception or Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) staff where you should go.

Some hospitals and clinics do not have cashier facilities. In this case, you can complete an HC5(T) claim travel charges form and post it to the address stated on the form.

You can make a postal claim up to three months after your appointment took place.

Useful numbers

  • Call 0300 330 1348 for the dental services helpline
  • Call 0300 330 1343 for the Low Income Scheme helpline
  • Call 0300 330 1341 for queries about medical exemption certificates
  • Call 0300 330 1341 for queries about prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs)
  • Call 0300 330 1349 for the prescription services helpline
  • Call 0300 330 1347 for queries about tax credit certificates
  • Call 0300 123 0849 to order a paper copy of the HC12, HC5 and HC1 (SC) forms
  • Call 0300 330 1343 for all other queries

 

More information about travel costs at the NHS website

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

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.

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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

 

Health visiting services Northumberland

Experiences of health visiting services

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What is your experience of health visiting services?

All families expecting a baby or with children aged 0-5 years are offered a universal health visiting service. In Northumberland this is delivered by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT)

We want to hear about your experiences of using the health visiting service. This will only take around 10-15 minutes of your time.

In this survey, we’ll ask you about your experiences including what has worked well and what has not worked so well. We will use your feedback to report to the NHS anonymously on what is working and help identify how to improve care for parents and carers. Everything you tell us will be stored securely and we won’t identify you in our report.

Tell us about your experiences of health visiting services

Closes Sunday 18 February 2024.

For more information about maternity and parenting services and support in Northumberland visit our Maternity and Parenting webpage or get in touch.