Healthwatch Leeds Tanya Matilainen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uodbrxhu77s A FILM BY CLAIRE
Health & Care Quiz 1. The law says that the NHS and social care must make information about health and care accessible to everyone. True or False 1. All patients have a right to ask for a second opinion from their doctor. True or False 2. Advocacy support at Advonet is available to everyone who wants to complain about Adult Social Care. True or False 3. Emergency care is free for everyone in England. True or False` 4. There is no need to register with a dentist in the same way as with a GP. True or False
Health & Care Quiz (continued) 6. There is no free social care provided in England. True or False 7. Healthwatch Leeds can close down public funded organisations. True or False 8. Healthwatch offers information, advice and signposting to help people make informed choices about accessing health and care services. True or False 9. Healthwatch helps to investigate individual complaints & supports people to make a complaint. True or False 10. Healthwatch is part of NHS. True or False
Healthwatch Leeds Here to bring local people s voices to influence their health and care: Funded by Department of Health through local authorities Based on local authority boundaries in England Covers all NHS and local authority commissioned adult care Powers of entry and publication based on Health and Social Care Act (2012)
Work we do: We work to find areas where we can best influence so if a service is being reviewed or is planned for re-tender or if local people tell us there is a concern We have a few lines in the current legislation but our two biggest powers are publishing and places in senior Boards like Health & Wellbeing and local authority Scrutiny Committees We use every way we can think of to connect, from events to regular contacts, news letters, social media, phone, text and post
Changing world in health and care key themes we hear Changes to commissioning current commissioners the CCGs merging and new models like Accountable Care Organisations Pressure on all health and care provision, A&E may get the headlines but getting out of hospital may be just as difficult Worries about quality and consistency including care homes and home care Staff under pressure and very busy, shortages of most professions in the system
People say: Harder to see a GP, longer waits Operations and procedures get cancelled because there are no beds More and more things being reviewed from what you can have on prescription to rules for referral Assessments for support or care have longer waits or higher eligibility criteria
People say Carers are not getting always assessments and/or support Doctors, nurses and other staff are rushed off their feet Waits increasing for community services like chiropody (podiatry or foot care) Time limited therapies so 10 sessions of physio, or counselling or.. Plenty of different assessments and admissions, always the same questions
Getting the best from the system : Become your own expert, have a summary of your condition and treatments to hand Find reliable places for updates like news letters from EDS national organisation, their recommended links Raise awareness where you can, respond to surveys and campaigns Work to find the professionals who can work with you, in some places you have more than one practice look at finding the right one
Getting the best Learn your rights about what is a right and what a request (NHS Charter), gov.uk and NHS England do summaries and public facing documents or libraries can be helpful Look up briefings on care, benefits and assessments from places like Carers UK or Age UK Be helpful if you can, explain why your condition matters or how it influences your care or treatment Find and nurture support networks, carers, family for the times it is really hard, find ways for you
Working together Every Healthwatch collects people s experiences of health and care, usually in a number of ways from post to events, email, social media you do not have to give your name Share your story and learning with anyone willing to listen, most NHS providers now do patient stories Think of joining campaigns or research or lobbying, Karen is here to share some plans
Healthwatch West Yorkshire contacts Healthwatch Leeds info@healthwatchleeds.co.uk - 0113 898 0035 Healthwatch Kirklees info@healthwatchkirklees.co.uk 01924 450 379 Healthwatch Bradford info@healthwatchbradford.co.uk 01535 665 258 Healthwatch Calderdale info@healthwatchcalderdale.co.uk 01422 399 433 Healthwatch Wakefield enquiries@healthwatchwakefield.co.uk 01924 787 379