A vibrant event for community healthcare appreciative inquiry
Posted: July 17, 2014 Filed under: Lewisham | Tags: clinicians, community healthcare, community healthcare in Lewisham, community palliative care, Disabled, district nurses, GPs, Lewisham Healthwatch, Lewisham Hospital, NHS, pharmacists, Service Users, St. Laurence Community Centre, Voluntary Action Lewisham, voluntary sector Leave a commentThe best community healthcare is delivered by well trained and well paid staff, who are well supported and who have the time to offer patient centred services, concluded an inquiry into community healthcare in Lewisham.
It is also holistic, taking into account many aspects of the patient’s life and health. Central to successful delivery is cooperation between services, the voluntary sector and the community.
An Appreciative Inquiry was held on Saturday 28th of June to look at what excellent care looks like.
Lewisham Hospital having been secured and now operating within the new Trust – the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign with Lewisham Healthwatch have been researching examples of excellent and good community care with the aim of supporting the best in and out of hospital care in the borough.
Over 100 stories had been gathered from users, clinicians and managers to find out from people’s personal experience what are the key features, the magic ingredients that make good community healthcare so valuable.
Four of those stories were used to kick start the day and with the imaginations of attendees they then shared their own stories and identified what had made them positive experiences.
“I have had a long and difficult journey from being a fit and vigorous man in middle age to being a wheelchair user. My GP’s medical support and emotional support have been fantastic.”
“Straight to the hospital,” “I could tell her anything.”
“Took the time to accept my worries.”
“Extraordinary skill, a few metres from my house.”
“It made me realise that it is not stigmatising to be depressed and it helped empower me to take control of my own life again.”
Life can never be taken for granted. Anyone can become sick or disabled and in need of care and support at any time. At these periods of crisis and stress, NHS services become a vital part of managing, if not of survival. Aside from hospital provision, this includes district nurses, community palliative care, pharmacists, GPs and many, many other services.
Organiser Carolyn Emanuel said :
‘At a time when politicians are looking at ways to join up hospital and community care the findings from this event will form a significant way of highlighting the best standards of practice, which we hope will be included in any future models of delivery.’
“I have severe learning difficulties and autism. All the staff at the surgery are brilliant. We always get an appointment on demand. They’re completely tolerant of challenging behaviour and don’t keep us hanging around.
“Kindness, non-judgmental approach.” Looking at the positives, highlight the strengths”
“Different parts of the NHS talked with each other. Joined-up care.
Everyone was briefed.”
“Very happy with carer. Was a bit shy at first but got to know her.”
“I am much calmer in the knowledge that I am seeing the same practitioner who knows me personally and reviews my epilepsy more regularly.”
“This helped me to stay in my managerial and caring role without losing time or money. I come from so far I would have had to take a whole day out just for a doctor’s appointment.”
Common to all the stories was staff having the time to deliver excellent care. That time enabled them to listen to and understand the patient and their needs, create a smooth pathway between services and empower the patient to manage their own health.
The gathering then identified a series of practical actions to make these recommendations a reality –
- a public education programme to help people understand and get involved with the design of local health strategy and policy;
- identifying ways to make sure NHS staff are involved in all decisions about the delivery of community healthcare; and
- making sure the voluntary sector is represented in the right places to promote a joined up health and social care strategy.
- A challenge to the NHS on the Private Finance Initiative, a mortgage on NHS property which is draining our NHS of cash which goes to private corporations.
- Harnessing new media to improve health, specifically for young people, but extended to anyone.
Miriam Long, manager of Healthwatch Lewisham, said:
“This was a great way to end the evidence gathering stage of the inquiry. It was a vibrant event with some great outcomes.”
“The next stage is to write the report and a plan of action that will be discussed with commissioners. The involvement of so many people has meant we’ll be able to tell them a compelling story.”
The plan of action will be discussed at the next Healthwatch Lewisham Reference Group meeting. It will take place from 10.30am to 2pm on Tuesday 29 July in the Council Chambers, Civic Suite, Catford. All welcome book your place here.
In preparation. We would like anyone who has had a good experience of community healthcare in Lewisham to tell us about it. In preparation, we would welcome more submissions of your positive stories. Please write in to the Save Lewisham Hospital website at http://www.savelewishamhospital.com/community-care-survey/ or call Healthwatch Lewisham on 020 7998 7796.
Simone Riddle
Community Engagement Officer
Voluntary Action Lewisham
St. Laurence Community Centre
31 – 37 Bromley Road
Catford, London SE6 2TS
Croydon Patient and Public Quarterly Forum
Posted: June 10, 2014 Filed under: Croydon, Events | Tags: Croydon CCG, Croydon Patient and Public Quarterly Forum, Healthy Living Hub, NHS, NHS england Leave a comment
Via Matthew
Shaping health services in south east London
Posted: May 31, 2014 Filed under: Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark | Tags: Carers, Clinical Commissioning Board, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), Clinical Executive Group, community care, Community health services, equalities and diversity, healthcare planning, maternity services, mental health services, NHS, Opportunities, Opportunity, Partnership Group, Patients, Shaping health services in south east London, south east London’s communities Leave a commentThe NHS has six clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in south east London (Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark). They are working together with commissioning leads from NHS England – London, and in close partnership with local authorities, hospitals, community health services, mental health services, patients, carers and local people on a five year strategy to improve health services across south east London. We are inviting people who live or work in south east London to apply to join our patient and public voices, who are at the centre of shaping and informing this clinically-driven strategy for local health services with us.
There are opportunities to join one of the groups working on planned health care, maternity services, children and young people, long term conditions – physical and mental health, primary and community care, cancer, and urgent and emergency care. Or to work with one of our strategic (planning) groups – Partnership Group, Clinical Executive Group or Clinical Commissioning Board – providing overall governance and direction for the local health strategy. All these groups meet regularly at central London venues and usually during daytime working hours.
We are particularly keen to hear from people who can bring the perspective from south east London’s communities whose voices are seldom heard in healthcare planning, and people who can contribute our strong commitment to equalities and diversity.
If you are interested in knowing more about any of these roles, please contact Laura Luckhurst on 0203 049 9916 or e-mail laura.luckhurst@nhs.net.
The deadline for completed applications is 5 pm on Friday 27th June 2014.
Via Matthew
summary of discussions – SLaM service user and carer advisory groups for mood, anxiety & personality disorder services, and emergency access, complex care and clinical neurosciences
Posted: April 2, 2014 Filed under: Good practice | Tags: Alice Glover, carer advisory groups, denmark hill, mood anxiety & personality cag, NHS, Patient & Public Involvement Lead, Psychological Medicine CAG, services, SLaM service user, South London & Maudsely NHS Foundation Trust, summary of discussions, The Maudsley Hospital Leave a commentHello all, The departments that manage the services at South London & Maudsely NHS Foundation Trust have ‘advisory groups’ where service users and carers come together to advise on and discuss developments. 2 of these groups produce a brief summary of their discussions. The purpose is to let interested people know what is being discussed. I have attached the summaries from the March meetings.
Please circulate as appropriate.
Mood Anxiety & Personality Department advisory group Briefing Sheet Mar 2014 doc
Psychological Medicine advisory group summary – Mar 2014- doc.
With best wishes,
Alice
Alice Glover Patient & Public Involvement Lead – Mood Anxiety & Personality CAG and Psychological Medicine CAG email: alice.glover@slam.nhs.uk tel: 020 3228 0959 113 Denmark Hill |The Maudsley Hospital | Denmark Hill | London | SE5 8AZ
summary of discussions – SLaM service user and carer advisory groups for mood, anxiety & personality disorder services, and emergency access, complex care and clinical neurosciences
Posted: March 10, 2014 Filed under: Good practice | Tags: Mental Health, mood anxiety & personality cag, NHS, psychological medicine advisory group, service users and carers, SLaM service user and carer advisory groups, South London & Maudsely NHS Foundation Trust, summary of discussions Leave a commentHello all,
The departments that manage the services at South London & Maudsely NHS Foundation Trust have ‘advisory groups’ where service users and carers come together to advise on and discuss developments. 2 of these groups produce a brief summary of their discussions. The purpose is to let interested people know what is being discussed. Please circulate as appropriate.
Mood Anxiety & Personality services advisory group summary Sheet Feb 2014 doc
psychological medicine advisory group summary -Feb 2014- doc.
With best wishes,
Alice
Alice Glover
Patient & Public Involvement Lead – Mood Anxiety & Personality CAG and Psychological Medicine CAG
email: alice.glover@slam.nhs.uk tel: 020 3228 0959
113 Denmark Hill |The Maudsley Hospital | Denmark Hill | London | SE5 8AZ
Upcoming events for patients in Southwark
Posted: January 24, 2014 Filed under: Events, Southwark | Tags: Access to primary care, ccg, Engagement and Patient, event, experience committee, health and care services, lambeth, leadership, local services, NHS, NHS Landscape, NHS Southwark CCG, oppourtunity, patient and families, patient leadership training, Patient participation groups, primary care, southwark patient, Training, upcoming event Leave a commentDear All,
I hope this finds you well. I wanted to make you aware or remind you of a number of engagement activities NHS Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group is holding in the next few weeks.
1. Patient Leadership Training
Information about our Patient Leadership Training session that will be taking place on 19 February 2014 is attached to this email.
This session has been developed from comments and suggestions from patients who are involved with the Engagement and Patient Experience Committee as well as the Locality Patient Participation Groups in Southwark. This session will provide you with a clear understanding of background and contextual information about the national NHS landscape as it is now. There will also be specific focus on what NHS Southwark CCG is responsible for and the role that patients and the patient voice has in the work of the CCG and local services.
If you are interested in attending you can book a place directly or by contacting the CCG by email. We would be grateful if you could also promote this to colleagues within your groups and networks to encourage as many people as possible to attend and benefit.
NHS Southwark CCG is also planning future sessions which will be focussing on enabling people to develop specific skills involved in the effective running and conduct of patient participation groups and meetings.
2. Improving Access to Primary Care
There will also be an engagement event, on 26 February 2014, looking at the proposals for future plans to improve access to primary care services. This event will be building on what local people have previously told us through engagement events last year which have all contributed to the development of the proposals for local services. You can book a space for this event directly or by contacting the CCG.
And lastly,
3. What Goals and Outcomes are important to you and your family from Health and Care services?
There are still a few spaces available for this event, on Tuesday 28 January 2014. The event will be looking at shaping services across Southwark and Lambeth around what is most important for patients and their families. Your comments and contributions are needed to help make this happen. You can book a space directly or by contacting the CCG.
20140107 outcomes engagement flyer
Patient Leadership training – Feb 2014 – Poster
Urgent Access to Primary Care – Flyer – Feb 2014
Many thanks,
Daniel Blagdon
Membership, Engagement and Communications
NHS Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group
Postal Address: 1st Floor, Hub 5, PO Box 64529 London SE1P 5LX
Base: 160 Tooley St London SE1 2QH
Email: souccg.southwark-ccg@nhs.net
Telephone: 020 7525 7888
Media: 020 3049 3333
Out of Hours Media: 07876 448 602
Nick Clegg Mental health speech – response from Rethink Mental Illness
Posted: January 20, 2014 Filed under: News | Tags: cancer patients, Deputy Prime minister, Mental Health Care, mental health cuts, news, NHS, Nick Clegg, Nick Clegg Mental health speech, Physical health, Rethink Mental Illness Leave a commentIn response to a speech by the Deputy Prime Minister on improving mental health care, Paul Jenkins, CEO of the charity Rethink Mental Illness said:
“I welcome the fact that The Deputy Prime Minister is bringing attention to these important issues and he clearly has a personal commitment to improving the lives of people with mental illness. However, warm words will only get us so far. The reality is that NHS spending on mental health has been cut by 2% over the last two years, while demand is increasing. If Mr Clegg really wants to bring mental health care into line with physical health, as the Government has already committed, it’s never going to happen while budgets are being cut.
“The ‘mental health action plan’ is a positive step forward, and identifies a lot of areas that need to be improved. The problem is that it’s too vague and does not make any solid commitments or give time-frames for action.
“For example, everyone agrees that we need to introduce maximum waiting times for mental health but we still haven’t been given any commitments on when this will come into force. In the mean time our supporters are having to wait months or even years for life-saving treatment. This would never been seen as acceptable for cancer patients.”#
Via https://www.rethink.org/media-centre/2014/01/nick-clegg-mental-health-speech-response-from-rethink-mental-illness
Will you ask the NHS to value mental health?
Posted: November 29, 2013 Filed under: News, Opportunities - Voluntary | Tags: charities, David Nicholson, Disease, Evidence-based medicine, government, Member of Parliament, Mental disorder, Mental Health, Ministers, MPs, news, NHS, Opportunities, Physical health, psychological therapies, Royal College, severe mental illness, Talking therapies, Voluntary Leave a commentWe’re a member of the We Need To Talk coalition, a group of charities, professional organisations, Royal Colleges and service providers who believe in the effectiveness of psychological therapies.Today we published We still need to talk, a report which tells us that a third of people with the most severe mental illness are not offered talking therapy by the NHS. Yet evidence shows that when people do get help, it improves their health and helps make recovery possible – it can also help prevent people from developing psychosis in the first place.
Take action now – tell the NHS how important our mental health is One in five people with severe mental illness are waiting more than a year to get psychological therapies. We would rightly never accept this state of affairs for people with physical health problems – it should be no different for people with mental illness. We want the NHS to offer a full range of evidence-based psychological therapies to anyone who needs it within 28 days of anyone requesting a referral. Our brilliant colleagues at Mind are putting pressure on MPs and Government Ministers. But David Nicholson, the Chief Executive of the NHS, also has a crucial role to play in making this happen. The NHS has already agreed to introduce waiting times but we’re really worried it isn’t happening quickly enough. If we collectively act we have a much greater chance of making this change happen. Thank you so much for your support. Best wishes, Charlotte Wetton, Senior Campaigns Officer. |
Emergency Access, Complex Care & Clinical neurosciences – SLaM mental health service user and carer advisory group – summary of discussions – October 2013
Posted: November 6, 2013 Filed under: Good practice | Tags: advisory groups, cag, Carers, Clinical governance, emergency access, Good practice, London, maudsley hospital, NHS, NHS Foundation Trust, Psychological Medicine, Service Users, South London, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Leave a commentHello all,
The departments that manage the services at South London & Maudsely NHS Foundation Trust have ‘advisory groups’ where service users and carers come together to advise on and discuss developments. ThePsychological Medicine department advisory group produces a brief summary of their discussions. The purpose is to let interested people know what is being discussed. Please circulate as appropriate.
PDF here: briefing – Oct 2013 – doc
With best wishes,
Alice
Alice Glover
Patient & Public Involvement Lead – Mood Anxiety & Personality CAG and Psychological Medicine CAG
email: alice.glover@slam.nhs.uk tel: 020 3228 0959
113 Denmark Hill |The Maudsley Hospital | Denmark Hill | London | SE5 8AZ
The Psychological Medicine Clinical Academic Group (CAG) runs services across the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM). The services include emergency access services (such as home treatment services, A&E psychiatric liaison), complex care services (such as eating disorders, chronic fatigue, mother & baby services) and neurosciences services (such as brain injury). Advisory group members have experience of services either as service users or family members/carers. We work with the senior managers to keep the views of service users & carers at the heart of all service developments and improvements. To make sure that people know what we are discussing in our meetings, we have developed this short briefing sheet:
Six people with experience of using services or being a family member/carer were present at the October meeting. Also present were the Patient & Public Involvement Lead, the Clinical Governance Project officer, and the Service Manager for the CASCAID (HIV and mental health) team. Apologies were received from 2 carer consultants and one staff member.
We heard that following our suggestion at the last meeting, Home Treatment Teams were now offering people the choice of completing satisfaction questionnaires on paper or on an electronic hand held device.
We discussed the proposals to change the structure of how patient experience is linked into the work about improving quality across the Trust. We broadly agreed with the idea to develop one group at Trust level which is co-chaired by the Medical Director and a Service User Consultant. We acknowledged that the detail needs to be agreed and that it was vital to have open and transparent discussions as new structures were developed.
We heard that the CASCAID team which provides services for people who are affected by HIV has undergone a 30% cut in funding. They are having to signpost more people to Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) services in primary care. We discussed the stigma that remains around HIV as well as mental health highlighting the need to see the whole person. We heard how the service had extended its opening hours in response to changing needs of service users. We are keen to see CASCAID resume the routine use of patient satisfaction questionnaires. We offered to help the service if they would like a service user/carer perspective in reviewing and/or improving services based on patient feedback.
We were pleased to hear that the innovative patient satisfaction questionnaire that group members had helped develop for A&E psychiatric liaison services was now aligned to the system and would soon be ready to pilot in Lewisham A&E.
A group member has re-visited the Triage wards with another service user consultant. Before the visits they reviewed patient satisfaction data and complaints data. They will also review minutes of community meetings to identify themes that patients raise. We were disappointed to hear that, overall, progress against the action plans has been slow. The quality of food has also now been raised as an issue. The group member will be discussing the issues with the Pathway Lead, and feeding back to the Governance Executive Management Group. In light of their concerns, the advisory group agreed to focus on Triage Wards at their next meeting and request that ward managers attended, so that progress can be agreed.
We heard brief feedback from members about the work to develop an integrated health & social care assessment, the Southwark Peer Support project and the work being developed on mental health & policing.
SLaM Peer Support Development Worker roles for Integrated Psychological Therapies Team Posts now on NHS jobs
Posted: November 4, 2013 Filed under: Job Vacancies | Tags: cag, Job Opportunity, London, maudsley hospital, Mental Health, National Health Service, NHS, NHS Foundation Trust, NHS jobs, opportunities paid, Peer Support, Psychological Medicine, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Leave a commentHello everyone,
I thought I would email to let you know that these peer support development worker roles are now being advertised on NHS jobs. Please circulate amongst your networks. The closing date is 10th November. Not long!
http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/cgi-bin/advsearch?vpd_code=334
With best wishes
Alice
Alice Glover
Patient & Public Involvement Lead – Mood Anxiety & Personality CAG and Psychological Medicine CAG