Newsletter. Health Champions. The NHS is precious and we. Double page special!

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1 Health Champions Newsletter 2014 The NHS is precious and we should never lose sight of that. I m keen to hear from any of you about the services we provide to make sure we are meeting your needs NHS Warwickshire North CCG. Our ambition is to commission a broad range of high quality services that are on people s doorstep. Our limited budget and the wide range of health issues faced by our local population means that this isn t always possible. However, we are working closely with 28 local GP practices and involve local people and patients in the decisions that we make in order to make the best use of our resources. We recently held a Health Aware Communities event in Nuneaton and it was fantastic to see so many families engage in the activities and wanting to learn more about how to eat healthily and increase their levels of activity. You can read more about it in this issue. We are always keen to hear from you, your experiences and views about what is working well and what could be improved. Details of ways to contact us are available on the back page. the future. Winter campaign Diabetes Super Six Double page special!

2 Family Health Event Over 300 people turned up in the sunshine to participate in a Health Aware Communities event at Chilvers Coton School in Nuneaton on Saturday 13th September. The sounds of bhangra music and delicious smells from a take on a range of activities all focused on raising awareness of health issues. 2

3 HEALTH AWARE The family focused day was supported by NHS Warwickshire North Clinical Commissioning Group, Public Health Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, Warwickshire Race Equality Partnership, Abbey First Panel and community leaders from the area. Those who attended the day were treated to instant opportunity to meet a range of professionals all offering advice and support on health issues that affect the community. Karen Ashby, Lay Member Patient and Public Involvement for NHS Warwickshire North CCG, said: I was thrilled by the turnout on the day and the tremendous support that the community showed for this event. We worked closely with local community leaders to build a day that raised awareness around health issues that were relevant to them. At the same time we offered the opportunity for all the family to have fun and take part in activities that encouraged them to think about a healthier lifestyle. 3

4 the weather? The CCG and their partner NHS and local authority colleagues are supporting the NHS winter campaign, Feeling under the weather? The campaign urges older people to seek early advice from their pharmacist for minor winter illnesses. It is targeted at the over 60s, and also at those who often look after an older friend, neighbour or relative. Dr Heather Gorringe, Chair for NHS Warwickshire North CCG, said: The elderly, and those who are ill, are particularly vulnerable during cold weather. A well-stocked medicine cabinet will help you Winter always brings a rise in illness as the colder weather makes older people, in particular, more vulnerable to infections and can make heart and respiratory problems worse. If you re over 60 a minor illness can get worse quickly. The campaign encourages people with a bad cough, trouble breathing, a cold or sore throat, to pop down to their local pharmacy for quick health advice. It also asks those caring for or visiting an older friend or relative to get early advice from their local pharmacist or from if they are feeling under the weather. October WMHD A trio of keen cyclists from Warwickshire visited mental health services as they rode around the Nuneaton and North Warwickshire area to raise awareness of World Mental Health Day on Friday 10th October The cyclists stopped off at local mental health venues; Guideposts Community Café and Oakwood House in Nuneaton. The cyclists met the staff and discussed the importance of getting people to think about the physical connection between keeping active and looking after your mental health. For more information about mental health services in the area visit 4

5 Diabetes Super Six To improve the quality of care of diabetic patients with complex needs, we are considering a new model called Diabetes Super Six. To improve the quality of care of diabetic patients with complex needs, we are considering a new model called Diabetes Super Six. The aim of this new model is to increase skills and knowledge in GP practices so that patients can get the advice, treatment and care they need in the community rather than having to see a specialist in hospital. With the involvement of patients, we have undertaken a review of current services within the CCG area and are looking into new models that deliver more diabetes care, treatment and support in GP practices. Five patient reps have now joined the group established to take this work forward. We recently sought the opinions of patients and members of the public on care closer to home in the form of community health and social care services. We asked people about what they believe needs to be changed to improve the patient experience for others experiences. The data gathered included feedback from: a survey, the CCG s Patient Group Forum, and from our Annual General Meeting. The questionnaire was distributed to the voluntary sector and local councils and shared with seldom-heard groups and PPGs. We received 59 completed questionnaires, which will be fed in to the review of these services. 5

6 September 2014 at Bedworth Arts Centre. Over 30 people attended the meeting which gave local people the opportunity to help shape the CCG s plans for healthcare in 2015/16, particularly in the areas of community health services and social care. Visit to read a full copy of the report or you can scan the QR code using your smartphone. Thanks for joining! In June, the CCG recruited 21 new members who took part in a charity fun run held at George Eliot Hospital. One of the new recruits to the membership scheme was the Deputy Mayor for Nuneaton, Barry Longden, who showed his support for health champions. Lay Member, Patient and Public Involvement for the CCG, Karen Ashby, said: I d like to welcome our new recruits who recently joined the scheme at the fun run and thank all those who have signed up so far. Every health champion that joins our membership scheme is helping us to shape services for the future. It s really important for local people to be involved in their own health services. 6

7 At this time of year every year, we ask local residents across north Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth to help ease the pressure on emergency services. At a time when seasonal illnesses are at their highest and nationally more people are attending Accident and Emergency departments, NHS Warwickshire North Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is highlighting the appropriate use of A&E and emergency services. Warwickshire North CCG, said: We know that the majority of the public go to A&E or use 999 services appropriately, however some people have told us, that they are not aware of alternative services that could have helped them so that they could have avoided a visit. There are other local services available to you quickly and often that avoid a need to travel far, such as telephoning NHS 111, who can help to give you the answers, reassurance, advice and support you need as well as being convenient and open around the clock. Your local pharmacy staff who are keen to help you with advice, assurance and care for minor illnesses and injuries. People can visit the local Camphill GP led Health Centre in Nuneaton which is open from 8am to 10pm, 7 days a week. You can book an appointment with your local GP, or contact the Out of Hours GP. services in local areas. The service encourages people to call 111 when they need medical help fast but it s not a 999 emergency. The service is a fast and easy way to get the right help, whatever the time. The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. An emergency includes things like: suspected heart attack or stroke suspected meningitis chest pain unconsciousness heavy or uncontrolled bleeding suspected drug overdose sudden and severe headaches severe head injuries serious injuries such as impalement or stab wounds severe bone breaks, fractures or burns The NHS 111 service was introduced to make it easier for people to access NHS healthcare Commissioning Intentions Each year commissioners in the NHS are required to set out their priorities for the coming year and how they will improve the health of the communities they serve. We have outlined our priorities for 2015/16 based on the feedback we have received following discussions with representatives of patients and the public, our GP Member Practices and other key stakeholders. The full document is available to download from our website at 7

8 Do you know somebody who might be interested? Health Champions We now have 1292 health champions, but we are still keen to recruit others. The more views we are able to listen to, the more we are sure that we are shaping the services that are right for the people in this area. We would like to hear from anyone who might be interested in joining our Health Champions membership scheme. You can play a big or small part as you wish, there s no pressure or obligation to attend meetings. To join as a Health Champion visit the Get Involved section on our website or call for details. Keep in touch To help us to get this newsletter to you and keep you updated on forthcoming events, if you haven t already done so please send us your name, postal address, telephone number and address to: We want to hear from you We value your views on local services and use the feedback we receive to help us make decisions about local health care. Your views, experiences and knowledge can help to change things for the better. Please complete our improved patient survey at Contact us: NHS Warwickshire North Clinical Commissioning Group, Room 1, Lewes House, Nuneaton CV10 7DJ Tel: contactus@warwickshirenorthccg.nhs.uk