Archive for March, 2010

Is Britain Really Broken?

The Department for Communities and Local Government have today released figures aimed at answering just that. The data is designed to measure Britain’s civic health, civic health being “the networks and interactions that help local and national civil society to function well”. A range of indicators can be used to measure an areas civic health, including the threat of anti-social behaviour, level of involvement in local decisions and level of volunteering. The aim of the statistics released today is to use these indicators to measure and compare the quality of life in each local authority around Britain.

So how does Wandsworth compare to the national average?  79.2% of people in Wandsworth believe that it is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together, 2.8% above the national average. However, only 49.3% of people feel they belong to their immediate neighbourhood, 8.1% below the national average and 13.8% of people have been involved in decisions which influence the local community in the last 12 months 0.15% below the national average.

To have a look at the full report click here

Andrew Craig, PEC Lay Representative, has produced a feedback briefing from the PCT’s Professional Executive Committee Meeting held with the PCT Management Team on 16^th March 2010.    

• Dental Mystery Shopping
• St. Georges Hospital A&E  GP referrals
• Minor Oral Surgery update
• Out of hours Services

To read his report please click here March 2010 Lay Member PEC Feedback

Your comments on these and other lay issues in connection with PEC discussions are very welcome and Andrew will feed them into the next PEC meeting or other appropriate channel at the PCT.  

A Careers and Training Information Fair for people with learning difficulties or disabilities

Gate 2, 188 Kirtling Street, London SW8 5BN

1. Employers   2. Social Enterprise   3. Volunteering Training   4. Education    5. Help and Advice

For more information Please contact the Wandsworth Council LLDD team on: (020) 8871 8732 or

 (020) 88718478

As part of the material they are gathering to support their 2010 campaigning activity, National Voices is keen to hear your views about voicing complaints and feedback. The responses gathered through the survey will feed into their campaign material and Autumn ‘White Paper’ publication.

The survey closes at 12 midday on Tuesday, April 6, 2010. You can access the short survey by clicking below.

 Sailability Open Day- Free Sailing lessons for anyone with a disability

 If you have a disability and are over the age of 8 years then you are invited to Come along and have a go at Sailing for free on Thursday 8th April 2010, 10.00am till 3.00pm at Wimbledon Park Watersports Centre. You can turn Turn up at any time and try out Sailing, kayaking, Canoeing and Bell Boating. Groups or Individuals Welcome !

 Wimbledon Park Watersports Centre

Wimbledon

SW19 7HX

for more information phone: 0208947 489

                                             email:  wimbledonpark@merton.gov.uk

Concerns over the re-configuration of local healthcare services continues to feature in local press articles.  The apparent threat to services at Kingston Hospital and the knock-on problems for St George’s are covered in the article linked below.

http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/5053259.NHS_shake_up_could_put_pressure_on_St_George_s/?ref=eb

Secretary of State Andy Burnham has this week announced the start of a nationwide consultation about abolishing GP practice boundaries/catchment areas.

GP SURGERIES CONSULTATION

Here is an excerpt from the press release, which also quotes local GP Dr Seth Rankin:

Patients will have the chance to choose the best GP practice for them under new plans in a consultation published today by Health Secretary Andy Burnham.

At present, GPs operate within fixed geographical boundaries that can be restrictive and severely reduce patients’ choice of the practice they register with, especially for those patients living in poorer areas. 

The majority of patients are happy with their current GP practice but a significant minority would like to change their GP.

For many patients it is important to be registered with a local GP so their GP can visit them at home and help co-ordinate care with local health professionals. Others want to register with a practice closer to where they work, or one closer to home, open longer or offers more services. Other patients have said they’d like to be able to stay registered with their current practice when they move house.

The consultation is seeking views on a wide range of proposals, in particular around the issues involved in arranging home visits, co-ordination of community based services, safeguarding access for local residents, and access to hospital and specialist treatment.

This is a very important development with a number of issues attached to it about patient choice, continuity of care and how primary care practices are funded.  

You can read the full story here www.dh.gov.uk/en/News/Recentstories/DH_113502 and also access the consultation at the foot of the page.  

The assumption is that the changes will be implemented from October 2010.

What do you think about these proposals? LINk is trying to gather the thoughts and opinions of local Wandsworth Residents which they will then feed into the consultation. Please get in touch with us or write your comments at the bottom of this page.

The next LINk Executive Meeting open to the public and starts with an Executive business meeting from 6 pm on Tuesday 16^th March at Mushkil Aasaan, 220-222 Upper Tooting Road, SW17 7EW.

This will be followed at 7.15 pm by refreshments, and updates and an open discussion about Mental Health Services with contributions from Wandsworth’s Black and Minority Ethnic Forum and Voicing Views (Service User Project). 

Please come along and share your experiences.

To view the papers click here

Wandsworth LINk has produced an easy read version of its newsletter which can be found by clicking here Wandsworth LINk newsletter EasyRead