Archive for September, 2010

Voice on Change – Monday 4th October

The new health white paper, Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS was published in July and includes plans for the fundamental reworking of the NHS, and commissioning is a key theme throughout the paper. The paper aims to:

• Put patients and the public first;

• Focus on improving quality and outcomes;

• Increase accountability and democratic legitimacy;

• Cut bureaucracy.

The White Paper consultation documents can be found here:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_117353

How will these proposed structural reforms affect voluntary and community sector involvement in commissioning and public sector involvement?

This open session will be your opportunity to discuss with NHS Wandsworth what you think about the proposed changes and what impact you think it will have on local communities.

2.00pm on Monday 4th October at the Anchor Centre, 273 Garratt Lane, Wandsworth, SW18 4DU

Please call Clare on 020 8875 2846 to book a place.

PRESS RELEASE

On Friday 10 September, Mayor Boris Johnson presented NHS Wandsworth’s Physical Activity Team with an award to congratulate them on their work for the London NHS Cycling Strategy. The awards ceremony was hosted by the London NHS Travel Network to celebrate a landmark year for cyclists in London following the launch of the NHS Cycling Strategy.

The vision of the strategy is to remove the barriers to cycling in London and promote cycling amongst staff and the wider community. Mayor Boris Johnson, presented certificates to over 30 NHS organisations that have successfully implemented this fantastic scheme, which can help staff to boost their fitness and improve health as well as reducing carbon emissions through the encouragement of sustainable travel.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: “The wonderful thing about cycling is it has so many benefits. It is the healthiest form of transport, keeping you fighting fit whilst pumping you full of serotonin, endorphins and energy. I welcome the efforts of NHS London to promote cycling to its own staff and to Londoners as a whole. We know that employers find staff that cycle to work turn up full of beans and irrepressibly happy and healthy.”

In Wandsworth, more than 40 NHS staff members have signed up to the scheme, run by the Physical Activity Team of the PCT’s Public Health Department, and to encourage staff to cycle rather than drive, we now pay a cycling mileage fee of 27 pence per mile for business travel. NHS Wandsworth also offers expert cycle training to those who do not feel confident enough to cycle around London.

Caroline Straker, an employee at NHS Wandsworth who has recently joined the scheme, said: “Cycling to work gives me the exercise I need to stay fit, gives me extra money that I save in fares, gets me to work quicker and it helps keep my carbon footprint low. Hooray for the Cycle to Work Scheme!”

Date: TUESDAY 28 September 2010

Venue: Nelson Room, Ealing Town Hall, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, Ealing W5 2HL

Time: 9.45am – 12:30pm

The Asian Health Agency in partnership with Tower Hamlets Healthy Island Partnership (A GP Consortia) is organising a seminar to promote understanding of Govt’s proposed changes to the way NHS services are managed and delivered and on its White Paper “Equity & Excellence: Liberating the NHS” .

Seminar will feature:

Speakers from Healthy Island Partnership (London Borough of Tower Hamlets) and NHS Cumbria with expertise on developing Models of GP Practices working in Consortia to delivering NHS services discussion on role & opportunities for community & third Sector in commissioning & partnership working arrangements an effort to Forging a BME Health & Social Care Providers Consortia to develop & deliver services, building partnership & consortia approach within new commissioning framework & to bidding for contracts.

Seminar will provide an opportunity for individuals and organisations to feed into Govt’s consultation process

Seminar costs are £10 per delegate and includes lunch.

For further information and to book a place contact:

Farah Chaudhry 020 8981 2146 farah.chaudhry@taha.org.uk

Jessi Jandu 020 8571 7928 admin2@taha.org.uk

Khaleda Khan 020 8811 1501 selfmanage@taha.org.uk

Kind Regards,

Khaleda Khan.

Self Directed Care Project

tel: 020 8811 1501

tel: 020 8571 7928

fax: 020 8811 1502

info@selfdirectedcare-taha.org.uk

www.selfdirectedcare-taha.org.uk

The Asian Health Agency | Shanti Centre | 89 Askew Road | London W12 9AS

(Article from Wandsworth Guardian)

7:20am Thursday 23rd September 2010

A leading sexual health consultant has lifted the lid on battling rising rates of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Mark Pakianathan, a consultant for HIV/GU medicine at St George’s Hospital revealed a plan to move sexual health services out of the borough’s Tooting and Roehampton hospitals and take them closer to poorer communities – where problems with STIs are worse.

However, the 42-year-old warned the Government’s plans for the future of healthcare, which would give more responsibility to GPs, could threaten the quality of sexual health services in Wandsworth, and lead to a surge in STIs.

His comments come after Wandsworth was exposed as one of the country’s sexually transmitted infection (STI) hotspots, with 1,692.9 people for every 100,000 of the population having a new infection.

Dr Pakianathan, who has been an expert in the field since 1999, said Wandsworth suffered higher rates of STIs because it has “a highly fluid population, is very mobile, and has a high proportion of gay men and ethnic minorities”. He pin-pointed deprived communities as being problem areas and acknowledged STIs as being prevalent in gang culture.

Dr Pakianathan revealed 4.7 per 1,000 of the borough’s population had HIV. In 2008 there were a total of 961 Wandsworth residents aged 15 to 59 accessing ongoing care for the virus.

Dr Pakianathan added “home-grown” rates of HIV were rising.

He said HIV was not an issue exclusive to a particular age group, but admitted treatment was an obstacle for younger generations.

The consultant said: “Dealing with some of those young people can be difficult. If you come from an area of deprivation and you have not been going to school and not kept down a job it’s very difficult.

“The caveat with HIV medication is it requires the discipline of a soldier – it’s got to be taken every day for the rest of your life.”

In a bid to better combat STIs, Dr Pakianathan explained there was a plan to move sexual health clinics into poorer communities after St George’s Healthcare Trust’s looming merger with Community Services Wandsworth.

And he urged GPs not to ignore sexual health issues by scaling down clinic times when, as proposed, they take on responsibility for commissioning healthcare services.

Dr Pakianathan said: “What you will get is people not being able to get through the door and then spreading infections to other people – you get an escalation of infections.”

Help make a real difference to the lives of people with Sight Loss

The Pocklington Trust, a charity providing support to people with sight loss based in Roehampton , is looking for volunteers to take up a huge array of positions. If you have an interest in the care sector, occupational health or social work, or you just want to help make a big difference to people’s lives, then this is a great opportunity. 

Pocklington Court is a supported housing centre for people of all ages with sight loss. Located in Roehampton in South West London, the Centre offers self-contained accommodation in a range of studio and one-bedroom flats, with the support of a team of trained staff.

• Readers
• Minibus Driver
• Shop Manager
• Telephone Befriender
• Gardening facilitator

Click here to read our darft response to the Governement White Paper: Liberating the NHS Local democratic legitimacy in health and the future of LINk’s…..let us know what you think?

Theres not long to go now until LINk’s next Public Meeting, where Rob Persey Assistant Director of Adult Social Services and Councillor Jim Madden will be answering your questions about the new plans for Day Services for Older People in Wandsworth.

Wandsworth LINk’s Enter and View Team has produced its second report on Hospital Discharge procedures at St George’s Hospital, Tooting. The Team visited 2 geriatric and 1 neurological ward, where they interviewed patients and staff and then followed these interviews up with telephone calls to patients once they had returned home. The report makes a total of 6 recommendations relating to Discharge Summaries, Readiness for discharge, Family and carer involvement, Time spent by patients awaiting implementation of a final discharge decision and Ward Visits.

No doubt most of you will have heard about the proposed changes to the NHS that the coalition Government is proposing – in fact some of you may have been at some of the presentations we have been doing around Wandsworth.  This consultation entitled “Equality and Excellence – Liberating the NHS” proposes major changes to how the NHS will operate in the future.  The proposals shift the bulk of decision making about your care to GPs, and change how the NHS is organised in a major way. The consultation ends on11th October 2010, and if you have any views about this, and I know many of you have, you can submit them directly to the Department of Health. 

Here are some useful links for you to find out more about the proposals.

http://www.wandsworth.nhs.uk/GetInvolved/yourNHS/Pages/LiberatingtheNHS.aspx

You can submit your views to NHSWhitePaper@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Bowel Cancer Screening

Thank you to all those who have responded to this request.  However we still have some places left.

We are running some focus groups in 28^th and 29^th September 2010 to ask people why they chose to take up bowel screening and, if they chose not to, why not. If you have not participated in a focus group before these are very informal events, where we bring together a small number of people so we can ask them questions and they can share their views on the issues being discussed.

If you are aged between 60 – 70, and have been invited to take part in a national bowel cancer screening programme.  We want to hear from you!!   Please email me back if you would like to join a focus group.

Expert Patients Reunion

For those of you who have been through the expert patients programme, our next reunion is here at Wimbledon Bridge House on October 14^th at 10.00am.  The theme is Exercise so this time our exercise facilitators are going to be running the session for us.  We have also got some other interesting things up our sleeves to make this a fun and action packed day!!  However because of the change of venue, space is limited so it will be on a first come first served basis.  So let me know if you want to attend or contact Helen on the number provided in your letter/email. 

For those of you who aren’t expert patients, why not join one of the programmes??  The programmes are designed to skill you with self management techniques to help you live a full and active life.  To find out more about this programme in your area, please drop me a line. 

And don’t forget these courses are FREE!!

Cancer and cardiovascular services are changing -  have your say!

The proposed models of care for future cancer and cardiovascular service provision in London have been published.  Clinicians and patients have contributed to proposed models of care for cardiovascular and cancer services in London.  In both work areas, it was shown that while services are excellent in many cases, there are a number of areas that could be addressed to provide better clinical outcomes and experience for patients.

Your views on the plans are vital; we can only help improve cardiovascular and cancer services in London with your input.

If you would like to attend this event you can register online for the cardiovascular and cancer patient and public engagement event – 21^st September 2010

If you have any specific enquiries regarding the models of care or other aspects of the cardiovascular or cancer work, please contact Ben McArdle on 020 7685 6872 or ben.mcardle@csl.nhs.uk or e-mail cancer@csl.nhs.uk or cardio-vascular@csl.nhs.uk. You can also send your comments on the plans through these e-mail addresses.

Wandsworth, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Forum

The next meeting of the Wandsworth LGBT Forum is on Thursday 23^rd September at 6.30pm in Battersea Library, Lavender Hill.  This meeting is focusing on Health.  As well as looking at the White paper consultation mentioned earlier, the group has a guest speaker presenting on mental health.  In addition, the Forum is launching its new website on 4^th October.  For more information checkout the website on www.wandsworthlgbtforum.co.uk.  They would be delighted to hear what you think about their new site.

NHS Wandsworth AGM and Health fair.

Don’t forget to drop into this year’s Annual General Meeting.  It is being held on Thursday 30^th September at Surestart Hall, South Thames College, 166 Roehampton Lane, London SW15 4HR.  Our Expert Patient and Youth Health Jury DVD’s will be shown, so if you want to see the films for yourself, make sure you are there! In addition to the Annual General Meeting, there will also be a health fair, so you will have a chance to find out lots of information about health.

Information for carers

If you are a Carer and want to advise the new Government about what help and support is important to you to live your life, now is your chance to speak up! There is a Carers Voices event on Thursday 16th September 12.30—2.30pm at Earlsfield Library, 276 Magdalen Road, SW18 3NY. For more information, call Daniel on 020 8675 0811.

Do you look after someone with Parkinson’s Disease?

If yes, Kings College is offering you the opportunity to join a group, led by a local Parkinson Disease Nurse, called a ‘Caring for Carers’ group (or C4C).  There is more information attached to this email, but if you want to speak to them directly, you can call the C4C coordinator at King’s College London on 020 7848 0749.

The report on the research carried out in July on behalf of NHS Wandsworth and the Wandsworth LINk has now been received.  Findings include the fact that a significant number of additional users would use the health centre at Clapham Junction if it included a wider range of diagnostic facilities such as X-ray. A more detailed note of the findings is attached.

It was also clear that many local residents did not know about the services available at the centre but that the 8 am to 8 pm opening times were seen as good.

Wandsworth LINk now calls on NHS Wandsworth to find a way to make X-ray facilities available on a single site alongside the health centre at Clapham Junction.