1. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Black and Asian people according to latest PHE report

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    Share your story to help services learn and improve from the experiences of Greenwich residents from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds during COVID-19.

  2. Urgent Request from Public Services Committee - Help with Finding Witness for Oral Evidence Session

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    The House of Lords would like to hear from people age 16-66 with complex care needs, long-term health conditions and disabilities about their experience of services during coronavirus, and how they think services could be improved going forward.

  3. Celebrating Black History Month 2020

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    Healthwatch Greenwich is hosting a series of free online events with art, panel discussions, interviews, and crafts, to celebrate Black History Month.

  4. CQC: COVID-19 is magnifying inequalities and “risks turning fault lines into chasms”

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    Focus now must be on shaping a health and care system that delivers for everyone

  5. Healthwatch Greenwich BAME Advisory Group

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    In November we held our first Black Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Advisory group meeting in which we agreed upon which of the service provider commitments the group would prioritise in monitoring.

  6. Health Inequalities event summary

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    Recording, presentations and notes from our Health Inequalities event on 25 May 2021

  7. Learning disability nurses ease the anxiety around hospital visits

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    Being in hospital can be a stressful and anxious time for anyone, especially if you are staying for an operation.

  8. People living in the poorest areas waiting longer for hospital treatment

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    The King’s Fund and Healthwatch England jointly call for urgent action to address hospital waiting lists and improve patients’ experience of delays to treatment

  9. February is LGBTQ+ History Month

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    Find out more about LGBTQ+ History Month including a timeline in changes of legislation and which services are available in Greenwich for the LGBTQ+ community

  10. Your Care, Your Way - Campaign information in alternative formats

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    Everyone should be given healthcare information in the way they need it. Read an overview of our campaign and find out more about Your Care, Your Way in British Sign Language and Easy Read.

  11. Accessible Information: Healthwatch England's recommendations

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    Healthwatch England have set out five headline recommendations to help health and care services ensure that people who have communication needs are given their healthcare information in the way they need it.

  12. What medical support are you entitled to if you’re new to the UK?

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    For new arrivals to the UK it can be confusing where to go if you need medical assistance. Here we outline your rights as a refugee, where you can access emergency help and how to register for a GP.

  13. We need to focus on inequalities to address NHS waiting list

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    The current hospital backlog has had a huge impact on many patients waiting for treatment. But if you are a woman, on a low income or from an ethnic minority background, you are more likely to have a worse experience of waiting for care.

  14. Disabled people report being blocked from NHS care due to poor communications

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    Healthwatch England's deep-dive analysis of people's experiences of healthcare communication is a stark reminder of why NHS England & the 42 new Integrated Care Systems need to ensure services abide by the Accessible Information Standard.

  15. The NHS needs more black donors

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    Find out why the NHS needs more black donors to give blood.

  16. Contact us using British Sign Language (BSL)

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    Find out how to contact us using a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter.

  17. Paid Opportunity for ethnic minority adult carers- Get involved with our upcoming project!

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    We will soon be starting a new project on the experiences of accessing services, information and support for carers from an ethnic minority background and we need your help!

  18. New funding available to help improve local children and young people's health

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    Are you a charity, community group or not-for-profit local organisation in Greenwich? The Southeast London ICB is offering grants of up to £2,000 to help improve local children and young people’s health.

  19. Improving healthcare for the LGBT+ community- take part in the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS survey

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    If you have attended an appointment at University Hospital Lewisham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, or used our community services in Lewisham in the last 12 months, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust want to hear from you.

  20. Co-produced LARC study sheds light on young people's knowledge and attitudes in Greenwich Borough, praises stakeholder

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    Sarah Crossman, Live Well Programme Lead at Greenwich Health, said co-produced LARC research gave both expected and new perspectives on young people’s attitudes towards contraception.

  21. More admin staff needed to help tackle GP access issues

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    National GP patient survey sees a further fall in satisfaction, especially regarding making appointments. Read with Healthwatch England response.

  22. Integrated Care Partnership meets on 24th July

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    The Integrated Care Partnership is a broad alliance of leaders from partner organisations across the South-East London Integrated Care System.

  23. Cancellations of NHS care are having serious impacts on two-thirds of patients

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    Healthwatch England's new research highlights that pressures in the NHS have serious consequences on people's lives and widen health inequalities.

  24. The hidden wait for cancer care

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    Healthwatch England's research on GP referrals highlighted the frustration patients experience due to long waits and a lack of support. This latest analysis looks at people’s experience of getting a cancer referral.

  25. Paul’s experience: “I just feel lost in the system.”

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    Paul visited his GP and was referred to Circle MSK for evaluation of his foot condition, but his treatment was delayed and complicated due to missing X-ray results and uncooperative staff, leaving him feeling lost and frustrated in the system.

  26. Recent inspection rates Eltham Palace Surgery ‘inadequate’ for safety of patients

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    The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of Health and Social Care in England, carried out its inspection of Eltham Palace Surgery in May, concluding the service was ‘performing badly’.

  27. Christopher’s experience: “I work and I look after my wife... I had to leave my wife alone for almost for a whole day”

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    Christopher's family, dealing with disabilities, faced delivery woes from NRS Healthcare, leading to lost wages and personal strain. Read with provider's response.

  28. Care Quality Commission (CQC) 2022 adult inpatient survey at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

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    Find out how Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust performed in the latest Adult Inpatient Survey of 2022.

  29. Launch of public consultation on specialist cancer services for children living in south London and south east

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    Have your say on the proposed future location of specialist cancer services for children living in south London and most of south east England

  30. Anna’s Experience: "You’ll have to start the referral process all over again.”

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    Anna's battle with a musculoskeletal condition is worsened by missed appointments, delays, and a lack of support, leaving her in pain and feeling neglected.

  31. NHS urged to do more to help patients leave hospital safely

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    Healthwatch England new research reveals worrying problems with hospital discharge arrangements. Many people told us they are not given the right support or information when being discharged from hospital. Read their experiences and our calls to action.

  32. Our response to the news that Government has reached an agreement with medical unions in England

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    Responding to the news that Government has reached an agreement with medical unions in England, which if accepted, could end consultant strikes, Joy Beishon, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Greenwich said:

  33. Athena’s Experience: “I felt abandoned.”

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    Athena, a single mom with a special needs son, felt abandoned by healthcare and social services during a difficult time.

  34. Government and unions urged to find resolution to strike action

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    Five organisations representing NHS leaders and patients join forces regarding on-going industrial action in the NHS.

  35. Improving the wait for cancer care

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    In July last year, Healthwatch published our findings of experiences you shared about trying to get cancer care. Thanks to this insight, the NHS has simplified their process so people can better understand what to expect.

  36. Muslim Mental Health Fact Sheet

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    Research suggests that Muslims face some of the greatest mental health inequalities, yet too many encounter significant barriers to support.

  37. Paul’s Experience: “We’ve lost trust in the hospital, they failed Becky”

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    A father shares how negligence from hospital staff led to a traumatic experience for his daughter Becky and their family

  38. More time, energy, and feeling fitter would motivate people to be more active

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    Nearly 3 in 4 (72%) of UK adults said that having more time, energy and feeling fitter would motivate them to be more physically active.
    UK adults are more than twice as likely to spend most of their time watching TV (38%) compared to cooking/preparing food (15%).

  39. Fayola’s Experience: “I need help, Minika needs help, but no one is helping us.”

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    Fayola's plea for help goes unanswered as her daughter falls ill due to lack of heating, leading to months of hospitalisation without support.

  40. Shweta’s experience: “If only a GP had seen me in person, I would have my degree with no delays.”

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    An international student shared how not receiving timely care delayed her prospects of graduating on time.

  41. NHS to roll out ‘Martha’s Rule’

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    The head of the NHS on 21st February announced the rollout of ‘Martha’s Rule’ in hospitals across England from April, enabling patients and families to seek an urgent review if their condition deteriorates.

  42. Raising Awareness of Women’s Cancer Screening

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    On Women’s Day, we were in General Gordon Square with a focus on promoting women’s health screening. Using a combination of strategies in a community setting, including face-to-face interaction (short, informal conversations), incentives (freebies), and information resources (leaflets), Healthwatch Greenwich promoted, encouraged, and reassured women about breast and cervical screening.
    Among the women we spoke to, awareness gaps were evident, particularly among recently migrated women. For others, trust in healthcare providers and systems is a key driver, with positive experiences encouraging future attendance. In addition, their children were a motivating factor for some. Negative experiences with GPs and hospitals (even when unrelated to screening) reduced the likelihood of women attending screening appointments. Some expressed fear of discomfort or pain, reducing motivation to take up screening opportunities, and women with mobility challenges faced physical barriers in accessing screening.

  43. Government announces plan to give patients a choice of where they get out of hospital care

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    On 15 May, the government announced that from Autumn, it will test out its patient choice expansion plan in new areas across the country to give patients a choice of where they receive out-of-hospital care.

  44. Carers and services come together to learn about how they can better support people living with dementia.

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    On Friday 17 May, Healthwatch Greenwich and our team of volunteers joined in the Dementia Action Week event organised by the Royal Borough of Greenwich at Eltham Library to speak with carers of people living with dementia.

  45. What did we hear from local residents attending the Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice tea and talk session?

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    On Wednesday 5 June, Healthwatch Greenwich joined 15 local residents at a tea and coffee afternoon at Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice to learn about their experiences of health and social care services.

  46. Healthwatch Greenwich wins Employer Impact Award

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    On Thursday 6 June, Healthwatch Greenwich was awarded the Employer Impact Award at the Greenwich Employability Awards. The awards were created to celebrate the exceptional impact and contributions of students from the University of Greenwich and external partners.

  47. Dementia diagnoses in England at a record high

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    Recent NHS data shows a record number of people are being diagnosed with dementia. The NHS is encouraging people to come forward and get checked if they have any common early signs or symptoms of the disease.

  48. Department of Health and Social Care announces national RSV vaccination campaign

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    The UK will launch a national respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme from Sunday, 1 September 2024, protecting newborns and older adults.

  49. Blood cancer patients to benefit from first targeted treatment available on the NHS

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    Patients in England with a form of blood cancer known as marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) can now benefit from a take-at-home tablet available on the NHS. The game changing treatment could halt the progression of their cancer and provide an alternative to rounds of chemotherapy.

  50. Nicky’s Experience: “I waited nearly two days for a labour room”

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    Nicky shares her emotional journey, beginning with a pregnancy in 2022.