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Healthwatch Walsall Advisory Board (HAB) Meeting held on Thursday 4 February 2021 11:15 a.m.
Virtual online digital platform Zoom.
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Our annual report provides a summary of the experiences people have shared with us and highlights the action we have taken in response. Take a look to see how people's views are impacting decisions made by NHS and social care leaders. -
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Healthwatch Walsall Advisory Board (HAB) Meeting held on Monday 19 April 2021 02:15 p.m.
Virtual online digital platform Zoom
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A report about patient communication with, to and from Walsall Manor Hospital.
Feedback that we received from members of the public about communication at Walsall Manor Hospital, formed the basis of this project. We wanted to take this opportunity to find out about people’s experiences with communication at Walsall
Manor Hospital, assess how patients feel about their experiences, and gather their ideas and concerns so that they can be
represented to key stakeholders. -
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Heart disease remains as one of the major causes of premature death in Walsall. -
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Healthwatch continues to gather information locally, through various means, such as surveys, focus groups, one-to-one conversations and questionnaires. -
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Do you struggle to speak to your doctor about your medical concerns? You’re not alone. Take a look at our top tips to make the most out of your GP appointment. -
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Take a look at our upcoming events or check out our selection of health and care awareness events you can support. -
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Healthwatch Walsall Advisory Board (HAB) Meeting held on Friday 6 August 2021 02:15 p.m. Virtual online digital platform Zoom -
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Your mental wellness is as important as your physical health but seeking help can be daunting. Here's what to expect when you seek support for your mental health. -
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Waiting for planned medical care or surgery can be a frustrating time. That’s why it’s so important that while you wait, you get regular, clear and accessible updates so that you can plan your next steps. -
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Do you or a loved one need help with social care? Read the article below and find out answers to key questions about who can access adult social care and how to pay for it. -
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115,000 people a year die from lung disease in the UK, equivalent to 1 person every 5
minutes, and every day, 1500 people are newly diagnosed with lung disease. Moreover, the
health outcomes for people with lung disease have not improved over the last 10 years to the
same extent as other diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. The mortality rate
(the number of people per 100,000 dying) of people aged under 75 from respiratory disease
in Walsall is 48.1, which is significantly worse than the national rate of 34.2.
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There were 5040 emergency hospital admissions for respiratory disease in 2018/19 in
Walsall. Hospital admissions due to respiratory conditions are a major factor in the winter
pressures faced by the NHS and lung disease costs the UK more than £11 billion per year
including the impact on the NHS (£9.9bn), and wider economy through working days lost
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Do you want to help make a difference to health and social care? Whether you would like to volunteer with us, work in partnership, or share your views, we'd love to hear from you. -
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Volunteers play a vital role in helping people have their say on health and social care. Volunteering with Healthwatch can help you develop skills, gain experience and make a difference to your community. -
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Find out about our role, our plans and our people. -
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How your feedback has helped improve services locally. -
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Check out our top tips and guidance to help you through the process. -
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We use cookies on our website to make your experience as easy and simple as possible. -
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We are committed to making sure all our information is clear and accessible for everyone. -
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These terms and conditions tell you how the Healthwatch Walsall website is managed and how you are protected when you are using our site. If you do not agree with these terms, you should leave the site immediately. -
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There are lots of ways you can get involved as a volunteer. Take a look at our current opportunities and how you can get in touch with us. -
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A copy of our public meeting/ minutes -
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On this occasion, the Healthwatch have carried out a project that looks at the experiences of people who were more likely to be digitally excluded than the general population in accessing primary care during the Covid-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions. Unlike the HWE project we did not interview GP practice staff as at the time the project was being undertaken local GP practice staff were taken up with the rollout of the Covid vaccination programme and felt unable to take part. -
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You have the power to help make change happen. -
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Meet our trained enter and view representatives. -
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Heart disease remains as one of the major causes of premature death in Walsall. There have
been several reports produced locally by Public Health Walsall that evidence this but there is
also other intelligence published by Public Health England e.g., CVD primary care intelligence
pack (2021). We understand that a range of factors heighten the risk of heart disease and
that generally premature deaths from this disease tend to be in the more deprived areas of
Walsall where risk factors that can cause heart disease are more prevalent. As background
data to support this report we have obtained some summary information from our local
Public Health department as well as undertaking a limited analysis of the CVD primary care
intelligence pack 2021 and this follows. -
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Local health chiefs have issued important guidance following the updated cold weather
alert.
The Met Office, in conjunction with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has issued an amber weather alert, which is currently in place from Sunday 7 January to Friday 12 January, as severe winter weather is forecast.
An amber alert means extreme cold conditions are expected, with the elderly, people with underlying health conditions, babies and very young children at risk from the weather. In the Black Country, forecasters have predicted severe cold weather and icy conditions with temperatures continuing to reach below zero this week.
People are encouraged to take extra precautions to keep safe while the alerts are in place, such as checking on vulnerable friends and neighbours, keeping food and medications in stock and ensuring homes are adequately heated.
Dr Ananta Dave, Chief Medical Officer for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, said: “Taking extra care during cold weather is really important, particularly for people who are more vulnerable to suffering ill health due to the cold, such as babies and very young children, older people, pregnant women and people with pre-existing medical conditions.
“It is recommended that we should heat our homes to at least 18 degrees Celsius in winter as this minimises risks to our health. If you can’t heat all the rooms you use, heat the living room during the day and your bedroom just before you go to bed.
“Try to avoid going out in cold icy weather but if you do need to go outside wear shoes with slip resistant grip and wear a few layers of thin clothing rather than one thick layer to trap in heat. It is also important that you have frequent hot food and drinks as these can help to keep you warm.
“Make sure you also take the current weather alert into account when planning any activity over
the following few days and try to avoid exposing yourself to cold or icy outdoor conditions,
especially if you’re at a higher risk of cold-related illness or falls.
“We are also asking everyone to remember the needs of friends, relatives, and neighbours who could be at risk during this period of cold weather. Make sure they’re well, and warm and have sufficient stocks of food and medicines, in case they cannot go out for a few days.”
For more advice on staying well in cold weather, visit the NHS website here. -
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A brief outline of some of the issues and themes that patients have faced when accessing Walsall Services during October 2023.
Also, things that you can get involved with! -
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A brief outline of some of the issues and themes that patients have faced when accessing Walsall Services during Novmeber 2023.
Also, things that you can get involved with! -
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A brief outline of some of the issues and themes that patients have faced when accessing Walsall Services during December 2023.
Also, things that you can get involved with! -
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A callout to anyone who has used the NEW Emergency and Urgent Care Centre at Walsall Manor Hospital.
Share your experience, call us on 0800 470 1660 or Email: info@healthwatchwalsall.co.uk -
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Parents across the Black Country are being urged to make sure children are up to date with their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab, following an increase in measles in the West Midlands.
Measles is a highly infectious disease which can lead to serious complications such as severe lung infections and inflammation of the brain. It also damages and suppresses the whole immune system, meaning children can be left much more susceptible to catching other illnesses.
It can spread quickly among communities, such as schools and nurseries, if children have not had two dose the MMR vaccine.
Symptoms of measles include:
• high temperature
• runny or blocked nose
• sneezing
• cough
• red, sore, watery eyes
• rash, which usually appears a few days after cold-like symptoms (sometimes it starts around the ears before spreading to the rest of the body).
All children are invited for their first MMR vaccine on the NHS when they turn one. The second dose is given when they reach three years and four months of age. Having two doses of the vaccine provides the best protection against MMR.
Adults and older children can also be vaccinated at any age if they have not been fully vaccinated before and are being encouraged to come forward if they haven’t had two doses.
The NHS has created a video of a local infection prevention nurse sharing the symptoms of measles to look out for and the ways to keep your child safe with the MMR vaccine.
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The Black Country Local Maternity and Neonatal System (BCLMNS) is looking at a way of working across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton. This would mean that care is based on where women and birthing people plan to have their babies – rather than being based on geography