-
Report -
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! -
Report -
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! -
Report -
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! -
News -
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 -
News -
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 -
Advice and Information -
If you are living with Chronic Pain, why not join the Chronic Pain Self Care Management Programme and take better care of yourself -
Advice and Information -
By taking part, you will:
• Gain/extend knowledge about how to live with your condition
• Feel confident and more in control of your life
• Manage your condition and treatment together with healthcare professionals
• Be realistic about the impact of your condition on yourself and your family
• Use your new skills and knowledge to improve your quality of life
• Meet others who share similar experiences
-
Advice and Information -
Diabetes Self Care Management Programme
If you are living with Diabetes, why not join the Diabetes Self Care Management Programme and take better care of yourself. -
Advice and Information -
Learn new skills to help you to cope with your caring situation. -
News -
With the start of the new school term and the continuing rise in measles cases across the West Midlands, parents and carers in Walsall are being urged to ensure their children are up to date with their vaccinations such as MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) as soon as possible. -
News -
Engaging Communities Solutions (ECS) is the organisation that delivers your local Healthwatch service. As well as delivering local Healthwatch, ECS carries out social research for a range of clients who are usually from the public sector. The subjects that we cover are mainly health and social care related but sometimes we carry out projects that are about other topics too. To be able to involve more people in our research projects we are now recruiting people to join our Participant Panel. Members of the panel are people who would like to take
part in focus groups or interviews about different subjects and contribute to service improvements or new developments that are not part of the work of the local Healthwatch. You will receive a thank you for any focus groups or interviews that you take part in as a Panel Member such as a gift voucher.
If you are interested in joining our Participant Panel, please complete the registration form Https://engagingcommunities.welcomesyourfeedback.net/3d8r22 , or if you have any questions about the Panel, please contact Research Manager, Deborah Faulks, on 07876 897098 or deborah.faulks@weareecs.co.u -
News -
CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE’S VOICE SURVEY -
News -
Useful information and support -
Advice and Information -
Due to an increase in measles cases across the West Midlands, pop-up vaccination clinics have been set up in the Black Country to help ensure children aged 12 to 16 are up to date with their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab.
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, particularly schools, if children have not had two doses of the MMR vaccine.
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 and adults and older children can be vaccinated at any age if they have not been fully vaccinated before.
A series of pop-up clinics offering the MMR vaccine are taking place across the Black Country for 12 to 16 year-olds (Year 8 and Year 11) who haven’t yet had two doses. The clinics are being hosted in Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall and Sandwell on the following dates:
Wolverhampton:
• The Health Hub, Mander Centre, Wolverhampton, WV1 3NH, Saturday 20 January,
9am-2.30pm. To book an appointment call 01902 200077
Dudley:
• Fens Pool Community Centre, Tennyson Street, Brierley Hill, DY5 4HY, Saturday 20
January, 9am-1.30pm. To book an appointment call 01384 431712
Sandwell:
• Wood Lane Community Centre, Wood Lane, West Bromwich, B709PT, Saturday 27
January, 9am-1.30pm. To book an appointment call 0121 592 1110
Walsall:
• South & Central Locality Hub, Birchills Street, WS2 8NF, Saturday 27 January, 9am1.30pm. To book an appointment call 01922 902035
The clinics will be staffed by trained healthcare professionals from the NHS and Vaccination UK who specialise in childhood vaccinations and follow all necessary safety protocols. Parents and carers who are unsure if their child is up to date with their routine vaccinations can also check this at the clinics. Children will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian at the clinics.
Dr Fiona Rose, local GP and Clinical Director for Quality and Safety for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board said: “Measles can easily spread between unvaccinated people and can be very serious, so it is important that parents make sure their children are protected. The safest and most effective way to prevent measles is to ensure your child is fully vaccinated with MMR vaccine.
“It’s understandable that parents may be worried about getting their child vaccinated, however the MMR vaccine is one of the most studied vaccines in the world, with millions of doses given every year – it is safe for your child, and will protect them, their friends and the wider community.
“It’s never too late to come forward and our pop-up clinics are a great opportunity for children aged 12 to 16 years to get vaccinated if they have missed a dose, so please do book an appointment as soon as you can.”
Parents who are unsure if their child is up to date with all their routine vaccinations can also check their child’s Red Book (personal child health record), check the NHS app, or contact their GP practice.
For more information about the MMR vaccine, visit the NHS website here. -
News -
If this is you? Or a loved one? Get in touch. Tel: 0800 470 1660 or email: info@healthwatchwalsall.co.uk -
Report -
To read and download a copy. Use the 'Downloads' button below.
Provider feedback
The below response was received and added.
We at The Willows were happy to welcome the Healthwatch team into the home.
Face to Face relatives meetings will recommence in February 2024, as recent Zoom meetings were not well attended. The Activities Co-ordinator will be inviting residents to a meeting very soon for discussions and recommendations.
We as a home acknowledge the report and look to make improvements for the well-being of our residents and staff. -
Advice and Information -
Pop-up vaccination clinics have been set up during February half term to help ensure hildren are up to date with their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab.
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 and adults and older children can be vaccinated at any age if they have not been fully vaccinated before.
The clinics, which will be running everyday throughout the half term break, are open to all eligible children who are due or have missed a dose. Adults up to the age of 25 are also invited to come forward.
The pop-up clinics are being hosted at a range of locations across the Black Country. This is in
addition to existing pop-up clinics taking place this weekend:
Saturday 3 February:
• Vaccination van located outside Poundland in Walsall Town Centre, Lower Hall Lane, St Matthews Quarter, WS1 1PU, 9am-3pm. To book an appointment call 01922
902035
• Whitmore Reans Family Hub, Wolverhampton, WV1 4AL, 9.30am-2.30pm. To book an appointment call 01902 200077
Saturday 10 February:
• Mary Stevens Park, Stourbridge, DY8 2AA, 10am-3pm. To book an appointment call 01384 431 712
• West Bromwich Central Family Hub, Off Claypit Lane, West Bromwich, B70 9EZ, 9am3pm. To book an appointment call 0121 592 1110
Monday 12 February:
• Tesco, Silver Street, Brownhills, Walsall, WS8 6DZ, 9am-3pm, To book an appointment call 01922 902035 -
Advice and Information -
Guidance, information and vaccination information. -
Report -
Read or download a copy.
One download is a PDF and the other in Microsft Word format. -
Report -
Healthwatch Walsall wanted explore how Black and Asian women in Walsall truly feel during
their maternity journey. Do women feel as though they are listened to and valued as individuals? Do women feel they are treated with respect and compassion? These are major factors in the quality of treatment a patient feels they have received. Furthermore, we wanted to ask women if they felt their ethnic background influenced the treatment and care they received.
Gathering such patient experiences helps to give a small insight into the maternity journey for Black and Asian women in Walsall. -
News -
Dear colleague,
Your local NHS is asking people for their comments about proposals to reduce differences in access to Healthcare services in the Black Country.
In July 2022, a change in the law created our new organisation, NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), to take over local healthcare planning from the former clinical commissioning group (CCG) serving the areas of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, and Wolverhampton.
Since the ICB establishment we have been reviewing our clinical policies. This includes:
reviewing the four existing CCG policies to harmonise them into one new position for the ICB
implementing new policies to take into account national clinical guidelines and best practice
While the majority of their clinical policies were similar, there were several clinical polices that had some differences. To address these differences, commissioning policies for treatments listed below are being reviewed to look at how they can be made the same for the places of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, and Wolverhampton
Clinical experts have looked at the latest evidence and practice for all of these services, both nationally and locally, to ensure the local offer is high quality and safe.
The clinical policy review will be carried out in stages.
A public involvement exercise is now live to collect wider views and feedback from local people and staff to inform our final decision-making.
-
News -
The Dementia Needs Assessment is being developed by Walsall Council in partnership with the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB). The aim is to understand the needs of Walsall residents with Dementia and those caring, supporting or working with them.
A community survey is currently live for anyone who has contact with the public as part of their work or volunteering role in the community. Responses will help the Council and the ICB understand resident needs, whether services are meeting these needs, gaps in support, areas for improvement, and information, knowledge, and training needs.
The Council would like to hear from anyone who comes into contact or support people with dementia. For example, libraries, community services, places of worship, carers support and dementia care. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and can be completed by going to the survey page for Dementia Needs Assessment 2023: Community Survey. Alternatively you can scan the barcode in the attached poster.
For more information or to request the survey in an alternative format, please
email MWwalsall@walsall.gov.uk. -
News -
In June 2023, the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB) published the local NHS Joint Forward Plan, describing how NHS organisations in the Black Country will work together with other partners, including Local Authorities and the community and voluntary sector, to arrange and provide services to meet the needs of local people.
The following five priority areas were set out in the plan:
Priority 1- Improving access and quality of services
Priority 2- Community where possible – hospital where necessary
Priority 3- Preventing ill health and tackling health inequalities
Priority 4- Giving people the best start in life
Priority 5- Best place to work.
With the second year approaching, the plan has been updated and a sixth priority - ‘fit for the future’ - has been added. This is to recognise that the Black Country health system needs to change the way it works to embrace the opportunities and meet the challenges it faces. -
Advice and Information -
The way to order repeat prescriptions is changing.
Notification to patients of a change in service for repeat prescriptions - please read carefully. (As this applies to specific GP venues as listed below).
From 31 May 2024, you will no longer be able to order repeat prescriptions using the Prescription Ordering Direct (POD) telephone service.
Your GP practice will be taking over the responsibility for your repeat prescriptions.
You can order your repeat prescriptions using one of these methods:
• on the NHS App
• by logging into your NHS account at www.nhs.uk
• by requesting a repeat prescription on your GP practice website
• by contacting your GP practice after 10am, to avoid the morning demand for appointments, for support with your repeat prescription request.
If you are unable to use any of these methods, please contact a member of staff at your GP practice who will be able to discuss your options.
The POD service is currently available to patients registered at the following Modality GP practices in Walsall:
• Collingwood Practice
• Forrester Street Practice
• Harden Health Centre / Blakenall Practice
• Keys Family Practice
• Kingfisher Berkley Practice
• Modality Darlaston Practice
• New Invention Practice
• Pleck Medical Centre.
• St John's Medical Centre.
NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board have provided a set of frequently asked questions explaining why the service is closing, what alternative options you have, and where you can go if you have any questions or concerns.
For more information about the way to order repeat prescriptions, please visit the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board's website.
-
Report -
A brief outline of some of the issues and themes that patients have faced when accessing Walsall Services during February 2024.
Also, things that you can get involved with! -
Report -
A brief outline of some of the issues and themes that patients have faced when accessing Walsall Services during January 2024.
Also, things that you can get involved with! -
News -
The Community Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES) is a free NHS service for anyone who is experiencing emergency eye care problems and is registered with a GP in the Black Country.
The symptoms that can be treated by the service includes:
• red or painful eye or eyelids
• recently occurring flashes and floaters
• recent and sudden loss of vision
• a foreign body in the eye.
Adults and children can use the service, which is available via participating opticians across the Black Country, without the need for a GP referral.
This service is not an eye test and does not cover long standing or major eye conditions such as such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma. Those who have one of these conditions should contact their optometrist or hospital eye service directly for advice in the usual way.
Sarb Basi, Director of Primary Care for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, said: “It’s important that we look after our eyes by having regular check-ups with an optician. However, if you find yourself with a sudden urgent eye condition, the CUES can give advice and treatment without delay.
“In most cases, the CUES will be able to treat patients quickly and easily. And, if hospital treatment is needed, the service will arrange an emergency appointment with an eye specialist at a hospital – meaning that patients have access to the right care straightaway.
“In the Black Country, there is a hugely talented workforce in primary care opticians who have the equipment and skills required to assess, diagnose and where necessary, treat eye problems. The CUES is a great example of providing more efficient care closer to home by minimising delays and reducing the need for hospital visits, and I would encourage people to access this service if they need urgent eye treatment.”
People can book an assessment with the Community Urgent Eyecare Service online.
You may also be referred or redirected to the service by another health care provider such as a GP, local pharmacist, optician, NHS 111 or A&E.
The self-referral service is coordinated by Primary Eyecare, the largest single not-for-profit primary eyecare lead provider in England.
-
Report -
On this occasion we carried out a project looking at the Accessible Information Standard to ensure it meets the needs of people with sensory impairment.
Guidance from NHS England states:
‘From 1 August 2016 onwards, all organisations that provide NHS care and/or publicly-funded adult social care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard.’
‘The Standard sets out a specific, consistent approach to identifying, recording, flagging, sharing and meeting the information and communication support needs of patients, service users, carers and parents with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.’
This report is a local sample of service user experiences and views.
Available as a PDF and Word document which can be read aloud.
-
Report -
Teenage pregnancy was chosen as one of our priority projects for 2023-2024. We met with Local Authority staff and from this meeting it was clear most of the work we would be undertaking would be around communication, which is something we had already covered in our Young Persons Communication Around Health and Social Care Services Report. We then met with Walsall Teenage Pregnancy Lead; from this we were invited to engage with young people who are currently attending 2 programmes that are running in Walsall, Teens & Toddlers and Thrive. -
Report -
Read or download a copy.
One download is a PDF and the other in Microsft Word format. -
News -
Packed full of updates, reports and information from our partners about your health and social care services -
Report -
A brief outline of some of the issues and themes that patients have faced when accessing Walsall Services during March 2024.
Also, things that you can get involved with! -
Report -
NHS 111 triages people's medical needs to enable them to access the appropriate services or to provide advice on self-care where relevant. We want to know if this process is working for you and understand your experiences of using the service.
Here is what you said. -
Report -
Read or download a copy.
One download is a PDF and the other in Microsft Word format. -
Advice and Information -
Suicide Bereavement UK have developed a series of At Your Side guides for those bereaved by suicide in the Armed Forces community.
Three guides have been written by the bereaved for the bereaved:
At Your Side guide for veterans
At Your Side guide for families
At Your Side guide for serving personnel
Both the veteran and family guide will be launched on the 17th April 2024. The serving guide will be launched shortly afterwards.
Who produced the At Your Side guides?
The guides have been produced by Suicide Bereavement UK, an internationally recognised organisation specialising in suicide bereavement research and the development of evidence-informed support materials for bereaved people.
They were commissioned by NHS England and co-produced with individuals bereaved by suicide as well as experts in military mental health, suicide prevention and bereavement.
The guides are based on the experiences and needs of those who took part in the Armed Forces Suicide Bereavement Study. All were bereaved by suicide, having lost a friend, colleague, spouse, partner, adult child, parent or sibling during or after military service.
The guides are free to download.
Dedication
The guides are dedicated to those bereaved by suicide and to those they have lost in the Armed Forces community. -
News -
From 31 May 2024, patients will no longer be able to order repeat prescriptions using the Prescription Ordering Direct (POD) telephone service. This service is currently available to patients registered at the following practices:
· Collingwood Practice
· Forrester Street Practice
· Harden Health Centre / Blakenall Practice
· Keys Family Practice
· Kingfisher Berkley Practice
· Modality Darlaston Practice
· New Invention Practice
· Pleck Medical Centre
· St John's Medical Centre.
Each GP practice will take over the responsibility for repeat prescriptions. Patients will be encouraged to use the NHS App, logging into their NHS account, requesting a repeat prescription from the GP practice website or contacting the GP practice for support with their repeat prescription request.
Please see the message shared with patients about the changes to the way they order repeat prescriptions shared via the practices on the ICB website. The webpage also includes frequently asked questions about the changes and support available.
-
Report -
The former A & E department at Walsall Manor Hospital has been relocated and renamed the Urgent and Emergency Care Centre, integrating both emergency care and the Urgent Treatment Centre in one place.
Last year Healthwatch Walsall was pleased to have been contacted by Walsall Manor Hospital Trust to invite two cohorts of service users from our sensory loss and disability groups to visit the new department during the latter stages of its construction. The purpose of this was for the Trust to hear firsthand the views of these groups with regards to the suitability of the facilities. Following on from this and six months after the opening of the new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre, Healthwatch Walsall wanted to hear from patients directly to find out about how the new facilities and services were working for them. -
Report -
Read or download a copy. -
News -
Ahead of World Asthma Day (Tuesday 7 May), people in the Black Country are being reminded of the signs and symptoms of asthma.
World Asthma Day is organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), which aims to improve asthma awareness and care. This year’s theme is ‘Asthma Education Empowers’ and focuses on the importance of empowering people with asthma with the appropriate education to manage their condition and to recognise when to seek medical help.
Asthma is a common lung condition that causes breathing difficulties. It affects people of all ages and often starts in childhood, although it can also develop for the first time in adults.
The main symptoms are a whistling or wheezing sound when breathing, a feeling of breathlessness, a tight chest and coughing. The symptoms tend to vary and can sometimes get worse - this is commonly known as an asthma attack.
The NHS has created a video of a local GP sharing important tips of how to recognise an asthma attack, particularly in children, which can be viewed on YouTube.
Dr Atul Gulati, Clinical Director Respiratory Medicine at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said: “World Asthma Day provides the perfect opportunity to raise awareness of asthma including the signs and symptoms to look out for and the importance of seeking help.
“Everyone’s asthma is different, and people may have several triggers. Some of the most common triggers include having a cold or flu, exposure to air pollution, tobacco smoke, house dust mites, animal fur, or grass and tree pollen.
“Whilst the severity of symptoms varies from person to person, asthma is a serious condition so it’s really important that you don’t ignore symptoms and seek medical advice straight away if you’re concerned.”
To help raise awareness of asthma management in children, the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB) has also launched its Asthma Friendly Schools initiative which encourages all schools in the Black Country to welcome children with asthma and support them to proactively manage their asthma, both at home and school, so they don’t miss out.
Lisa Cummings, Queens Nurse and Asthma Practitioner in the Children and Young People’s Asthma Team for the NHS Black Country ICB, said: “Asthma is a common but very serious, and sometimes life-threatening, medical condition which affects one in 11 children in the UK.
“We know that asthma that is poorly controlled can not only impact physical health but also psychological health and educational attainment, and so our aim is to ensure that every child with asthma can go to school and fully participate in all elements of school life.
“Our Asthma Friendly School programme recognises the important role that schools play in the health and wellbeing of children, which is why we are encouraging all local schools in the Black Country to take part. The initiative aims to improve the care of pupils with asthma by raising awareness through information, training and support for school staff, as well as pupils, parents and carers.”
-
News -
This May Measure Month (MMM), eligible people in the Black Country are being reminded to visit their local pharmacy for a blood pressure check.
Led by the International Society of Hypertension, MMM is an annual global screening campaign which aims to educate people on the importance of having their blood pressure checked regularly, as raised blood pressure is the number one cause of preventable death worldwide.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a serious condition where your heart is made to consistently work harder to pump blood around your body.
It often has no symptoms and can increase your risk of a number of serious and potentially lifethreatening conditions such as heart disease, heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease and dementia.
People who might be more at risk of having high blood pressure include those who:
• are overweight
• do not do enough exercise
• drink too much alcohol or coffee (or other caffeine-based drinks)
• smoke
• have a lot of stress
• eat too much salt and not enough fruit or vegetables
• are over 65 years old
• are of Black African or Black Caribbean descent.
All adults over 40 years old are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every five years.
In the Black Country it is estimated there are around 75,000 people with undiagnosed hypertension and so the NHS is reminding people aged 40 and over who haven’t had a blood pressure check in the last six months to come forward.
Dr Sunil Nadar, Clinical Lead Cardiologist at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust and MMM National Lead for England, said: “High blood pressure rarely has any symptoms which is why it is called the ‘silent killer’. It can significantly raise your risk of a life-threatening heart attack, heart failure, or stroke, and the only way to know you have the condition is to get your blood pressure measured.
“High blood pressure can often be prevented or reduced by eating healthily (especially reducing salt in the diet), maintaining a healthy weight, taking regular exercise, drinking alcohol in moderation and not smoking. Some people with high blood pressure will also need to take one or more medicines to stop their blood pressure getting too high – what works best is different for each person.
“Checking your blood pressure is quick, simple and painless, and it could save your life. So, if you don’t know what your blood pressure is, May is the time to find out.” Selected community pharmacies across the Black Country offer a free blood pressure check service for people aged 40 and over with no previous history of high blood pressure. You can find a pharmacy that offers free blood pressure checks near you on the NHS website.
Stephen Noble, local pharmacist and Chief Officer of the Community Pharmacy Dudley, said: “May Measure Month is a great opportunity for raise awareness of high blood pressure and the importance of having a blood pressure check.
“If you’re aged 40 and over and you’re not already being monitored by a doctor, you can quickly and easily get your blood pressure checked by going into your local pharmacy. It’s a free, simple and non-invasive test, conducted in privacy, and you don’t need to book in advance.
“Depending on the result, the pharmacist might give you advice to support healthy living, give you a blood pressure monitor to take home with you and return later, or advise you to see a GP. Your blood pressure readings are also sent to your GP so your health records can be updated.” -
News -
But you can get involved now!
Have you accessed Walsall Urology Services in the last 18 months? We want to hear your experiences about the treatment and care you received. Tel: 07732 683464 or FreePhone: 0800 470 1660 or Email: info@healthwatchwalsall.co.uk
Tell us about your individual experience by phone or by Email!
-
News -
Due to the bank holiday some services such as GP surgeries and pharmacies may be closed or working on a reduced service. Selected pharmacies will still be available for prescriptions, non-urgent medical advice, and treatment of common ailments.
People who need medical help that isn’t an emergency should contact NHS 111 in the first instance by visiting 111.nhs.uk or by calling 111.
NHS 111 can help direct people to the most appropriate local health service if they aren’t sure where to go – this could include an out of hours GP, a pharmacy, a local NHS walk-in centre, or a hospital accident & emergency (A&E) department. -
News -
Pregnant women in the Black Country are being reminded to come forward for a whooping cough vaccination, as cases continue to rise.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial infection that mainly affects the lungs and airways. It spreads very easily and can sometimes cause serious problems, especially in babies and young children.
Initial symptoms are similar to those of a common cold, including a runny nose and a mild fever. After a week, the infection can develop into coughing bouts that are often worse at night. Some babies and adults may make a ‘whoop’ sound and have difficulty breathing after coughing.
Mums-to-be are offered the vaccine between 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy so their baby has protection against whooping cough until they are old enough to have the routine immunisation at 8 weeks old.
All babies are given three doses of the 6-in-1 jab combination vaccine at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age to protect against whooping cough and other serious diseases, such as diphtheria and polio, with a pre-school booster offered at 3 years 4 months. It's best to have them on time, but children can still have the 6-in-1 vaccine up to the age of 10.
The NHS has created a video with Rickell Bailey, the midwifery led unit manager at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, to explain why the whooping cough vaccine is important. You can watch the video on YouTube. Liz Punter, Midwife at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, also explains why pregnant women should come forward for a vaccine. She said: “The only way you can help protect your baby from getting whooping cough in their first few weeks after birth is by having the whooping cough vaccination yourself while you are pregnant.
“The best time to get vaccinated to protect your baby from whooping cough is from 16 weeks up to 32 weeks of pregnancy. This maximises the chance that your baby will be protected from birth, through the transfer of your antibodies before they are born. -
News -
The NHS is urging anyone eligible for a spring COVID-19 vaccination to come forward now.
The spring COVID-19 vaccination roll out started in April, with adults aged 75 years and over, residents in care homes for older adults and those aged six months and over who have a weakened immune system invited to receive a vaccine.
Following advice from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), those eligible for a vaccine have until Saturday 29 June to book an appointment, with the last spring vaccinations on offer the following day on Sunday 30 June. Appointments can be booked via the National Booking System, the NHS App or by calling 119.
Pop-up clinics have also been set up across the Black Country, offering spring COVID-19 vaccines to those eligible on a walk-in basis. The clinics will be running until the end of June, with no appointment necessary. More dates and locations can be found on the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board’s (ICBs) website.
Sally Roberts, Chief Nursing Officer for the NHS Black Country ICB, said: “With people starting to finally feel the spring and see some sunshine, it’s easy to forget that, despite the winter being behind us, many people remain vulnerable to COVID-19.
“Having the spring COVID-19 vaccine helps those most risk, including the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, to maintain a high level of protection and helps prevent them from becoming seriously ill or needing treatment in hospital.
“If you are eligible and are yet to come forward for a vaccine, it’s not too late. However, there are only a few weeks left to book an appointment or visit one our pop-up centres, as the offer ends on Sunday 30 June.”
-
News -
Healthwatch Walsall held its public Independent Strategic Advisory Board Meeting on 15 May 2024 at Ryecroft Community Centre. We were delighted to be joined by Professor David Croisdale-Appleby the Chair of Healthwatch England along with Healthwatch Walsall staff, volunteers and members of the public.
The meeting was an opportunity for open discussions to take place about issues relevant to those present and it was a very interesting and informative session with a lot of interaction.
Please see photos from the event and if anyone would be interested in joining us at future public meetings the details for these will be on our website or we can be contacted on our Freephone number 0800 470 1660 and we will be pleased to let you have the information. -
News -
Diabetes is a condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. Type 1 diabetes is a rarer form of the condition, which is caused by genetic or environmental factors, and can’t be prevented. Those with type 1 diabetes require regular insulin injections for life to keep blood glucose levels under control.
However, type 2 diabetes is often linked to being overweight or inactive, or having a family history of type 2 diabetes, and the health implications can be serious and life changing. It is the leading cause of preventable sight loss in people of working age, as well as a major contributor to kidney disease, loss of limbs, increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Some groups are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes including: men, people of South Asian or Black ethnicity, people who are overweight and people with a family history of type 2 diabetes. Black and South Asian people have a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes after the age of 25, compared with those from a white background where risk increases after the age of 40.
From next week, a mobile testing van will be at a number of locations across the Black Country offering free health checks for local residents. The bus is a walk-in service so no appointment is required and will be available between 9am and 5pm (times may vary by location). People are advised to arrive no later than 4pm:
Tuesday 11 June
Black Country Family Practice, Neptune Health Park, Sedgley Rd, Tipton DY4 8PX.
Thursday 13 June
Bently Bridge Car Park, Main Block (towards Cineworld). Wolverhampton, WV1 1BP.
Friday 14 June
Tesco Car Park, Marston Road, Wolverhampton, WV2 4NJ.
Wednesday 19 June
Dudley Market Place, Dudley, DY1 1JP.
Those attending can simply have a conversation about their risk of type 2 diabetes with a clinician or have a finger prick blood test for early signs of diabetes. Blood pressure checks, body mass index (BMI) checks and cholesterol testing is also available, all of which can be early indicators of developing type 2 diabetes. Depending on the results of your tests or your risk based on your conversation, you can be signposted to appropriate sources of help or to a healthcare professional.
Dr Ananta Dave, Chief Medical Officer for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, said: “It's really important for type 2 diabetes to be diagnosed as early as possible because it will get progressively worse if left untreated. Early treatment also reduces your risk of other health problems.
“Type 2 diabetes can be a very serious condition but there are lots of things you can do to reduce your risk of developing it such as achieving a healthy weight, getting more physically active and eating healthy food.
“For anyone who is looking to find out more information about type 2 diabetes or those who may be concerned they are at risk, please do pop down to the mobile testing van – it will be well worth a trip.”
The first step to preventing type 2 diabetes is finding out what your risk is. The Know Your Risk tool from Diabetes UK can also help you find out your risk. You enter information including your ethnicity, age, height, weight and waist measurement, and it will give you an assessment of your personal risk of developing type 2 diabetes and advice about next steps.
-
News -
Our work programme document for 2024 - 2025
Priority Project 1: (Q1 – Q2) Patient Experience of Cancer Services at Walsall Manor Hospital
Healthwatch Walsall are wanting to gain an understanding of the patient experience of those who have used cancer services in Walsall. We want to find out about whether service users were happy with the treatment and care they received. We want to find out if people were treated with compassion, felt safe, were listened to and whether they were provided with support and information needed. An overall report will be produced with recommendations included and once finalised and approved this will be shared with stakeholders and partners, together with being published on our website.
We have just launched this project, to take part in this survey Click Here -
News -
This year one of our priority projects is ‘The Patient Experience of Cancer Services in Walsall’. Our aim is to gain an understanding of the patient experience of those who have used cancer services in Walsall; generally we are trying to find out whether people in Walsall were happy with the treatment and care they received. We want to know if people were treated with compassion, if they felt safe and cared for, if they were listened to; and whether they were given the support and information they needed. Getting an understanding of this will help us to understand how services can be improved for the future. -
News -
With just one week left of this year’s spring COVID-19 vaccine programme, the NHS is urging all eligible people who haven’t yet had their top-up to come forward and get protected.
The spring COVID-19 vaccination programme started in April, with eligible people invited to come forward and book an appointment via the National Booking System or by calling 119.
Following advice from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), those eligible for a vaccine have until Saturday 29 June to book an appointment, with the last spring vaccinations on offer the following day on Sunday 30 June. Appointments can be booked via the National Booking System, the NHS App or by calling 119.
People eligible for a spring COVID-19 vaccine include:
• those aged 75 and over (you need to be 75 by Sunday 30 June 2024)
• adults and children (aged six months to 74) with certain health conditions
• care home residents.
The spring COVID-19 vaccine is also available at a range of pop-up clinics which have been set up across the Black Country. The clinics will be running until the end of June, with no appointment necessary. You can find your nearest pop-up clinic on the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB) website.
Sally Roberts, Chief Nursing Officer for the NHS Black Country ICB, said: “As the weather gets warmer, it’s easy to forget that COVID-19 is still circulating in our communities.
“Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 and the spring booster
programme provides an opportunity for those who are at highest risk of severe illness to keep their immunity topped up.
“There is now only one week left to book an appointment either online or by calling 119 as the offer of ends on Sunday 30 June. So, I would encourage anyone eligible for a spring COVID-19 vaccine who hasn’t yet come forward to book an appointment while they can or pay a visit to one of our pop-up clinics.”
For more information on the spring COVID-19 vaccine, please visit the NHS website.