News from Poole LINk
Leaving Hospital Project
Poole LINk is working with the NHS to send a survey to 1000 people over the age of 65 leaving Poole Hospital over the next few weeks. Our intention is to gather vital information and feed this back to the hospital with a view to make significant service improvements.
Patients leaving hospital can feel at their most vulnerable and that is why we’ve set up this survey to see where improvements can be made.
How You Can Help
1. If you, a relative or friend receives a LINk survey in the post, please fill it in, there’s a pen and freepost envelope included so it’s free and easy to take part.
2. If you, a friend, relative or client is aged 65 or over and has been an inpatient at Poole Hospital in the last 6 months you can also take part online at this link:https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FH8LRM3
3. If you, a friend, relative or client is aged 65 or over and has a planned admission to Poole Hospital booked in December or January and you’d like to take part in this project, please contact Louise on 0300 111 0102.
For further information please call us on 0300 111 0102, visit us online atwww.poolelink.org.uk or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
New Voluntary Sector Partnership wins Healthwatch contract
On 1st April next year new organisations will come into being all over England, called Local Healthwatch. They will be the consumer champion for users of health and social care services. They will give local people a stronger voice to challenge and influence how local services are planned and run. They will also provide information about local services and help people who want to make a complaint about NHS services.
A new partnership formed by three local organisations – Help and Care, Citizens Advice in Dorset and Dorset Race Equality Council – has just been chosen to deliver the contract for Healthwatch across Dorset, Poole and Bournemouth.
Speaking on behalf of the partnership, Mark Sharman, Chief Executive of Help and Care said “I’m delighted that we’ve been selected by Dorset, Poole and Bournemouth Councils to deliver Healthwatch in this area. Our model for Healthwatch is based on having a strong network – of individual people and voluntary, statutory and private organisations who share an interest in the health and wellbeing of the people of Dorset and a passion for bring about positive change.”
He continued “A key element of Healthwatch will be our ‘Healthwatch Champions’, an army of volunteers who want to make a difference to how local health and social care services are designed and run”.
Healthwatch in Dorset, Poole and Bournemouth will be formally launched in April 2013.
Health & Wellbeing Board
The Bournemouth and Poole Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board is seeking to engage people and organisations in developing a Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for the conurbation. The board would like to hear from all who have an interest in health and wellbeing in the area. The materials below have been prepared to help people and organisations to help shape the draft strategy. You may wish to discuss the questions at a meeting or event and feed in a collective response. Individual responses are also welcomed.
- Draft Health and Wellbeing Framework (Summary)
- Feedback Form (Online version)
- Feedback Form (Word version)
Further information
Health and Wellbeing Boards are a requirement of the new Health and Social Care Act 2012. They have been established to improve the health and wellbeing of local people, reduce inequalities and make sure that there is joined up working between health and care services. The Health and Wellbeing Strategy will be for everyone in Bournemouth and Poole and be the Board’s overarching plan to improve health and wellbeing in Bournemouth and Poole.
Information, including the full version of the draft Health and Wellbeing Framework and the Joint Strategic Needs Assessments for Bournemouth and Poole can be found here.Easy read versions of the Draft Health and Wellbeing Framework Summary and feedback form are being prepared. For any further information please contact Hilary Evans on[email protected] 01202 633067.
What happens next?
The draft Strategy will be published for consultation in January 2013 with adoption of the Strategy anticipated in March 2013.
Rethink Petition the Health Secretary
Rethink are asking you to sign a petition to the Health Secretary to commit to reinstating the only survey of patients receiving treatment on mental health wards. The recent allegations about Jimmy Savile’s abuse of patients at Broadmoor have highlighted the fact that at the moment we do not know the real state of affairs in hundreds of mental health wards across the country. Until 2010, this survey was carried out by the Care Quality Commission, but the Government has dropped this survey.
Rethink have been asking the Commission for 2 years, for reassurances this survey would be reintroduced with no response, so they are taking their campaign further. Previous surveys of patients have made a big difference in showing up serious shortcomings, with only 45% of patients saying that they always felt self in these environments. Without a survey, no-one knows if this situation is getting better-or worse.
If you’d like to take part sign up to the petition here
For more details about Rethink please go to: www.rethink.org
Joint statement from Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Merger competition process begins
A joint submission made to the Office of Fair Trading, as part of the proposed merger between Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has been accepted.
This marks the beginning of the competition process. The OFT will decide if the case for merger needs to be assessed further by the Competition Commission.
The Trusts look forward to hearing the outcome in December 2012. You can read more about the merger online via www.rbch.nhs.uk/healthyfuture or www.poole.nhs.uk
New service offers one to one support for older people affected by cancer
There’s so much information to take in and difficult decisions to be made all along the cancer journey that people can feel simply overwhelmed. Older people affected by cancer in Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole can now get the help of a volunteer advocate who will give them one to one support. Volunteers age 50+ are being trained by Help and Care and Dorset Advocacy who are working in partnership to pilot a project developed by Older People’s Advocacy Alliance and Macmillan Cancer Support and funded by the Big Lottery’s Silver Dreams.
Volunteer advocates can help to ensure that people are in a position to make informed choices about their treatment and care at their own pace. ‘I have had cancer three times and my positive outlook has shown me that you can recover and lead a healthy life’ explained one volunteer, ‘I have found support is available to help through the tough times and I would like to help others through their illness.’
For more information or to volunteer call Help and Care on 0300 111 3303.
Top Tweets
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RT @InclusionNorth: The General Dental Council#easyread infor about what to expect from a dentist & how to complain https://t.co/hlzIsnRm
Find out more by following @poolelink
RATES OF MOUTH CANCER ARE ON THE RISE – KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS
Specialists at Poole Hospital are reporting a dramatic increase in diagnoses of mouth cancer, with 43% more cases diagnosed in 2011 (70) than in 2006 (49)
Early detection is key
Early diagnosis is vital to improving survival chances. Symptoms to look out for include:
- A sore or ulcer in the month that doesn’t heal within three weeks
- A white or red path on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth
- A lump or overgrowth of tissue anywhere in the mouth
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty in chewing or moving the jaw or tongue
- Numbness of the tongue of the mouth
Chris Owen, a Poole Hospital patient, has battled mouth cancer twice in the last six years, undergoing two surgeries to remove tumours on his throat and tongue. He said: “Mouth cancer affects the basic aspects of your everyday life – things like swallowing, eating, drinking and tasting are challenging.
“Looking back, last time I shouldn’t have left it several months between my initial visit to the doctor and going to hospital. Those months could have been crucial to my diagnosis, treatment and recovery. I would strongly encourage others to take immediate action and see their doctor if they’re worried about a symptom.”
Ask your dentist
Regular dental check-ups can also play a vital role in early diagnosis, with dentists looking out for early signs as part of their examinations.
Mr Simon Ellis, consultant in restorative dentistry at Poole Hospital said: “Dentists are in a good position to help detect mouth cancer at its early stage, when it’s easier to treat. This can greatly improve a patient’s outlook, so people shouldn’t be afraid to ask their dentist if they’ve carried out a full mouth check examination.”
For more information on Mouth Cancer Awareness, visitwww.mouthcancerfoundation.org.
Active Communities Funding Programme now open in Dorset
This programme is being delivered by The People’s Health Trust and is funded by 51 local society lotteries and the good cause money raised by The Health Lottery.
The funding is split into geographic areas, and Poole and Bournemouth are part of the designated ‘HealthFull’ area, which broadly covers Dorset and Somerset. The funder anticipates making around 12-15 grants in this area.
The programme will make grants of between £5,000-£25,000 to small community and voluntary organisations working with people living in the poorest neighbourhoods. The programme will support community activism: projects designed by local people that address issues relevant to them and benefit and improve their local community.
Please contact Peoples Health Trust on [email protected] or 0207 697 4021
Santa Fun Run
Diverse Abilities Plus, the Dorset based charity that provides a lifetime of support to children and adults with varying disabilities across the county, is getting into the Christmas spirit by organising a sponsored Santa Fun Run on Sunday 16 December, at Badbury Rings, from 10am.
The fun runners will get into the festive cheer by dressing in a Santa suit and running, walking, jogging, or even skipping, one lap (two miles), two laps (four miles) or three laps (six miles) to raise money for the local charity.
Sharon Wells, Events Officer at Diverse Abilities Plus, said: “Anyone can get involved in the Santa Fun Run, no matter what age or ability, and those participating will have a great time as well as raising money for a cause that is vital in Dorset. As the only charity in the area that provides a lifetime of support to children and adults with varying disabilities, fundraising events such as these are crucial in order to maintain the high standard of support that we offer.’
To enter the Santa Fun Run, a sign up fee of £10 is payable (which includes a FREE Santa Suit for everyone) and participants are asked to raise as much sponsorship money as possible. To get involved email Jon Wheatley at[email protected] or call 01202 718266
For more information on Diverse Abilities Plus please visit www.diverseabilitiesplus.org.uk or ‘like’ the charity’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/diverseabilitiesplus to receive news and event updates.
Please click here to read the latest edition of NHS South of England’s The Month:South.
In this issue read about how the transfer of public health responsibilities to local government is taking shape, local efforts to tackle obesity and new innovations in healthcare technology.
Children’s Lantern Procession 
Poole Lantern Parade 2012
Event dates: 13 Dec 2012
Event address: Poole Town Centre
About the event:
Starting at Falkland Square at 6pm the procession of lanterns made by children from local schools moves down the High Street to the Guildhall. Sing Christmas Carols and enjoy mince pies!
NHS Accused of Discrimination
Discrimination, stigma and intrusive questioning are accusations being levelled against senior staff at local hospitals. “We have been campaigning against these issues and have been working with Royal Bournemouth & Christchurch Hospitals and Poole General Hospital to end these practices “ said Richard Erven, manager of Body Positive Dorset. “Some progress has been made over recent years but every time we feel we have moved forward another incident comes along and undermines the good work that has been done.”
There have long been issues with the way local hospitals have treated HIV Positive patients. Until recently any patient who was known to be HIV Positive would routinely be put to the back of the list for surgery. This often resulted in them missing their surgery because earlier operations had over run and they would have to come back on another day. Sometimes this meant people were being admitted for the same operations two or even three times before the procedure was carried out. Eventually the senior hospital staff took on board the irrationality of this practice and it has now pretty much ended. However in recent weeks some Body Positive Dorset service users have complained about being questioned at RBCH about how they came to acquire the virus. Mr Erven said “This is insensitive, intrusive and entirely unnecessary. If a man contracted the virus as a result of a blood transfusion or a women as a result of sexual intercourse will they receive different medical treatment? Of course not. To ask such a question can only be to satisfy some morbid curiosity “
Richard emphasised that the issues with medical staff are with senior people such as surgeons and anaesthetists. “ The nursing staff on the wards are far more sensitive and I suspect more aware of the real issues around HIV then are their senior colleagues. If senior staff are aware then that simply makes their questioning all the more reprehensible”
Bournemouth Hospital has previously given an assurance that the practice of questioning HIV service users on how they acquired the virus won’t happen again. This assurance has obviously counted for nothing.
This matter is being taken up with members of parliament, other campaigning groups and of course directly with the hospitals.
Has this issue affected you? Please tell us your story or for further information contact Richard Erven on
01202 297386 / 07768897788 or [email protected]
Volunteering Opportunity – New Vascular Service Delivery Group
The NHS are looking for local service users with experience of vascular surgery. Have you had surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm or had surgery for circulation problems? We wish to ensure that this new group which is overseeing developments in this area is informed by the views of people who are experts in vascular surgery through their own experiences. It is expected that this group will meet quarterly for approx 2-3 hours, alternately in Poole or Dorchester. To find out more, please contact Frances Aviss (Patient and Public Involvement Lead) on 07736 245 266 or [email protected]
The new Mind calendar is now available through their online shop. It features vibrant colour pictures from artists who have found that art therapy has helped improve their mental wellbeing. And it’s only £2.99! It would make a great Christmas gift….
State of Care report 2011/12
CQC have recently published their report looking at care services in England and the quality of care that they provide. The findings are based on the results of over 13,000 inspections at hospitals, care homes, home care agencies and other care services across the country. The report highlights that there are more people living for longer and with very complex needs. CQC are seeing more services struggling to cope with these pressures, which is affecting the quality of care they are providing to people. Read more…
Lynne Fisher, founder and Chairperson of Broadstone Access Group sadly passed away on Saturday 10th November 2012.
Lynne was an active LINk participant, helping out on promotion stands, events, LINk projects and giving talks. Lynne’s enthusiasm and sense of humour made her great fun to work with and she will be missed by everyone who knew her. Our thoughts go out to her family at this sad time.
