26 Jan

VODA’s Digital Champions Update

Hello

We are working with volunteers to deliver digital outreach support to people who already have a tablet/smart phone/computer and an internet connection, to make the best use of their device. 

The volunteers work with a person over the telephone to guide local residents to become better connected.  

Due to current COVID-19 restrictions we are offering support over the telephone.

Typical tasks include: 

  • Use email 
  • Online food shopping
  • Access online GP services
  • Social media
  • Video chat 
  • Download and use the COVID19 app
  • Stay safe online

We currently have more volunteers than opportunities so we are looking for more referrals for beneficiaries. You can refer anyone who you think would benefit from this help.

To refer a person for support enter their details here:  https://tinyurl.com/y4dv5ssr  or they can email me directly at Rebecca.southern@voda.org.uk

With help from Newcastle University Students and a super-star cybersecurity specialist, we have developed easy-read guides to share with the residents we are supporting. These guides should help them to retain information they are being given and reassure them in certain digital activities including email, staying safe online, video chat and more. We are in the process of reviewing and streamlining these guides and hope to get them out by the end of January.

Examples of support offered so far has been:

–          Talking over a technical problem

–          Support to enable Zoom on a donated laptop

–          Help getting onto Facebook

–          Setting up an email account

–          Enhancing accessibility options such as magnifier

Rebecca

26 Jan

‘Together Apart: Navigating Self-Isolation in North Tyneside’ Booklet

We know that, for many people, self-isolation is not easy. Not being able to go to school or work and missing out on seeing friends and family can be really challenging for our physical and mental health.

Download the new publication – ‘Together Apart: Navigating Self-Isolation in North Tyneside’ here.

Thanks to contributors and to SAIL Creative who have worked their design magic to make it look so good. This has been funded by North Tyneside Council.

Best Wishes

Kim 

🌈

Kimberley Rackstraw

Volunteering Development Officer

North Tyneside Voluntary Organisations Development Agency (VODA)

24 Jan

Healthwatch Newcastle Newsletter – 19 January 2021

We’re on Soundcloud

Enjoy this newsletter on the go by downloading our podcast at soundcloud.com/healthwatch-newcastle

 

Stars in their eyes!

We are proud to recognise the contribution that people and organisations make to the success of social care and health services in our city. Congratulations to the following people and services, which have recently received a Healthwatch Star:

  • Heaton Road Surgery reception staff for always being very helpful and caring and a very professional team.
  • Cristina Maria Luca at Moorfield House, Gosforth for her positive outlook and attention to detail with PPE, protecting staff, residents and families and playing a huge part in keeping the care home COVID-free.
  • Newcastle’s District Nurses for continuing to deliver excellent care in extremely challenging and stressful situations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Whorlton Grange Care Home (pictured) for putting the safety of residents and their comfort and wellbeing first during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown (find out more at https://tinyurl.com/yyxrroun)

Do you know a person or a service that shines? Nominate them for a Healthwatch Star so they receive the recognition they deserve.

Nominate your Healthwatch Star at www.healthwatchnewcastle.org.uk/nominate-a-star

 

Help us to help you!

Are you a patient at any of these GP surgeries in outer west Newcastle?

  • Denton Park Medical Group
  • Denton Turret Medical Centre
  • Newburn Surgery
  • Parkway Medical Group
  • Throckley Primary Care Centre
  • Westerhope Medical Group  

They are working together and want to hear what you think about their services.

If you’re a patient of one of these GP practices, please complete this survey www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/outerwest-survey (by Friday 12 February).

You can enter a prize draw to win one of ten Morrisons £25 vouchers.

Anyone who doesn’t have internet access can call Freephone 0808 178 9282 and someone will help you complete the survey over the phone.

 

Update from Jacqui, our Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator

“2021 has started much the same way as 2020 ended, unsure what the future will bring and everything is still on hold. It can get very frustrating but I’m constantly exploring new ideas and ways of working.

We continue to arrange regular meetings with volunteers to discuss current Healthwatch work, trends and things they may want to get involved with. Some volunteers are continuing to provide admin support for ongoing tasks.

Our main focus continues to be the ‘Because we all care’ survey. Volunteers are promoting this in their communities and networks. If you haven’t already done so, please think about telling us your experiences of local services at https://tinyurl.com/because2021.

At each of our regular volunteer meetings, we always check in with volunteers to see how they are and to gather any personal experiences of using health and social care services. They are reporting a mixed picture, with some people being very satisfied with the way services are running. Others have had a delay in ongoing treatment and are finding things quite frustrating.”

Read more at https://tinyurl.com/HWNvol-update

 

Children and young people’s access to local health services

We recently completed a piece of work on children and young people’s access to health services as a follow up to our ‘Don’t box me in’ report (https://tinyurl.com/y4f2gcjc) to see if and how, things might have changed since the report was published.

We decided to avoid structured questions and gather more qualitative data by focussing on conversations with young people and their parents or carers through online focus groups, one-to-one phone calls, email, text and WhatsApp. We gathered 73 experiences of accessing health services (38 young people, 35 parents or carers). The results were analysed into themes based on service type and sent to local commissioners and service providers. The key themes identified were access to services, staff attitude, cost and treatment and care.

Read the report at https://tinyurl.com/yyh7rsnt

 

‘Healthwatch Participation in Practice’

We launched the pilot of our ‘Healthwatch Participation in Practice’ award, a best practice award for GP patient participation groups, in September 2019.

Twelve GP practices and their patient participation groups (PPGs) across Newcastle and Gateshead signed up to take part and, over the past sixteen months, we have supported them to become more effective.

COVID-19 meant we had to put all face-to-face pilot activities on hold, but we continued to offer online and telephone support to participants. In summer 2020 Newcastle Medical Centre was the first practice to complete the award — with distinction.

The challenges of the pandemic resulting in several practices having to withdraw from the pilot. To date, two practices from Gateshead have also achieved the award: Birtley Medical Group and Oxford Terrace And Rawling Road Medical Group. Congratulations to all involved in what has proved challenging times due to the coronavirus.

Read more at https://tinyurl.com/y4p4x2wy

 

Other news

Coronavirus restrictions in England

A rise in coronavirus infections means everyone in England must stay at home except for a handful of permitted reasons. These include shopping for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person, working (if you can’t reasonably do so from home) and exercising.

Find out what it means to you at www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable you’re advised to begin shielding again and will receive a letter about what this means for you. If you live in Newcastle, Newcastle City Council’s Welfare and Wellbeing Team can also help.

Request support online at https://tinyurl.com/y3kuhu6e or call the helpline on 0800 170 7001.

 

Domestic abuse? Ask for ANI
‘Ask for ANI’ is a codeword scheme to help those affected by domestic abuse to access emergency support. Use the codeword ‘ANI’ (Action Needed Immediately) in pharmacies to let staff know you require an emergency police response or help to contact a helpline or specialist support service.

People will be taken to a consultation room.  If emergency help is not required, the staff member will assist them to contact local services, the national domestic abuse helpline or police via 101.

The scheme is initially available through the 2,300 Boots stores across the UK as well as 255 independent pharmacies. There will be an on-going sign-up process open to all pharmacies.

Participating pharmacies will display posters in their window and around the shop to let customers know that they can approach their staff to seek help.

Read more at https://tinyurl.com/yxaa3oto

 

Safeguarding adults in Newcastle

Safeguarding adults means protecting adults with care and support needs from abuse and neglect. Adults with care and support needs might be less able to protect themselves from harm. That is why extra protection through safeguarding adults procedures is important for these people.

Sadly, vulnerable people are particularly at risk during this difficult time. Abuse and neglect can take many forms. Currently, there is particularly concern about domestic abuse, self-neglect, financial abuse (including scams) and exploitation. Factors such as carer stress, poverty, social isolation, poorer mental health, and reduced professional contact can potentially increase the risk of abuse and neglect.

Read more at www.healthwatchnewcastle.org.uk/safeguarding-adults-in-newcastle

 

NHS 111 BSL service for people who are D/deaf or have hearing loss
The NHS 111 British Sign Language (BSL) service is free and accessible for people who are D/deaf or have hearing loss. NHS 111 can help if you have an urgent medical problem and you’re not sure what to do.

Use the NHS 111 BSL interpreter service at www.interpreternow.co.uk/nhs111 (you can also call 18001 111 on a textphone or use Typetalk).

In an emergency use the 999 emergency text service. You MUST register your phone to use this service:

  • Write an SMS text which says ‘register’ and send it to 999.
  • They will reply with a message telling you more about the service.

When you have read their message reply with ‘yes’.

 

Videos for people with learning disabilities and parent and carers
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust has created several videos, aimed at helping people with learning disabilities understand the rules and restrictions in place due to COVID-19. Some of the videos have tips on dealing with anxiety that may be helpful to the wider community too.

Explaining social distancing for people with learning disabilities
This video is for people with learning disabilities to help them understand social distancing and what two metres looks like https://youtu.be/VcP7JeFOARc

Making friends with your face mask
This video will help people with learning disabilities understand why wearing a face mask correctly is important, how to find a face mask that suits them and how to get used to wearing it https://youtu.be/JktalrbL3T4
 
Supporting a person with a learning disability to wear a face covering
This video is for family members or carers of people with learning disabilities to help them understand why wearing a face covering is important, how to find a face covering that suits the person they support and how to help them get used to wearing it https://youtu.be/nYf6Gt7C08A

Five things to do when feeling anxious
This video is for people with learning disabilities to help understand what to do when they are feeling anxious or worried. This is the second in a series of videos that explain anxiety and give some practical ways of helping with anxiety https://youtu.be/NOmXmNNPJ0s

Printing this newsletter
We’re currently unable to provide paper copies of this newsletter. If you would like a version you can print out yourself, you can find copies of all our recent newsletters at www.healthwatchnewcastle.org.uk/about-us/resources

23 Jan

Care & Connect – what we do and how we can support

Throughout COVID19 Care & Connect staff have continued to address the needs of North Tyneside residents, via telephone, garden gate visits or essential home visits. 

Care and Connect aims to ‘help people to help’ themselves in order to prevent and delay the social care needs of individuals, by connecting them with others, with the community or universal services. 

Our team sits within the Adult Social Care department of North Tyneside and consists of Community Navigators who work into the community to support developments and build community capacity; to offer advice and information; assisted signposting as well as care and support planning to adults. 

We offer light touch, brief intervention.   Care & Connect identified the need for the ‘Good Neighbours Scheme’, the ‘Shopping Project’ & ‘Make Christmas Special’ and developed these ideas with VODA who recruited volunteers to facilitate these projects.  

Care & Connect created a spreadsheet of services, activities & groups in the community, from which the SIGN App was created & developed. 

Although currently North Tyneside is under national Covid 19 restrictions, we are keeping positive and look forward to widening our contact opportunities when guidelines allow. 

Please contact us to discuss issues that your service users may need assistance with, if we cannot assist, we will endeavour to find out who can.  

Currently we offer contact via telephone, email or for ‘essential only’ face to face appointments, booking is required. We are also currently piloting the use of zoom to engage with residents. 

Download a leaflet here, which gives you an idea of what we do and how we can support. 

Do email us with any questions/queries you may have about what our team offers and how we can support.  

Community Navigators  

Lynne Gibson Mitchell – focus Dementia & memory loss lynne.gibsonmitchell@northtyneside.gov.uk  

Pamela Catch – focus Loneliness                                  pamela.catch@northtyneside.gov.uk  

Tracey Morgan – focus Loneliness                                 tracey.morgan@northtyneside.gov.uk

Julie Mathieson – focus Autism                                        julie.mathieson@northtyneside.gov.uk 

Kind regards 

Julie Mathieson – Community Navigator 

Tel 0191 6437474 

Email care&connect@northtyneside.gov.uk

22 Jan

Reforming the Mental Health Act

*We try to make sure our emails are as safe as possible for our campaigners, so want to let you know that this email mentions suicide. Please read with care.*

We have some exciting news! After a long wait of over two years, on Wednesday the UK Government published their plans to reform the Mental Health Act.

Our understanding of mental health has changed hugely since the current Act was created in 1983. The UK Government have recognised that we need something more modern, that strengthens people’s rights, and respects their choices and dignity.

Being sectioned means that you are kept in hospital under the Mental Health Act. You can be sectioned if your own health or safety are at risk, or to protect other people.

At the moment, thousands of people are still subjected to poor, sometimes appalling, treatment when they are sectioned, and many will live with the consequences for a long time. Change on the ground cannot come soon enough.

Antonio is 23 and told us about his experience of being sectioned:

“ …my experience of being sectioned made it feel more like being in a prison, being punished for doing something wrong. I repeatedly tried to take my own life. I was restrained so many times and it’s terrifying – once I had four people restrain me. I remember being tranquillised and put in an isolation room for six hours, adding to the feeling of being in a cold zoo.”

The proposed changes to this outdated and discriminatory legislation include:

  • Giving people more choice about their care and treatment
  • Allowing people to choose which family member or friend has the right to be involved in their care
  • Providing culturally appropriate advocacy and a wider range of support from advocates to better help people from a range of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds to express their thoughts and wishes about the care they receive.

You can have your say about the proposed changes. They are an important first step towards changing the Mental Health Act for the better. You can respond directly to the public consultation here. We will also be in touch over the next few weeks with other opportunities to make sure your views are heard.

Take care,

Moya

22 Jan

Update from Time to Change – 15 January 2021

Time to Change

As we enter a new year and a new lockdown, now’s a great time to check in with the people around you. We know that these changes can be difficult for those us with mental health problems. 
 
We’re sharing Angela’s blog from the first lockdown, as it’s a great reminder of the power of everyday conversations in changing attitudes towards mental health problems. 
 
We’re also busy getting ready for Time to Talk Day, which is coming up on Thursday 4 February. We might not be able to meet up in person, but that won’t stop us making it our best Time to Talk Day yet. 

We’re bringing you a virtual festival full of fun on the day – read on to find out more!

 

Last chance to order your free pack of postcards

The coronavirus pandemic means that this Time to Talk Day will be a little different, but a small conversation about mental health still has the power to make a big difference.

Why not brighten up someone’s day with one of our colourful postcards and start a conversation from afar?

Order now >

 

You’re invited to our virtual festival

We might not be able to meet up in person, but that won’t stop us making noise on Time to Talk Day! We’re planning a virtual festival full of fun online activities, hosted by a range of Champions and supporters, so you can take part wherever you are. From conversations on the importance of talking about mental health to laughter yoga and dance sessions, there will be lots of ways to get involved and inspire even more mental health conversations.

Find out more >

 

Angela’s blog

“This everyday conversation was me sharing some of my own lived experience to help change attitudes.”

Angela’s blog reminds us of the value of checking in with others – whether that’s a quick text to a friend, or a chat with the postman through the window.

Read the blog >

 

Time to Talk with Sussed

We’ve teamed up with Sussed, the conversation card game, to create four special edition cards for Time to Talk Day. You can download the cards from our website – including a printable version and one you can use online or on your mobile. The cards are a great way to get people thinking about mental health and can be played over a video call.

Download now >

Starting a conversation on Time to Talk Day

Host a virtual coffee morning

Host a coffee morning, the new ‘normal’ way! Get together with friends, family or colleagues over Zoom. This can offer a relaxed setting for people to check in and have a chat.

Display a poster in your window

Why not display one of our posters in the window of your home or business, if still open? You could even print enough to post to your neighbours to get more people involved.

Help us create some buzz online

Get people talking online using the hashtag #TimeToTalk and interact with us on social media! Let’s spread the message that it’s OK to talk about mental health.

21 Jan

Staying mentally well: winter plan 2020 to 2021

The Department of Health and Social Care have published the government’s plans to support people’s wellbeing and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic this winter.

The plan sets out the support in place to help people stay well during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and through the winter months ahead, including wellbeing and work, support in communities, the voluntary sector, children, mental health services, crisis support, physical health and support for frontline health and social care workers.

For more information click here