Book your free tickets for Healthwatch Norfolk Live now

Our next Healthwatch Norfolk Live event is on Thursday October 5th from 09.45am at The Forum in Norwich.

book your free tickets here

A panel of health and care leaders will be taking your questions, we will look back at our work over the last 12 months, and also hand out awards to Healthwatch Heroes – people who have gone the extra mile to help us in our first decade.

Find out who is on the panel so far and more information about the day.

Better communication and more investment could improve pharmacy service

A new report from Healthwatch Norfolk asks the county’s health bosses to explore the current financial support for pharmacies to help ensure there are enough staff to support the service.

It is the result of a study by Healthwatch Norfolk, which gathers the views of people across the county on health and social care and feeds those back to decision-makers.

You can find out more and download the full report here

GP surgeries urged to give patients more information about contact options in new report

More consultation and communication is needed with patients about how to contact two GP surgeries, according to a new report.

The Reepham and Aylsham Medical Practice asked Healthwatch Norfolk to look into its automated telephone system called Patient Partner.

It wanted to understand why people were not using it and then use that information to understand and improve patient communication.

Healthwatch Norfolk carried out a survey which could be completed in person at either surgery, online or by phone, and also talked to staff to find out if more could be done to raise awareness of the system.

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Important information for proposed upcoming strikes

Information has been shared from the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System (ICS) about the upcoming junior doctor and consultant strikes.

Norfolk and Waveney residents are urged not to delay seeking help from the NHS if they feel unwell, as the British Medical Association (BMA) has announced that junior doctors and consultants will undertake four days of joint industrial action in September and October.

Senior consultants will take part in strike action from 7am on 19th and 20th September and 2nd, 3rd and 4th October.

Junior doctors will also be taking strike action from 7am on 20th, 21st, 22nd September, and 2nd, 3rd, 4th October.

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James Paget University Hospital report now available

As part of our Three Hospitals, Three Weeks project, we visited the James Paget University Hospital every day for a week in June to find out about patient experiences. We wanted to find out what was working well and what could be better.

We visited outpatient clinics, patients on wards, and Accident and Emergency to speak with patients, their carers, and their visitors. This also included a focus on Maternity services. While we were there we made observations and also spoke to staff about their experiences. We were also invited to sit in on a physiotherapy information session. The surveys were available online until the end of our visits across all the hospitals for people who were not at the hospital the week we visited.

Read the full report here

Community First Responder equipment purchased with grant from Cromer Town Council

Photo Credit Janet Warner

Cromer Town Mayor, Councillor Emma Spagnola presented the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) Community First Responder Manager, Peter Seffton-Smalley with a life saving kit for the Cromer Community First Responder Group.

Community first responders (CFRs) are volunteers who are trained to attend certain types of emergency calls in the area where they live or work. Their aim is to reach a potential life threatening emergency in the first vital minutes before the ambulance crew arrives.

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Can you help the NHS connect with young people about cancer?

The East of England Cancer Alliances work as part of the NHS locally to improve cancer services and they are keen to hear your views on how to better connect with young people on Instagram through this quick survey.

Every day seven young people in the UK (aged 13 to 24) will be told they have cancer. And the sooner it is diagnosed, the better the outcome. New analysis shows that double the number of people are receiving potentially lifesaving NHS cancer checks now than a decade ago, so early diagnosis and increased understanding of cancer is more urgent than ever.

We want more young people to talk about cancer and to know the warning signs so that they can get early advice if they are worried about themselves or their family and friends.

As 25 year old cancer patient Holly Masters, from Cambridgeshire, says: “I want people of my age and younger to know their bodies, to understand signs and symptoms of cancer and to be able to advocate for themselves when seeing their GP or other healthcare professionals.”

How can PALS help?

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) offers confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters. You can find PALS officers in your local hospital.

The service was introduced to ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends, and answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible.

PALS also helps the NHS to improve services by listening to what matters to patients and their loved ones and making changes, when appropriate.

PALS provides help in many ways. For example, it can:

• help you with health-related questions
• help resolve concerns or problems when you’re using the NHS
• tell you how to get more involved in your own healthcare

PALS can give you information about:

• the NHS
• the NHS complaints procedure, including how to get independent help if you want to make a complaint
• support groups outside the NHS

PALS also helps to improve the NHS by listening to your concerns and suggestions.

You can find your nearest PALS office here

Have you or a member of your family used Benjamin Court?

Patients of a rehabilitation centre in North Norfolk are being asked to share their views about the care they received at the site.

Healthwatch Norfolk, which gathers the views of the public on health and social care and feeds them back to decision-makers, has been contacted by campaigners and patients sharing their concerns. A campaign is under way to highlight the importance of Benjamin Court in Cromer, which provided short-stay rehabilitation for people who are well enough to be discharged from hospital but not well enough to return home.

We have already logged comments from people who have been in touch digitally or left feedback on our website, but we also want to give people the opportunity to share their experiences face-to-face, so will be carrying out engagement at Cromer Library on Friday October 13 between 10.30am and 12.30pm.

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