Signposting Support for Dementia Service Users and Carers

The Healthwatch team have visited all pharmacies across North East Lincolnshire to find out what support and information is being given to those diagnosed or affected by dementia. Please click here to find out more.

From Monday 20 May to Sunday 26 May, it's Dementia Action Week – a week that unites individuals, workplaces and communities to take action and improve the lives of people living with dementia. Every three minutes, someone in the UK develops dementia.... Having dementia shouldn't mean an isolated life.

Visit dementiafriends.org.uk/champion for more information on how you could become a Dementia Friends Champion.

The North East Lincolnshire Access Pathway was introduced in the local area in April 2018. The Access Pathway is intended to support children aged birth to 19 years where their broader needs around communication and interaction, cognition, and learning & social, emotional and mental health difficulties need support. The aim of the Access Pathway is to provide a multi-modal model of care which considers a holistic approach rather than a single agency working in isolation. Such an approach aims to consider a wider range of services and support to meet individual need. For instance the pathway will consider the social needs alongside the clinical needs of a child and not either in isolation.

In July 2018, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) conducted a joint inspection within North East Lincolnshire to judge the effectiveness of the area in implementing the disability and special educational needs reforms as set out in the Children and Families Act 2014.

Click here to read the full report.

Here at Healthwatch, we want to hear about all experiences, whether they're good, bad or somewhere inbetween. It's no secret that compliments are just as important as complaints and highlighting what services are doing well is so important. That way, they can do more of it! Anything you have to say, no matter how small, could make a big difference. Your voice really does count. Our local NHS services need your help. Maybe a nurse gave you some reassurance when you felt anxious? Maybe a dentist made you smile? These dedicated members of staff deserve some recognition for going the extra mile. 

Please get in touch and share your experiences with us. You can do this via twitter, facebook, email, telephone, or in person! 

"We are always quick enough to comment on healthcare when it's to be negative, let's be honest most of us do it but today, i had potentially one of the nicest doctors i have ever met. She was lovely, respectful, and compassionate and i thought she deserved to know that the visit was helpful so i wrote a compliment about her. I bet that will make this Doctor's day to know she had made at least one of her patients feel better and given her the recognition that she deserves. We are always quick to comment on the bad and never quick to comment on the positives, or great service we have received. But just someone hearing they are doing a good job will motivate them to carry on doing a good job. Let's be positive!" - Anonymous female (aged 24)

Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion created to gather and represent the views of the public.

Healthwatch works at both the national and local level and makes sure the views of the public and people who use services are taken into account by providers. 

We gather your views and experiences about local healthcare and use them to show services what they are doing well and where they could improve.

Sent on behalf of North East Lincolnshire CCG

Some of you will be aware that the adult services review delivered its final report at the end of 2018, and made a number of recommendations for improvements to the way local health and care commissioners and providers work together to help those who need support.  The final report can be accessed via the CCG’s website at: https://www.northeastlincolnshireccg.nhs.uk/data/uploads/publications/futuregov-nel-adult-services-review_-final-report-roadmap-final.pdf

As part of the CCG and Council’s effort to address the recommendations from the review, we have created an Adult Strategy, which will replace the Adult Social Care Strategy 2015-18.  The new strategy focuses on the health and care services/ support which help adults to be well and independent, although the hope is that it can have a wider influence on other services/ support which contribute to wellbeing.  We aim to be more effective by focusing on clear, shared objectives.   

We would like to provide you with an opportunity to make comments on the strategy.  If you can spare the time to read it, we ask that you note –

• the intention is to make the document as short and user friendly as possible.  The strategy is brief and high level only (currently around 6 pages)   
• the strategy will be illustrated with some pictures/ graphics which are NOT yet included, drawing on ideas from other documents; you are viewing it in its ‘pre-design’ state!
• the action plan which will attach to the final version will draw on actions from the adult services review, but is not yet available; this will provide further detail.

To view the DRAFT strategy, please click here.

If you would like to make comments, please send them to emmaoverton@nhs.net by no later than 5pm on 18th June 2019.

1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem this year, and mental health is just as important as our physical health.

If you notice a friend or family member acting differently, don’t be afraid to ask twice if they are ok.

If someone you know is suffering with their mental health, there are many ways you can help them.

Emotional Support:

• Listen and offer reassurance
• Stay calm and be patient- give them time to talk
• Don’t make assumptions about their feeings

Practical support

• Advise them to visit their GP, or another professional so they can access support
• Offer to help them with everyday tasks that may be adding to their stress

If you are struggling with your own mental health, and do not currently have any support there are many local services who can help you. You do not have to suffer in silence. Take that first step to getting the right help and support today. You can call us directly, and one of our team will give you some advice and guidance on where to go to get the help you need.