May 2016
Newsletter
Welcome to the latestHealthwatch North SomersetNewsletter.
Please let us know if you would like this newsletter or any HWNS reports mentioned in this newsletterin an alternative format.
HWNS Projects
Enter & View
Our volunteers took part in two Enter & View visits took place in the last week of April and we are in the process of arranging further visits forJune. A second round ofEnter &View Authorised Representative training tookplacethis month and the new recruits are keen to get going. The Enter and View reports are available on the HWNS website.
Diabetes Report
We have been researching diabetes care over the last few months and now we are in the process of pulling together all the information we collected on diabetes treatment and support in North Somerset. We aim to have the report ready for younext month.
Residential Care Questionnaire
We are developing a questionnaire aimed at relatives or friends of care home residents to gain feedback about the care their loved one is receiving. The questions willprovide us with information on whether the home is safe, effective, caring, responsive and well managed. The questionnaire will be sentto members in the next few weeks. If you are not an HWNS member and would like to take part in the survey we would really value your input. Please contact usto request a questionnaireon or 01275 851400.
Missed GP Appointments
We regularly get feedback from the public about the difficulties they face getting appointments at their GP practice. In view of this we would really like to hear yourthoughts on the issue of missed appointments. This term does not relate to cancelled appointments, but to those where a patient is expected at the practice and has an allocated slot but for whatever reason does not attend. This is a real problem for GP surgeries and in the interests of the wider public voice we feel it is something that requires some investigation. Let us know your views.
Rural Blitz
HWNS will be spendingtime getting to know some of the more rural areas of North Somerset. We are currently arranging meetings withkey people in these areas and you will soon see us out and about seeking feedback on access to health and social care services in our rural communities. Whatever your experience, good or bad, we want to hear from you.
HWNS News
Central Ward Engagement Project
HWNS has completed three months engagement work in the Central Ward of Weston. We havefinishedcollatinginformationcollected frompeople who live and work inCentral Ward regarding theirexperience of accessing health and social careand the reportis now available to view on our website.
Heart of Weston Event
HWNS were facilitators at the recent Heart of Weston event which was set up by the Heart of Weston steering group and organised by NorthSomerset Council Public Health. The event was a great success with 65 local residents pitching ideas for their local community.
Prioritisation Panel
HWNS hasset up a prioritisation panel consisting of four lay people, two staff members andtwo Board members. The function of the panel will be to look at the intelligence we receive each month and make recommendations regarding where tofocus our attention, ensuring that weworkinanopen and transparent manner. The first panel meeting is scheduled for 31st May at 11.30am at Nailsea Methodist Church. Members of the public are welcome to attend to view the process. Future meeting dates will be advertised in the newsletter and on our website.
Look Out the HWNS Team are About
The team went along to the North Somerset Show at the beginning of the month, got soaking wet and covered in mud, but managed to talk to over 200 people about their local Healthwatch!We collected lots of feedback about experiences of health and social care services which will be fed into our monthly report and forwarded to our local commissioners and providers.
Karen has also been out to the Care2gether groups in Weston this month talking to people living with dementia and their carers.
We gave a helping hand tothe hard working team from the Avon and Wiltshire Partnership NHS Trustat the Sovereign Centre in Weston Super Mare on Friday 20th May,raisingawareness of mental health issues and the support available for anyone living withpoor mental health.
HWNS Volunteers
Join ourTeam of Volunteers
Volunteer for HWNS and make a difference.
Public Engagement
If you'recomfortable engaging with the general public and would be happy to chatinformally to them about their health and social care concerns we'd really like to hear from you. Training will be provided and you can give as few or as many hours as you wish, it's completely up to you. To find out morecontact Sophia on
Board of Directors
Would you like to play an integral part in deciding on the strategic direction of HWNS and supporting the staff team to fulfilthe strategic objectives? We are currently looking to expand our dedicated team of Directors. If you would like to find out more please email
Dates for Your Diary
Please note, the events listed below are not arranged by HWNS so it is advisable tocontact the organiser directly to confirm details.
Public Board Meetings 2016
The Public Board Meeting dates for 2016 are as follows.
12th July2-4pm - Hutton Village Hall
11th October (AGM)1-4pm- Hans Price Building, Weston College
People &Communities Health &Wellbeing Board Meeting
23rd May 2-4.30pm
New Council Chamber, Town Hall, Weston Super Mare
Patient Participation Groups (PPG) Event
7th June 10.30am-2.30pm
Nailsea Methodist Church, Silver Street, Nailsea BS48 2DS
HWNS is supporting the North Somerset PPGs (Patient Participation Groups) to hold their first networking meeting. The PPGsare linked to and support each GP practice and meet regularly to discuss anyissues that may affect the quality of the patient experience. This is an ideal opportunity for existing PPG members to get together and for anyone interested in supporting their GP practice to come along and find out more about the PPG Group in theirlocal area and how toget involved.Please let us know if you would like toattendso that we can cater appropriately.
Weston Soup
24th May 6-7.30pm
For All Healthy Living Centre, Bourneville, Weston Super Mare
This is a fun way to bring together communities to support local charities. Residents and organisations are invited to attend the first event. Enjoy freshly made soup whilst listening to four charities talk about the work they are currently doing in your local community. Entry is £4 which includes your soup and a vote. The charity with the most votes will receive all the entrance money. For more information contact Lucy Sheppard on 07764 315389 or
Other News
Rest Centres
Volunteers are needed to help staff Rest Centres should there be an emergency that requires people to leave their homes. The emergency services usually determine where the Rest Centres will be and those volunteers living closest to that locality will be called upon first. Under the guidance of the Rest Centre Manager volunteers will be involved in registering visitors in and out, keeping them informed of developments and generally making drinks and providing a listening ear. For more information please contact Christine Coomberon
Talk To Us – Your Voice Counts
Have you recently used a health or social care service and would like to share your experience?
Do you have any problems or concerns about accessing health services in North Somerset?
Do you think a particular service can be improved in some way?
Would you like to praise a service and tell us how good your experience was?
The voice of the public is at the heart of everything we do. We are here to ensure that your voice is heard and taken seriously at a local and national level.
Share your experiences with us and we can help improve services now, and for the future.
Facebook: Healthwatch North SomersetTwitter: @healthwatchns
Also, don’t forget to visit our interactive Feedback Centre on our website and share your experiences of local services.