News
Local GP Practices go from strength to strength
PRESS RELEASE HEALTHWATCH SUNDERLAND Date: August 2017 Over the course of 2016 Healthwatch Sunderland began to see feedback from patients of both...
Volunteers thanked at Queen's Award event
Healthwatch Sunderland Volunteers attended the Queen's Award celebration as a thanks for all the support they have given over the past year. Created...
5 minute appointment times
Here at Healthwatch Sunderland we increasingly hear from patients about the difficulty they have accessing GP appointments. Over period May 2016 —...
Equipment Services - we want your feedback!
Following discussions and feedback with some users of equipment services in our city, Healthwatch Sunderland would like to find out what you think of services. If you would like to share your feedback with us individually or as part of a group, please contact Anna or Wendy - we would love to hear...
Over 200 GPs closed or merged last year
Only eight GP practices were open last year in England, whilst 202 were either closed or merged, figures released by NHS Digital have shown. In the period between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017, it was also revealed that almost half (47%) of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) had seen practice...
Jo goes the extra mile
Congratulations to Jo West, Nurse Practitioner at Wearside Medical Practice who has been awarded a Healthwatch Sunderland Star Award for all the positive feedback we have received from her patients! Feedback included: "Very professional and helpful always has time for you." "Excellent, nothing is...
Using your local pharmacy consultation 2017
Survey closing date: midnight on 31 July 2017 Sunderland Partnership want to ensure that your local pharmacy provides the service you need now and in the future. You can help them by answering a few questions about the way you use pharmacies. Your response will help them to write a local...
New ambulance standards announced
A new way of working for ambulance services will be implemented across the country to ensure patients get the right response, first time. This is following the largest clinical ambulance trial in the world and will update a decades old system. The demand for ambulance services is increasing every...
State of the nation’s health revealed in landmark report from PHE
Public Health England (PHE) has published a milestone report on the health of the population in England. The 'Health Profile for England' report is the first time PHE has used its wealth of population health data to give an overall picture of the health of England. People are living longer than...
CQC next phase of regulation: consultation update
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) want your views on how they can continue to develop a more targeted, responsive and collaborative approach to regulation. They've now published the response to their December consultation on their next phase of regulation. Visit the website to read it and the...
Most ASC services meet the ‘Mum Test’ - but CQC finds too much poor care
While the majority of Adult Social Care (ASC) services are safe and of a high quality and many are improving, too many people across London and England as a whole are living in care homes and receiving care and support in their own homes that is not good enough. Without a proper recognition of the...
Healthwatch Sunderland Annual Report 2016-2017
Healthwatch Sunderland is pleased to present its annual report for 2016-2017. Our report outlines our activities over the last year and our impact on local health and social care services. Download the report
NHS England announces new sites to redesign mental health services and cut out of area placements
NHS England has announced a new tranche of sites to test new approaches to delivering mental health services – cutting the number of people travelling long distances for care. Eleven new sites will be tasked with bringing down the number of people who receive in-patient hospital treatment and for...
Consultation into hospital services
A consultation to gather public views around the different ways some aspects of NHS hospital services could be arranged in South Tyneside and Sunderland will start in July 2017. Called ' The Path to Excellence' , the public consultation will run for 14-and-a-half weeks from Wednesday 5 July until...
CMA outlines emerging concerns in care homes market
The Competing and Markets Authority (CMA) has today (14th June 2017) published the initial findings of its care homes market study , and is investigating if some homes are breaking consumer law. The update paper sets out their findings so far, their future focus and possible recommendations...
Engaging and empowering staff is key to driving improvement in hospital care
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has today (Wednesday 14 June) published a report that explores how eight NHS trusts have been able to make significant improvements in the quality of care and improve their CQC rating. 'Driving improvement: case studies from eight NHS trusts ,' reveals the journey...
The year ahead
On Wednesday 7th June the Healthwatch Board members and staff got together to discuss the year ahead and to agree the work plan for 2017/2018. We used the feedback we have received whilst out and about at various information stands, groups and meetings, from patients of health services and users of...
A Star on Broadway!
On 26th May our Engagement Team had the great pleasure in going along to the Broadway Medical Practice on Springwell Road to award them with a Star Service Award. Over the last few months we have received great feedback about the practice, doctors and staff. Here are some of the comments we...
What is social care and how does it work
Social care isn't well understood amongst the public so The King's Fund have pulled together a range of content to help explain social care in England, including a series of short videos on what social care is, how it's provided and paid for, and how it works with the NHS and other services. Go to...
State of child health: sustainability and transformation plans (STPs)
Following analysis of local STPs, this report argues that plans are failing to take into account the needs of infants, children and young people. It finds that while most STPs set out the case for change well and cover important key themes such as prevention, early intervention, more care delivered...
Statement on reported NHS cyber attack
Cyber Attack – updated statement and background information from NHS England on hospital and GP services: Dr Anne Rainsberry, NHS Incident Director, said: "The NHS has continued to treat patients throughout the weekend. We have been working with 47 organisations providing urgent and emergency care...
New Chair of Healthwatch Sunderland appointed
We are very happy to introduce Alan Patchett as the new Chair of Healthwatch Sunderland. Alan is a resident of Sunderland and the former director of Age UK Sunderland, from which he retired at the end of March 2017. He worked at Age UK Sunderland for nearly 15 years and during this time built...
Sunderland Cancer Patient and Carers Group - looking for new members
Formed in April 2015 this local group is made up of members who are patients who have received their cancer treatment at Sunderland Royal Hospital and carers who work collaboratively with the Cancer Lead Nurse and staff employed at Sunderland Royal Hospital. Healthwatch Sunderland recently became...
Meet our Healthwatch Sunderland star
Part of Healthwatch Sunderland's main role is to listen to people's views and experiences of health and social care services within Sunderland and as part of this we hear a lot of positive comments and stories. In order to ensure that these services or individuals get to hear about their great...
Celebrating good care, championing outstanding care
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have published 'Celebrating good care, championing outstanding care', a collection of short case studies of good practice from care providers that have been rated good or outstanding. Read the report here
Stroke patients in England set to receive revolutionary new treatment
An estimated 8,000 stroke patients a year are set to benefit from an advanced emergency treatment which can significantly decrease the risk of long-term disability and also save millions of pounds in long term health and social care costs. NHS England has announced that it will commission...
An inclusive NHS 111 service
NHS England has produced a short film to help people with a learning disability, autism or both, understand how and when to access the service, and what to expect. The film , created with the support of many self-advocacy groups, forms part of NHS England's ongoing work to ensure that everyone has...
NHS and leading suppliers join forces to cut sugary drinks
The NHS stepping up the battle against obesity, diabetes and tooth decay by announcing that sugary drinks will be banned in hospital shops beginning from next year unless suppliers voluntarily take decisive action to cut their sales over the next 12 months. NHS England is announcing that leading...
