Healthwatch City of London July Newsletter
Chat from our Chair
Welcome to our July newsletter!
Many of you will have seen the news last weekend that as part of the wider NHS plan Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch are to be abolished by the government, whilst we don’t have very much detail at the moment, we are obviously shocked by the news. This came as a surprise to us and whilst we were expecting some changes to how patients and service users experience would be measured, we were not expecting that the Healthwatch model would be disbanded. As of yet we do not know what will replace us and what the repercussions for the patient voice and feedback both in Health and Social Care will be. You can read our formal response to the news below. I’d like to thank you for all of the lovely messages we’ve received, it means a lot to us to know we have your support.
However, on to the work we continue to do…..
It was great to see so many of you at our Health in the City day, despite the soaring temperatures!! Over 60 of you joined us to find out what health and social care services you can access in the City and had the opportunity to have a chat over tea and cupcakes. We’d like to thank Dr Chor from the Neaman Practice who joined us for the day, as well as all the other statutory health, social care services and charities who were able to join.
We look forward to holding the event again next year, hopefully with some cooler weather!
We have several events coming up, later this month, most significantly we are holding an Adult Social Care Information session with the City of London Corporation to give residents all the information they need on the services provided, how to access them and what you are entitled to. I know many people might think this isn’t for them and that’s part of what we need to address, many people are entitled to greater support than they think or may need that support in the future, so come and find out more.
Our Patient Panel series continues with our popular Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training session with the London Ambulance Service later this month. To register for the sessions, please see below. The team are also planning events with St Bartholomew’s around the Enter and View, men’s health and following a request, a patient panel on diet and nutrition, so watch this space for more information.
We look forward to seeing you at all our upcoming events!
Gail Beer
Chair, Healthwatch City of London
Government Announcement about Healthwatch
You may have seen in the news last weekend the announcement that the Government is planning to streamline patient safety bodies and bring patient voice functions 'in-house'. This affects Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch. This was an unexpected announcement which has raised many questions. What this means is as yet unclear but we will update you as soon as we know more.
Please be assured that at Healthwatch City of London, we are operating business as usual. We are continuing to deliver our work championing the public’s voice, including all previously agreed upon work and our projects for the year.
We will maintain communication throughout this process and let you know as soon as we know any further information. What we do know right now, is that Local Authorities will still have a statutory duty to provide a Healthwatch until an Act of Parliament is passed to repeal the Health and Social Care Act 2012, this is not expected to happen until late 2026.
If you have any concerns or queries, please reach out to us via info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk
We appreciate your support at this uncertain time.
Adult Social Care Information Sessions
Over the next three months we are running events with the City of London’s Adult Social Care team to inform residents of the services offered, giving you an opportunity to ask questions about any aspect of social care and what you are entitled to.
The sessions will be led by Jenny Noschese, Lead Occupational Therapist and the Adult Social Care team.
The first session will be held at the Guildhall on Tuesday 22nd July from 1 – 2.30, you can register for this session here
Unable to make this date and time, don’t worry, we have sessions booked for 19th August at Portsoken Community Centre and on 11th September at Golden Lane, visit our events page to register https://www.healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk/events
If you have any questions about these events, or would like to see a particular topic covered please email us at ascadvisory@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk
Health in the City Day
On Saturday, 21st June we held our second Health in the City day, it was fantastic to see everyone who came along. The day was able to bring various representatives from health services, voluntary and community organisations directly to you. Held locally at the Golden Lane Community Centre, it was great to see so many people come in and chat with a wide variety of service providers.
Tapping into local resources to promote health and wellbeing, we had a range of organisations and teams including, Dr Chor from the Neaman practice, the Primary Care Network Team who provide out of hours GP services, they also provided blood pressure and blood sugar checks on the day, City Cares Community, Older Peoples Reference Group, Age UK City of London, Dragon Café in the City, Advocacy Project, Better Together, NHS NEL Cancer Alliance, Gloji (City and Hackney Smoke Free Service).
We hope everyone enjoyed the event, and we would like to thank all of the providers and organisations who joined us, we are looking forward to seeing you all at next year’s Health in the City day.
If you attended, please take two minutes to fill out our feedback form
Get involved in our Patient Panels
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training session with the London Ambulance Service
Due to popular demand, we have organised another CPR training session with the London Ambulance Service. This will be held on Thursday 17th July at the Artizan Library, 1 Artizan Street, London, E1 7AF from 10:30 – 12.
Please visit our website to register
North East London Cancer Alliance – Ovarian and Womb Cancer
Join us and the NEL Cancer Alliance to find out more about the symptoms, prevention and treatment of ovarian and womb cancer.
North East London Cancer Alliance and leading gynaecological cancer charity The Eve Appeal have launched a second phase of their ‘You Need to Know’ campaign, to raise awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms and improve early diagnosis, as with all cancers the early diagnosis and treatment supports better outcomes.
The campaign encourages women in north east London to speak to their GPs if they experience persistent bloating or other unexplained changes in bowel movement or eating habits.
The session will be held on Wednesday 3rd September 12 – 1.30 at the Golden Lane Community Centre, EC1Y 0SA.
Please visit our website to register
It’s Glaucoma Awareness Week! Know your risk with an interactive quiz
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the UK, it can affect anyone, at any time, and is often symptomless. Approximately 700,000 people in the UK have glaucoma, but 50% of them don’t know. If Glaucoma is left undetected and untreated, it can cause irreversible sight loss.
Glaucoma UK is the UK’s only charity solely dedicated to raising awareness of and supporting people living with glaucoma. They have developed an online quiz to help people understand their risk. The interactive quiz will help people to assess their likelihood of developing the disease, and provide advice and guidance to help them manage their eye health.
To assess your risk of developing glaucoma, take the online quiz
Glaucoma UK provides support throughout the patient journey through a dedicated helpline, free resources and community support.
Visit their website here
Their helpline, Ph. 01233 648 170 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am–5.00pm) and email:
helpline@glaucoma.uk
Elsewhere in Health and Social Care
NHS App of the future will include an 'AI doctor'
It has been announced that the NHS app will be updated to 'democratise' healthcare by giving all patients more access to triage tools and comparison information about providers from the NHS App.
Wes Streeting has stated, "Under the current system, wealthier patients often have more information about the country’s hospitals, and access to better care. The improved NHS App will democratise care, so everyone, including those from working class communities, has the information they need about their conditions or procedures they’re due to go through."
There will be two updates for the NHS app, including
- My companion
This is an AI tool that seeks to provide patients with information about their health condition or their procedure, including answers to questions they forget or felt "too embarrassed" to ask during appointments.
- My choices
This will show patients where to find their nearest service, such as a pharmacy or the best hospital for any operations they need, to help them exercise their right to choose a preferred elective provider.
For more information, visit here
Please let us know what you think of these proposals. You can read our report on the use of the NHS App and other digital options in our report
Join the City’s Neighbourhoods forum
Join for a vibrant and inclusive community event focused on shaping a healthier future for the City of London. This forum brings together residents, local service providers, and community leaders to connect, share insights, and take action on the top health priorities in our neighbourhoods, join the Neighbourhoods team on Tuesday, 8th July at the
Golden Lane Community Centre, London EC1Y 0SA from 2pm to 4.30pm.
This is a free event open to all City residents. Whether you’re a community leader, local resident, or simply passionate about neighbourhood wellbeing, your voice matters.
Library Home Delivery Service
There is a library home delivery service which is open to residents of the City of London who cannot get to a library to borrow items. Delivered to your door and collected, free of charge. Borrow books, large print items, audiobooks, CDs, music scores, and DVDs from the collection.
You can talk to the team at Barbican Library about how they can help you, or someone you know, borrow from their collection. Email barbicanlib@cityoflondon.gov.uk or call 020 7638 0569 to discuss whether this free service would be suitable for you.
Join Dragon Café in the City
Dragon Café is running their next session, on Wednesday, July 9 at Shoe lane Library. The library is a quiet, air conditioned space where you can spend time doing fun activities, including, laughter therapy, making paper shoes and sketching.
Aldgate Food Club
The Aldgate Food Club is running every Thursday from 1pm to 3pm at the Artizan Library. You can have the opportunity to buy good quality food at a low cost. For more information, you can email londonfoodclubs@family-action.org.uk
