News

Connected Together CIC has been monitoring the rapidly unfolding situation around COVID-19 on a daily basis to consider its impact on how we work and how we best support our staff, volunteers, partners and stakeholders. We have also taken note of government communications which have escalated the status from “Contain” through to “Delay”, and developments since.

As a result of this status escalation we have decided to take the precautionary decision for everyone to work remotely (i.e. from home) as of today, Monday 16 March, until further notice. This will mean our office’s at Moulton Park Business Centre and The Kings Centre will be closed to staff, volunteers and visitors.

All staff have access to remote working and can be contacted by email or phone (see link below). The main phone number has been diverted to a mobile.

Contact the team

We are very pleased to have re-accredited with the Investing in Children Membership Award™ for our work with Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire. Investing in Children (IiC) is a UK initiative that develops ways in which children and young people are supported to say what they want to say, and help to improve services used by them, by discussing their ideas with the adults who run the services.

The Investing in Children Membership Award™ Scheme recognises and celebrates examples of imaginative and inclusive practice with children and young people. Organisations applying for the award have to demonstrate dialogue with young people which leads to change. However, children and young people have to provide the evidence for the organisation and endorse the membership report because it is a children’s and young people’s award.

This reaccreditation comes after a busy and successful year for Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire, with achievements such as, winning the PENNA award in ‘Team of the Year’ category and a cinema premiere of a video produced about on their visit to Kettering General Hospital.

“Definitely – Everything we do is tailored to what we say, and things get changed”
“Changes happen! We all get listened to!”

Members of Young Healthwatch

“My report clearly demonstrates the ways young people influence decision making in the area. Everyone I met with spoke highly of the project and the ways they have a voice”.

Investing in Children project manager assessing Young Healthwatch

“Both myself and the young volunteers here at Healthwatch are so pleased to be re-awarded the Investing in Children Membership Award. It is great to see the hard work of the young people that volunteer their time recognised so prestigiously. We hope that the future holds more great opportunities for our young volunteers so they can continue helping others.”

Manager of Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire, Esther Stimpson

About Investing in Children:

Investing in Children (IiC) is a UK initiative that promotes the human rights of children and young people. Over the last 21 years, IiC has developed a range of different ways in which children and young people are supported to say what they want to say, and help to improve services used by them, by discussing their ideas with the adults who run the services.

One of the ways they do this is through the IiC Membership Award™ Scheme.

The Investing in Children Membership Award™ Scheme recognises and celebrates examples of imaginative and inclusive practice with children and young people. Organisations applying for the award have to demonstrate dialogue with young people which leads to change. However, children and young people have to provide the evidence for the organisation and endorse the membership report because it is a children’s and young people’s award. 

There are currently over 500 members across the UK and Ireland

Investing in Children was established in 1995 by senior managers from Durham County Council and the NHS. In May 2013 Investing in Children was spun out from Durham County Council to form a Community Interest Company – IiC CIC

For more information please go to: www.investinginchildren.net

We are pleased to announce Healthwatch Northamptonshire has been recognised as highly commended in the ‘Helping more people to have their say’ category at the 2019 Healthwatch Network Awards.

The work done by Healthwatch Northamptonshire has been recognised as ‘Highly commended’ in this year’s Healthwatch Network Awards for in the ‘Helping more people to have their say’ category.

Current and former Armed Forces members and their families in Northamptonshire shared their views to help shape services by taking part in a survey. The survey aimed to help the Armed Forces Community Covenant Partnership address issues such as the return to civilian life and health problems and draw up the first ever map of the size and scale of the Armed Forces community in Northamptonshire.

From this survey, we found that:

• A third of veterans said they found it difficult to access GP and mental health services
• A fifth of veterans thought they had a mental health need relating to their military service, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• A quarter of veterans said they had a physical need relating to military service, such as arthritis

You can read the full report here

Every year, the Healthwatch Network Awards celebrate the many positive stories of how the local Healthwatch network is helping to make care better for thousands of people. The awards are an opportunity to demonstrate where local Healthwatch worked within the local community to make sure health and social care services meet people’s needs.

Healthwatch listen to what people like about the NHS and social care and what needs to be improved. Their views are shared with health and care professionals, so that services can understand what people and their families want from care.

These awards recognise how people’s feedback is vital to improving services. Thanks to the many hundreds of thousands of people who shared their experiences with Healthwatch last year. This has led to positive changes to the way local health and care services are run.

The local Healthwatch shortlisted for 2019 Healthwatch Network Awards were picked from almost 150 award entries.

The winner and the highly commended from each category were chosen by a panel of external judges and announced at the Healthwatch England Annual Conference on 1 October 2019.

Kate Holt, CEO of Healthwatch Northamptonshire, said:

“I am very pleased that our work with local Armed Forces is being recognised nationally. It’s very important to Healthwatch Northamptonshire that seldom heard groups are represented and that their voices are heard.

“I hope this recognition gives more awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant, ensuring that veterans do not feel at a disadvantage when it comes to health and social care, especially concerning mental health.”

Imelda Redmond, CBE, National Director of Healthwatch England said:

“The Healthwatch Network Awards is a fantastic event which showcases the very best of local Healthwatch and it’s an opportunity for everyone to come together and celebrate the impact our teams and volunteers have in improving health and care across the country.

The awards demonstrate the breadth of issues local Healthwatch work on every year. Their work makes sure people’s experiences are placed at the heart of the services they receive.

I’d like to acknowledge and thank all the network and congratulate those who took part, they have done their communities proud.”

 

Publication of pharmacy inspection reports to help drive improvement in pharmacy practice.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is publishing pharmacy inspection reports for the time on a new website. You can now search for inspection reports from pharmacy inspections taking place since April 2019 in your local area or by a range of other criteria, to find information relevant for you.

The new website features a searchable ‘Knowledge hub’ with anonymised short examples of excellent, good and poor practice identified through pharmacy inspections. You can use these to learn from others and to improve the services you provide.

The GPhC has also published a new report sharing what they have learnt from carrying out over 14,000 inspections covering every registered pharmacy in Great Britain since 2013. This independent analysis shows that the vast majority of pharmacies (over 85%) are meeting the standards. The analysis also identified some key themes, patterns and trends which every pharmacy and pharmacy team can use to improve.

Find out more by visiting the GPhC inspection reports website, by following @TheGPhC on Twitter or at Facebook.com/TheGPhC.

View the website

After reviewing almost 150 entries, Healthwatch England has announced the finalists for the Healthwatch Network Awards 2019.

Healthwatch Northamptonshire has been nominated for an award in the ‘Helping more people to have their say’ category for their work gathering the views and experiences from the local Armed Forces community.

Healthwatch Northamptonshire surveyed over 450 members of the Armed Forces Community in the county (which includes people serving in the Armed Forces as regulars or reservists, volunteers, ex-forces members (veterans) and family members of past and present service personnel veterans) on behalf of the Armed Forces Covenant Northamptonshire and found:

• A third of veterans said they found it difficult to access GP and mental health services
• A fifth of veterans thought they had a mental health need relating to their military service, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• A quarter of veterans said they had a physical need relating to military service, such as arthritis

Healthwatch Northamptonshire has recommended greater awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant, which is in place to make sure that veterans do not feel at a disadvantage. Services should have specific and timely support to meet the mental health needs of veterans and help with the preparation for transition to civilian life. These recommendations will be addressed through the Northamptonshire Armed Forces Covenant Partnership of organisations from across the county who work closely together to ensure the Covenant aims are upheld.

Every year, the Healthwatch Network awards celebrate positive stories of how local Healthwatch are helping to make care better for thousands of people. The Healthwatch Network Awards are an opportunity to demonstrate where local Healthwatch have gone above and beyond, to make sure health and social care services meet everybody’s needs.

The ‘Helping more people to have their say’ award recognises Healthwatch who have used people’s views to make tangible improvements to local health and social care services.

Healthwatch across the country listen to what people like about the NHS and social care and what could be changed. They share these views with professionals, so that services can understand what people and their families want from care.

These awards recognise the importance of how people’s feedback is vital. Thanks to the 406,000 people who shared their experiences with Healthwatch nationally last year, positive changes have been made to how local health and care services are run.

The local Healthwatch shortlisted for 2019 Healthwatch Network Awards were picked from almost 150 award entries.

The winner from each category will be chosen by a panel of external judges and announced at the Healthwatch England Annual Conference on 1 October 2019.

Kate Holt, CEO of Healthwatch Northamptonshire said, “We are very pleased that our work gathering the views of our local Armed Forces is being recognised nationally with this award nomination.

“I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the Armed Forces survey, your views and experiences are important for improving the lives of those who are currently serving, have served or have family who are serving. Please visit our website, www.healthwatchnorthamptonshire.co.uk, to keep updated on our projects and how you can share your views”

Deirdre Newham MBE JP DL, Chair of the Armed Forces Covenant Partnership said: “We are delighted that Healthwatch Northamptonshire have been nominated for this award supporting our Armed Forces Community. We hope that the research undertaken will enable us to continue to work across partnerships supporting our veterans in the areas that they need it most.”

Jacob Lant, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Healthwatch England said, “The Healthwatch Network Awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the difference local Healthwatch have made across the country.

“This year we received some outstanding entries from the network, which has made the shortlisting even more challenging. We have been very impressed by the quality and incredible range of work on show.

“These entries highlight the real impact we can have when people come forward and tell us about their experiences. Healthwatch can only make a difference when people speak up and help services understand what is working and what is not.”

The full survey report can be read at http://www.healthwatchnorthamptonshire.co.uk/armedforcesreport

Northamptonshire Armed Forces Covenant Partnership: www.afcnorthamptonshire.co.uk