News

We want to understand the journey self-funders take to find out what help is available to make decisions about what care and support to obtain.

By ‘self-funders’ we mean people whose assets exceed the threshold for local authority funding and who pay for their own social care and support or care home accommodation. If you have looked for information about paying for social care/support for yourself or someone else, we’d like to hear from you! Have you found the information you need? If you have gone on to arrange and pay for care or support, are you happy that you got good information and guidance to help with your decision?

Our online survey takes just 4-5 minutes to complete, or we can send you a hard copy. We are also offering an in-person chat or half hour telephone call if anyone would prefer to talk in a bit of detail about their experiences.

To request a hardcopy survey please email info@healthwatchrutland.co.uk or leave a message on 01572720381.

In November Healthwatch Rutland and Healthwatch North and West Northamptonshire attended the Healthwatch England National Conference in London. Being 2 of 153 local Healthwatch, it was a great opportunity for us to network with other local Healthwatch and hear about their successes and challenges from the past year.

The day began with a celebratory speech from the Healthwatch England Chair, Professor David Croisdale-Appleby. David said that following his visits to many of the local Healthwatch this year, he has been ‘stunned’ by the network’s achievements. Healthwatch England Chief Executive Louise Ansari said Healthwatch colleagues’ efforts to reduce health inequalities ‘day in, day out’ fills her with enormous pride. 

There was a panel discussion around the NHS 10-year plan for health care which is currently in the engagement phase of development. Panel member and government minister for patient safety, women’s health and mental health, Baroness Merron acknowledged the work of Healthwatch and highlighted the importance of listening to patients to make the patient experience better. 

The key thing is culture and leadership. You can put resource in, but it will deliver very little.

Baroness Merron

It was a great day to learn more about Healthwatch England’s plans and aspirations and to talk with other leaders of local Healthwatch about their organisations, their local difficulties and their work to improve care services. I came away knowing more about the direction of travel for the NHS and Healthwatch.

Dr Janet Underwood, Healthwatch Rutland Chair

We are recruiting passionate volunteers to join our Advisory Board team.

Our Advisory Board makes decisions about how Healthwatch North and West Northamptonshire should work to improve health and social care services in the county. The main responsibilities of the role include:

• Help determine the strategic direction for Healthwatch North and West Northamptonshire(HWNW)
• Ensure that HWNW engages with members of the public to gain their views on health and social care issues
• Attend meetings with health and social care commissioners to represent public views
• Assess a range of projects, research and reports from HWNW
• Ensure that there is representation by staff and volunteers at forums, committees and sub commitees with a variety of stakeholders.

We are looking for those with an active interest in and awareness of health and social care issues, good communication skills with a range of different individuals, and the ability to contribute to the discussions and decision making process.

The full job description:

If interested please complete the below application form and send it to enquiries@healthwatchnorthamptonshire.co.uk. If you have any questions get in touch and we will be happy to help.

The government has recently launched the biggest ever conversation about the future of the NHS. See below how you can contribute to an improved NHS.

Members of the public, NHS staff and health experts are being invited to share their experiences, views and ideas for fixing the NHS via an online survey. All questions are optional so it doesn’t matter whether you have a little or a lot to say, your feedback will help to shape the government’s 10 year health plan to be published in spring 2025.

Louise Ansari, Healthwatch England Chief Executive, said: ‘”We know people appreciate the hard work of NHS staff, but they are all too aware that the NHS faces many challenges that need fixing. The 10-year plan provides the opportunity to do this. 

We urge everyone to have their say on how the NHS should deliver better care to people where and when it is needed, more support to help people stay well, and a culture of listening to and acting on the views of patients. 

All too often, people face unequal access to care, with disabled people and those on lower incomes being particularly at risk. The NHS belongs to us all, so you must speak up and help create a health service that is fit for the future – equal and inclusive for everyone.”

The Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS want to hear from you to help them change the services they provide. Select start here from the link below then proceed to share your views where prompted. The campaign can also be accessed via the NHS app.

The NHS is urging everyone eligible for a COVID-19 or Flu jab to get vaccinated this autumn.

Groups eligible for a flu vaccination:

• pregnant women
• all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2024
• primary school aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
• secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)
• all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years.
• people aged 65 years and over
• those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups 
• people in long-stay residential care homes
• carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
• close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
• frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by people who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants.

Groups eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination:

• residents in a care home for older adults
• all adults aged 65 years and over
• persons aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, including pregnant women
• frontline health and social care workers and staff in care homes for older adults.

All eligible people will be invited for their vaccinations by the NHS bookings team, or their GP practice. However, if you are eligible you do not have to wait to receive an invitation to be able to book an appointment or attend a walk-in clinic.

Vaccination appointments can be booked now using the National Booking service website or by calling 119. A local online walk-in clinic finder also shows a list of all walk-in clinics available across LLR, where no appointment is necessary. 

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the virus causing many coughs and colds, which peaks in December and January each year.

Usually, RSV infections get better by themselves, but they can become much more serious for some people, particularly babies and older adults. A vaccine is now available to help protect young babies and older people from becoming seriously unwell from RSV.

The eligible groups for the RSV vaccine are:

• All pregnant women from 28 weeks pregnancy until delivery, however the optimal time to receive the vaccine is between 28 and 36 weeks.
• Older adults aged 75-79. This is a one-off vaccine from age 75 until the day before your 80th birthday. 

The vaccine is safe for pregnant women, and it reduces the risk of a child developing severe RSV lung disease by 70% in the first six months of life when they are most at risk.

If you are currently pregnant get your vaccine by:

• Attending one of the open access vaccination clinics in the antenatal departments at either the Leicester Royal Infirmary or the Leicester General Hospital every weekday, 9:00am until 4:30pm.
• Visiting a roving clinic.
• Contacting your midwife or your GP practice.

 If you are aged between 75 – 79 years, you can get the RSV vaccine by:

• Attending your GP practice, once invited (all eligible patients will receive an invitation from their practice).
• Visiting one of the roving healthcare units across LLR.