www.haltonlink.org.uk01928 592405

Surveys

The Halton LINk is here to gain people’s views and experiences of health and adult social care, good or bad. As part of this process we are carrying out surveys on a range of issues related to our workplan priorities.

We are currently running three surveys covering:

• Access to GP’s

• Footcare Survey

• Depression

Copies of these surveys have been sent out to all members.

We would very much appreciate a few minutes of your time to complete at least one if not all of these surveys.

If you would like to take part in the surveys but haven’t received copies they can be downloaded via our website, www.haltonlink.org.uk/surveys, or obtained by calling the LINk support team on 01928 592405 or emailing info@haltonlink.org.uk

The results from these surveys will be made available on the LINk website.

Have

your say!

LINk’s (Local Involvement

Networks) are required by

law to publish their Annual

Reports by the 30 June each

year and to send them to

the Department of Health,

Care Quality Commission

(CQC), relevant Primary

Care Trusts, Foundation

Trusts and Local Authority.

Our Annual Report for

April 2009 - March 2010 has now been published

and is available for downloaded from www.haltonlink.

org.uk/resources. Alternatively, if you would like to receive a

hard copy or would like it in another format, please contact

the LINk Support Team on 01928 592405

We also see this a chance to engage with stakeholders and

members of the public, to update them on our work over

the past 12 months and our plans for the future.

LINk Annual Report 2009 - 2010

Each month on our website we publish an up to date list of local dentists, giving details of those who are taking on new patients and how long the waiting time is for the next NHS routine appointment.

Go to www.haltonlink.org.uk for further information.

Trying to find a local NHS Dentist?

Issue 5-July 2010

The HAL Halton LINkNEWSLETTER

Ultimately, we hope that, through our activities, we will empower citizens to make informed decisions about the future of genetic medicine.

Recently, Nowgen tackled the topic of childhood obesity at a free public debate as part of the Manchester Science Festival. Almost 100 people attended and the event invited everyone to actively debate the issues with several specialists, including ITV This Morning’s Dr Chris Steele. The audience were given voting pads to respond to key questions and roving microphones allowed everyone to have their say.

When asked to vote, over three quarters (79%) of the audience said that society

discriminates against obese people. Some people shared their experiences and described how difficult it can be to shift prejudices. Another voting question found that nearly a quarter

of the audience (22%) thought that obese people should pay for their own treatment. These findings clearly indicate strong views about obesity and its treatment.

A large majority (86%) of the audience agreed that childhood obesity should be tackled by a combination of the government and parents ‘doing more’. However, when asked what the government should prioritise, opinion was split (see table).

Nowgen Centre are based at the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. To find out more about the full range of Nowgen’s activities please go to: www.nowgen.co.uk.

Genetics is set to play a major role in the diagnosis, treatment and possibly prevention

of disease. Nowgen, part of the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, works

to engage public and patient audiences in dialogue about genetics and healthcare.

Area the government should prioritise % of respondents

Education of adults and children 32%

More research into obesity 24%

A ban on advertising unhealthy foods in children’s media 19%

An extra tax on unhealthy foods 13%

Investment in sports facilities 13%

Halton LINk has joined in the national Dying Matters Coalition to help to promote public awareness around dying, death, and bereavement.

Many people do not die as they might have wished to or where they may have wanted. Around 70% of people say they want to die at home, yet around 60% currently die in hospitals. Less than a third (29%) of people have discussed their wishes around dying and only 4% have written advance care plans. We need to talk more about dying, death and bereavement with our family, friends and loved ones.

The Dying Matters Coalition has been set up by the National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC), to raise awareness and provide the support and information needed to have these conversations with loved ones. It aims to help make dying well a natural part of a good life and through this help change attitudes and behaviours towards dying, death and bereavement and raise the profile and improve end of life care.

Hilary Fisher, Director Dying Matters Coalition said: “We are delighted that the Halton LINk has joined the Dying Matters Coalition. For too long, issues of dying, death and bereavement have been perceived as too difficult or frightening to talk about. Talking about death doesn’t bring it closer. It’s about planning for life, making the most of the time that you have.”

The Dying Matters Coalition has just under 7,000 members including organisations from across the NHS and the voluntary and independent health and care sectors, including hospices, care homes, charities supporting old people, children and bereavement, from social care and housing sectors, from a wide range of faith organisations, community organisations, schools and colleges, academic bodies, trade unions, the legal profession and from the funeral sector.

Engaging the Public on Genetics and Healthcare

The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS) will hold its second annual event supported by NHS North West to celebrate and promote equality and diversity within the communities it serves this summer.

Many representatives from different community groups across the North West are being invited to come together in Liverpool City Centre on Sunday 25th July at the internationally famous Adelphi Hotel, situated on Ranelagh Place (L3 5UL), to celebrate the rich cultural, social and traditional aspects which define their identity within society.

A number of community groups will participate on the day through dance and musical performance as well as through educational displays and information. The Trust is inviting other NHS and emergency service partners to hold information stands on health related issues at the event which will benefit our diverse communities.

There will also be a number of practical health activities for people to participate in including the opportunity to have a blood pressure reading taken in conjunction with the Stroke Association.

On the day, the Trust will promote equality of access and opportunity within NWAS through engagement with all those who attend.

A key objective of the event is the sharing of opinions and perceptions that may prevent equal access to the Ambulance Service. This will be achieved through a mix of consultation activity on the day which will showcase patient journeys from dialling 999 and receiving an emergency response in a critical situation to the care received through our patient transport services.

It is anticipated that by sharing opinions and perceptions of the members of these community groups, NWAS can build on existing and forge new relationships to improve future community engagement.

Through this celebration of diversity, participating groups will be able to find out more about the work of the Ambulance Service and meet and talk to some of the crews.

In conjunction with this, representatives from the Trust’s Human Resource department will also be on hand to give valuable advice and support to everyone who is interested in joining the service. It is anticipated that guests and participants will be able to look at some of the areas of the recruitment process and assist them should they wish to apply for vacancies that may arise in the future.

The event is open to the public to attend and there is no charge for community group involvement.

If you, or your community organisation or group would like to be part of this event please contact Karen Fitzhenry on 0151 261 2601 or email karen.fitzhenry@nwas.nhs.uk.

The General Optical Council have recently launched an online survey asking about the information that patients and the public would like to see on their register of opticians.

Anyone can search for a registered optician, student optician or optical business on the online public registers, to check that they are properly registered and fit to practise, train, or carry on business in the UK.

The registers can be accessed via, www.optical.org. More information about the registers and the requirements for registration is also available on the website.

The closing date for the survey is 27 August 2010. You can complete the survey online at www.optical.org.

Alternatively, if you would like to receive paper copies, please contact Matthew Tait on mtait@optical.org or 020 7307 3923.

Come and Celebrate Diversity within the North West Community

Consultation

If you’re aged between 19 and 24 and have been diagnosed with cancer, you may have a choice about where to receive your care. A new NHS website, Where Next?, aims to guide you through your options, to find out more information go to www.nhs.uk/young-cancer-care

New website

Twenty-two people attended our recent ‘Fact or Fiction’ event held on 19th May at Sefton House in Runcorn. These small information events are proving very successful with this latest one giving people the chance to find out more about the provision of local services for Phlebotomy, Dermatology and ENT (Ear, Nose

& Throat). Guest speakers were Rachel Fance, NHS Halton & St Helens, and Julia Brennan - ENT Nurse Specialist.

Feedback from the evaluation sheets completed on the day has been very positive, with 100% of respondents feeling they were more informed because of the event.

‘Fact or Fiction’ eventsWhat we’ve been up to

Dementia LaunchHave you any news?

If you would like a member of the Halton LINk support team to come along to one of your meetings or events and let you know all about the Halton LINk please get in touch, our contact details are listed below. Alternatively if you would like to pop into the LINk office and have a chat just let us know.

Since the last newsletter in April the LINk Support Team have been out and about at a wide range of meetings and events raising the profile of the LINk including:

• Halton Womens Centre

• Asbestos Support Group

• Carers Reference Group

• Social Inclusion Service User Group

• HIAP Meeting

• BME Network

• Dementia Steering Group

• Whiston Patient Safety and Experience Committee

• MIND Ladies Day

• LINk ‘Fact or Fiction’ Events• Open the Door to Dementia Launch

The Launch of “Open the Door to Dementia”, a joint working partnership between Age Concern Mid Mersey, the Alzheimer’s Society, Halton Borough Council, and Halton & St Helens PCT, took place on Monday 5th July 2010.

This is a new project aimed at raising the awareness of dementia locally, it aims to break down some of the barriers and stigma around dementia while trying to encourage people to seek early diagnosis of the condition.

For further information contact Jean Calland, at Age Concern Mid Mersey, on 01928 575400

The Halton LINk newsletter ‘HAL’ is published every two months. If you have an article that you think could be included in our newsletter then we would like to hear from you. You can email any news articles to info@haltonlink.org.uk or post to the address at the bottom of this page. The deadline for our next newsletter is 8th September.

You can also submit articles to be added to our website, www.haltonlink.org.uk.

We reserve the right to proof and edit any articles for publication as appropriate.

Contact us…If you want to get in touch call us on

01928 592405or email us at info@haltonlink.org.uk

Halton LINk, Halton Voluntary Action, Sefton House, Public Hall Street, Runcorn WA7 1NGTel: 01928 592405 email: info@haltonlink.org.uk web: www.haltonlink.org.uk

Halton LINk is hosted by Halton Voluntary Action, Charity No. 1025903.A Company Limited by Guarantee, Reg. No. 2590747 Registered in England

If you need this newsletter in a different format, e.g. CD or you would like a larger print version then please contact us.