Newsletter

Newsletter
February 2016
Inside This Issue:
Advocacy News
Project updates
Volunteering News
Experience Exchange
0800 051 8371
@HWStaffordshire
enquiries@healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk
www.healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk

ADVOCACY NEWS- Making your voice count!
Engaging Communities Staffordshire (ECS) awarded Advocacy Quality Performance Mark
(QPM) from National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi)
Our wonderful Advocacy Team learnt that they have been awarded the Advocacy Quality
Performance Mark (QPM) after a lengthy assessment and accreditation process. This is
followed by a structured site visit by NDTi assessors who meet with our advocates and the
people we support.
The QPM is the UK’s only independent quality performance mark for organisations offering
independent advocacy; an essential service for people who need support to express their
needs and have increased choice and control in their lives.
Liz Learoyd, Complaints Advocacy Manager, said: “We are very proud to provide a professional,
independent and confidential service free of charge to Staffordshire residents who are
accessing or wish to access health and social care services. The award and the feedback from
the NDTi reflects the high quality of independent and confidential advocacy services provided
by the Advocacy team”
Jan Sensier our Chief Executive said: “I would like to congratulate the whole team on a very
well deserved award. We are delighted to receive this award as it reflects on the hard work
done by the staff and our volunteers. We hope that we will be able to provide our services to
even more people in future, as we know there is real need for high quality, independent and
confidential advocacy services.”
We look forward to proudly displaying our new quality standard and encouraging people to get
the support they need to get their voice heard!
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The advocacy text number has changed!
From 1 February 2016, the Healthwatch
Staffordshire NHS complaints advocacy text number
has changed. The 60006 number is no longer active
and our new
number is: 07724172811
Connecting with service users when they’re on the
go is more important than ever, and our new text
message service allows us to send texts as well as
receive them, which is more user friendly than our
old service. We hope to be able to reach out to
people who may find it easier to communicate with
us via text messages and be more user friendly and
accessible to people with hearing impairments.
Text us for a response within 48 hours and let us
provide you with advocacy support if you have a
complaint about the NHS in Staffordshire.
Healthwatch Peer Review
In July 2015, Healthwatch England launched a peer review initiative, which was based around
the Local Healthwatch Quality Statements designed to assess and understand the impact and
effectiveness of a local Healthwatch. The initiative is a partnership between Healthwatch
England and Professor Mark Gamsu and Jennie Chapman from Leeds Beckett University.
Peer Review approaches have been in existence for some time. It is an approach that is used
in academia, government policy and a number of professions to improve quality and
performance. “Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people of similar
competence to the producers of the work (peers). It constitutes a form of self-regulation by
qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review methods are
employed to maintain standards of quality, improve performance, and provide credibility.”
Peer Review provides an opportunity to bring external, critical challenge to a local
organisation or service.
Some of its potential advantages are:
• Expertise - peers will bring with them an understanding of the challenges and opportunities
that a local Healthwatch faces.
• Trusted - for some organisations a perspective from a peer might be received better and
carry more credibility than that of someone with no direct experience of local Healthwatch
• Confidentiality - in practice this is a boundaried process, the peer reviewer will come from a
different Healthwatch/local authority area, so the review will be removed from local
commissioning and relationships
• Learning - the peer review process might provide opportunities for shared learning - both for
the local Healthwatch and for reviewer
Continued on next page...
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Healthwatch Peer Review
Peer Review continuation...
The review was structured to cover the following areas:
• Strategic Context and Relationships
• Community Voice and Influence
• Making a Difference Locally
• Informing People
• Relationship with Healthwatch England
Healthwatch England paired Staffordshire with Kent, as they have similar demographics, with
a mixture of rural and urban areas, although Healthwatch Kent is about 30% bigger, and has 7
CCGs to work with, rather than our 5. The review teams were made up of the Chief Executive
and a Volunteer, and both teams spent 2 days visiting and meeting a range of volunteers,
commissioners, staff and service centres. John Bentley wrote a piece last month about the
visit to Kent, and arguing Sat Nav apart, it was an intensive 2 days that have given a lot of
food for thought and will lead to developments and improvements. The team that visited Kent
were very impressed with their communications team and have come back with ideas that will
be put into process over the coming months.
Each team then compiled a report to be considered by their paired Healthwatch, Healthwatch
England and Leeds Beckett University. The full and finalised reports will be available on
request, once they have been received by the Board.
As a taster, these are the main points Kent made about Healthwatch Staffordshire under the
most important heading “Making a difference locally”
• It was felt that HWS is “at the table” and involved in the right meetings and forums and is a
powerful voice
• Outcomes, impact and changes to services were not always easy to identify, but in
discussions with staff it was clear they are happening but need to be “shouted about”
• This was reinforced by stakeholder who were not always aware of outcomes and stated they
would welcome proactive communication that highlights activities and achievements
Our comments to Kent under the same heading were:
• The challenge of being part of the establishment or the voice of the people is being met
• There is well-structured project initiation process with clear outputs
• The Provider Group has been developed to oversee the impact of projects
• They have logical and well understood systems
• There is potential to use the case studies for individuals as a template for case studies for
bigger projects
• More effort needs to be made recording and celebrating success
• There is potential to use evidence from NHS Complaints Advocacy more effectively
Overall both Teams thought the process had great value, and intend to meet again in the
Spring to see what further developments have been made since the visits in December.
Jan Sensier, Chief Executive
John Bentley, Vice Chair - Healthwatch Advisory Group
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Volunteering News
Engaging Communities (ECS) awarded
Investing in Volunteers standard
We are extremely pleased to announce that we have been
accredited with Volunteering England’s Investing in Volunteers
standard. We would like to thank all our volunteers, staff and
board members for helping us achieve this standard and for
their great support during the assessment process!
This is a testament to our commitment to supporting
volunteering and participation in the community and the
outstanding commitment of our volunteers to our
organisation. The award confirms we meet a range of best
practice standards and excel in all aspects of working with its
volunteers.
Jan Sensier, Chief Executive Officer said: “Engaging
Communities (ECS) is delighted to have achieved the Investing
in Volunteers standard. Our volunteers make a huge
contribution and we are committed to providing them with
the best possible support. Working towards Investing in
Volunteers has enabled us to identify how we can improve the
way in which we recruit, train and support regular volunteers.
Volunteering is a two-way process and we want to offer our
volunteers the chance to gain new skills and feel they are a
valued part of the team while making an important
contribution to our work with the communities.”
Sarah Bailey, our Enter & View and Volunteer Coordinator said,
“As an organisation we value our volunteers and their
support in the work that we do. By working for and achieving
this accreditation, I hope that it goes some way to show them
just how important they are to us by ensuring our processes
and systems make the experience of volunteering a good one.
A big thank you to all involved in helping us to achieve this.”
People interested in volunteering with Engaging Communities
(ECS)/ Healthwatch Staffordshire should visit
http://healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk/and click on the ‘Join
us’ section for opportunities or contact Sarah Bailey on 01785
224819 or email sarah.bailey@ecstaffs.co.uk .
Many thanks for your support!
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Project updates
Primary Care Strategic Delivery Plan
ECS, in collaboration with Healthwatch Staffordshire and Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent has been busy
delivering a wide programme of public engagement activities to gain community feedback on the
proposed Primary Care Strategic Delivery Plan, including insights from harder to reach and seldom
heard groups, as well as the general public. The intention is that this feedback will inform the further
development of the plan, and its implementation. Both Healthwatch organisations are working
collaboratively to ensure that the views of their respective communities across Staffordshire
Moorlands, Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke-on-Trent localities are heard.
Activities to date have included:
• Over 200 online surveys completed
• 350 paper copy surveys distributed
• Over 115 peopled booked onto the public events (to date)
• Focus groups and drop-in sessions
• 13 patient survey sessions in GP practices across North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
There is still time to complete the on-line survey via
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/healthwatchstaffsPrimaryCare and if you need help in completing
the survey, you can contact either Healthwatch Staffordshire on 0800 051 8371 or Healthwatch
Stoke-on-Trent on 01782 683080.
Community Services
Following the completion of Phase 1 of our Community Services project which saw us working with a
cohort of Year 5 Keele Medical Students focusing on awareness and experiences of community services
in the Newcastle-under-Lyme area, a report was produced which identified the Lichfield area as a
possible comparator for Phase 2. A second cohort of Year 5 students, who have been working with us
since January on the project agreed with this recommendation and are now keen to hear from
Lichfield residents about their experiences. Our volunteers have been out and about speaking to
residents in a variety of locations completing surveys and gathering feedback but there is also an online
survey as part of this project.
If you live in Lichfield area you will be able to complete the survey using this link;
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/AccesstoCommLichfield
Healthwatch Advisory Group - Recruitment 2016
Your opportunity to make a significant contribution to the local Health and Social Care services in
Staffordshire. Healthwatch Staffordshire has an exciting opportunity for a member of the Healthwatch
Advisory Group with Engaging Communities Staffordshire.
The Healthwatch Advisory Group brings together people with a range of skills, knowledge and
experience, which when combined, can be used to support Engaging Communities in the
delivery an effective Healthwatch in Staffordshire.
For the additional information and details of how to apply, please visit; http://bit.ly/21iXM0L
The closing date for applications is Tuesday 8 March 2016 and a selection workshop will be taking place
on Monday 21 March 2016.
If you have any queries about the Healthwatch Advisory Group, please contact Sue Baknak,
Engagement Manager on 01785 221703.
We look forward to receiving your application.
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Experience Exchange Your feedback counts
Healthwatch Staffordshire constantly monitor and review our Experience Exchange feedback
platform which records experience of local services. Your feedback provides essential
information on how we can argue for your interests and of those using health and social care
services across the county.
When you engage with us and give us your feedback it helps service providers to make
decisions that shape their services and the information you provide help enhance the
experience for your fellow service users. We listen to your feedback and pass them onto
relevant people who make decisions or changes that reflect what you tell us. A recent
example of this relates to several comments we received regarding the quality of food
provision at County Hospital, including;
“That the food return to the excellent standard it was until the recent changes, so that
patients do not receive food in containers that have disintegrated and end up as inedible bits
of plastic in disgusting looking and tasting food with a shelf life up October 2017. How many
preservatives must it contain?”
We contacted County Hospital, Stafford and discovered that “there has been a temporary
change in the patient food service at the County Hospital. This is while the kitchen is refurbished
after 20 plus years of service”.
John Hughes, County Hospital Facilities Project Manager said;
“This has meant we are having to buy in the food until April when the kitchen is returned to
the team. The meals will then revert to the in-house produced meals. These have always been
of high quality and great pride is taken by the team in the preparation of the patient meals.
We have procured the best meals on the market to try to reduce the quality as little as
possible. From a nutritional perspective these have been reviewed by our Dietetic colleagues
etc. but we recognise it is hard to replicate the quality of in house produced service. We can
only ask that users of the services are patient with us during the frustrating process of
refurbishment”.
If you wish to submit your own feedback, suggestion or comment
visit our Experience Exchange site;
http://x2.healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk/
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Mon 29th Feb: Healthwatch drop in Robert Peel Hospital, Tamworth
Mon Robert Peel Hospital , Plantation Ln, Mile Oak, Tamworth B78
3NG
29
Healthwatch drop in Robert Peel Hospital, Tamworth
Contact: Kerry-Jane.Kelly@ecstaffs.co.uk
Tue 1st Mar: Primary Care Strategic Delivery Plan: Leek
Tue
1
Fri
Churnet Room, Moorlands House, Stockwell Street, Leek,
ST13 6HQ
Primary Care Strategic Delivery Plan public event
Contact: Kerry-Jane.Kelly@ecstaffs.co.uk
Thu 3rd Mar: VAST Annual Conference
Thu
Yarnfield Park Training and Conference Centre, Yarnfield,
Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 0NL
3
VAST Annual Conference
Contact: Kerry-Jane.Kelly@ecstaffs.co.uk
Thu 3rd Mar: Healthwatch drop - Samuel Johnson Hospital
Thu
3
Samuel Johnson Hospital, Lichfield WS13 6EF
Healthwatch drop
Contact: Kerry-Jane.Kelly@ecstaffs.co.uk
Fri 4th Mar: Healthwatch Drop in Tamworth Library
4
Tamworth Library, Corporation St, Tamworth B79 7DN
Healthwatch Drop in Tamworth Library
Contact: Kerry-Jane.Kelly@ecstaffs.co.uk
Rodbaston College, Rodbaston Dr, Penkridge, Stafford ST19 5PH
VAST Volunteering Fair- Robaston College
14
Contact: Kerry-Jane.Kelly@ecstaffs.co.uk
8
10.00 - 15.00 pm
14:30 - 16:30 pm
09:00 - 16:00 pm
10:00 - 15:00pm
10:00 - 12:30 pm
Mon 14th Mar: HW Stand - VAST Volunteering Fair Rodbaston College
Mon
10:00 - 14:00 pm

Wed
UPCOMING EVENTS
Wed 16th Mar: HW Stand - VAST Volunteering Fair - Lichfield Campus
South Staffs College, Lichfield Campus, The Friary,
Lichfield, WS13 6QG
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VAST Volunteering Fair
Thu
Contact: Katy.Warren@ecstaffs.co.uk
South Staffs College, Tamworth Campus, Croft Street, Tamworth,
B79 8AE
17
VAST Volunteering Fair
Contact: Kerry-Jane.Kelly@ecstaffs.co.uk
10.00 - 14.00pm
Thu 17th Mar: HW Stand - VAST Volunteering Fair-Tamworth Campus
10.00 - 14.00pm
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Improving Lives Update Event
‣ What is care coordination and what will it really mean for local people
with long term conditions or for older people who need extra support?
‣ What’s the Citizens’ Panel and what influence will it have?
‣ What will be different about East Staffs’ health services from April 2016?
If you’ve heard about ‘Improving Lives’ you’ll know that we’re approaching the
start of the contract which East Staffordshire CCG has awarded to Virgin Care.
Together, we want to improve health outcomes and life experiences of local
people with long term health conditions (such as diabetes, heart failure and
many others) and frail, older people, their families and carers.
The CCG and Virgin Care invite you to come along to find out what’s been
happening, what’s planned for the coming months and years, and how you can
be involved.
Tuesday 22 nd March 2016 at the Pirelli Stadium
Princess Way, Burton upon Trent, DE13 0AR
Time: 7.00pm – 8.30pm (registration from 6.30pm)
To book a place, please email improvinglives@northstaffs.nhs.uk
or call 01782 298192.
More information about Improving Lives can be found at
http://eaststaffsccg.nhs.uk/improving-lives
Helping local people to live more independent, healthier lives
10 6

Staffordshire Neurological Alliance
5 Years On
Tuesday 15th March 2016
09:30 - 14:30
North Staffs Medical Institute,
Hartshill Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 7NY
The day will include
SNA AGM presentations from Stoke Stroke Service,
Keele Medical School, Keele Neurobiological Research and
a keynote address from Robin Morrison about a project to
improve neuro services in Staffordshire.
5th birthday cake
If you join us as a member via our website you can vote at our agm.
Visit: www.staffsneurologicalalliance.org.uk
www.staffsneurologicalalliance.org.uk
Please register by emailing Steve Searle. Stall positions are also available
Email: sjsearle90@gmail.com Tel: 07800 504 366
11

Ian’s update - Tamworth, Lichfield and East Staffs
“It has been a busy month in Tamworth, Lichfield and East Staffs,
with several Healthwatch drop-ins planned by our shortly
departing Community Engagement Lead Katy Warren in order
to introduce one of our new Community Outreach Officer’s, Ian
Wright, to the demands of increasing the awareness of
Healthwatch Staffordshire around the Tamworth and Lichfield
area in particular.
You can see a few pictures of our stand at both Lichfield and
Tamworth libraries, which coincided with the very popular Baby
Bounce and Rhyme sessions for toddlers. We engaged with over
100 people during these two events which was quite amazing,
and many signed as members to receive our monthly newsletter
in order to keep abreast of developments in Health and Social
Care in their particular area.
Following that, Healthwatch were delighted to support the
Domestic Abuse Awareness campaign organised by Tamworth
Borough Council, where several partners used an empty retail
outlet in the Ankerside Shopping Centre to talk about that very
important issue, giving us the opportunity to explain how
Healthwatch operates locally. This was again an incredibly well
supported event, as have been all the previous ones in Ankerside.
Some pictures show the event.
In East Staffs, we are pleased to be supporting Burton Albion
Community Trust as we move towards an event on June 23rd at
Uttoxeter racecourse, ‘Let’s do Business’. We and several
partners will have an exclusive area under the banner of ‘Let’s
do Health’ which we already expect to be very busy and popular.
In addition, we have been busy utilising our volunteers to carry
out surveys at Queens Hospital, Burton in connection with
people’s knowledge and understanding of Community Health and
Social care services in the community, which has again given us
the opportunity to engage with almost 200 people.
These surveys also took place at the Samuel Johnson Community
Hospital in Lichfield, and this gave us the opportunity to
introduce our new Administration/Information Officer Abigail
Benge to some of the engagement work carried out by
Healthwatch Staffordshire. You can see Abi outside the entrance
just prior to starting the surveys.
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6

No one should face cancer alone; could an advocate help?
The Staffordshire and Wolverhampton Cancer Advocacy Project is now being delivered across
the whole of Staffordshire/Stoke on Trent and Wolverhampton by the Beth Johnson Foundation
through funding from Macmillan Cancer Support.
There are around 1.3 million older people (65+) living with cancer in the UK, many living on
their own with no close relatives; isolated people in Staffordshire and Wolverhampton could
benefit from this service.
Advocates support and enable people to exercise their rights, express their views, explore and
make informed choices. They aim to be the “voice” of the older person, are non-judgemental
and make sure those they support are heard and their views and opinions are acted upon. The
Cancer Advocacy Project works with people 50+ who are affected by cancer, either as a
patient, carer or relative.
The Beth Johnson Foundation has a long history of providing advocacy for older people and
of working with volunteers. The Foundation employs five Area Co-ordinators who are each
responsible for promoting the project in their own area in order to acquire referrals and to
attract people to become volunteer advocates.
The Co-ordinators aim to recruit and train older people who themselves have been affected
by cancer, to provide support to their peers. Initial induction and training is provided and the
volunteer advocates are offered regular supervision and group peer support with an ongoing
training programme.
The issues addressed by the advocates have been wide ranging from supporting patients with
oncology appointments to helping someone discharged from hospital to find sheltered
accommodation.
The Beth Johnson Foundation has a website www.bjf.org.uk where you can find out all about
the work of the organisation. The website includes a link to the Cancer Advocacy Project
which has information regarding both referral making and volunteering.
People who have been supported by an advocate have said:
‘I don’t think I’d be here if I didn’t have the support as I didn’t have the fight or the will’
‘The service is fantastic, the things organised have been second to none’
‘I don’t know how I would have coped if it wasn’t for you’
If would like to refer someone to the project or you are interested in training to be an
advocate please contact macmillan@bjf.org.uk or telephone 01782 844036
A film about the Advocacy Service was produced by Inspired Film & Video and is available
through the project blog: https://youtu.be/6a_Wxb3zNqw
www.twitter.com/StaffsCancerAdv
www.facebook.com/StaffsCancerAdvocacy
Cancer is the toughest fight most of us will ever face and no one should have to face it alone.
If you have any questions about cancer, need support or just someone to talk to, call free,
Monday to Friday 9am-8pm on 0808 808 00 00 or visit www.macmillan.org.uk.
Beth Johnson Foundation, Registered in England & Wales No. 6454378. Registered Charity No.
1122401
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SUN Stafford/Central
aiming
for a
brighter
future
Friday 4th March 2016
10-12 with network lunch 12-1
Rising Brook Church Conference
Ctre,Burton Sq,Stafford,ST17 9LT
Staffordshire Umbrella Network-SUN
SUN (Staffordshire Umbrella Network) is a networking group of parents and carers of children and young people
with additional needs, voluntary groups and agencies, coordinated by SEND Family Partnership.
Do you have a child with a special need or disability?
Are you a professional who would like to represent your
service at a local parent network group meeting?
Would you like to join us at our SUN meeting and
network lunch?
Focus on
- Ways to move forward. Learn about the support offered
by SEND Family Partnership to help you resolve issues as early as
possible. Will also include practical tips and hints to put across your
point of view.
- The new Carers‛ Hub. What do they do? Meet a member of the
team and find out more about the types of support and services
they offer.
Booking Essential
Meet new people.
Exchange information and tips.
Find out what is going on locally.
Chat to other parents and professionals informally over lunch.
Be updated on the work of the Parent Participation Service, SPAN.
To attend please ring SEND
Family Partnership on
01785 356921 or email
sun@staffordshire.gov.uk. The
meeting, including lunch is
FREE OF CHARGE.
If you have any special requirements, or if you, or someone you
know, would like a copy of this flyer in large print, Braille, or on
audio-tape please contact SEND Family Partnership on
01785 356921.
Staffordshire SEND Family Partnership (Information, Advice & Support) Service is funded by Staffordshire
County Council. It operates independently as a confidential service for parents and carers of children and
young people (0-25) with special educational needs and disabilities.
14

New recruitment drive for library volunteers
Libraries across the county have launched a campaign to recruit more library volunteers in
every Staffordshire library over the next few months. Staffordshire Library and Information
Service has developed a new, more flexible and varied role to encourage a wide range of
people to try volunteering at their local library.
You can find out more about volunteering at their local library from the people that do it
already. The new website at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/volunteerinyourlibrary contains a
wealth of videos, case studies and accolades. People can express an interest through the
website or by ringing the dedicated team at 01785 278311 - there’s no need to apply straight
away.
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