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1/7/2020

Volunteers needed for testing new Cancer Matters website

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The Dorset Cancer Partnership is seeking members of the public living in Dorset, Hampshire or the Isle of Wight to take part in user testing of their new website, Cancer Matters Wessex. Your feedback will help the development of the website before it is launched later this year.

What is Cancer Matters Wessex?
Cancer Matters Wessex is a new website that aims to provide more local and personalised information for cancer patients in Dorset and Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, including people who have had cancer in the past or are worried they may have cancer, and for family, friends and carers of patients living with cancer. The website is sponsored by the Wessex Cancer Alliance in collaboration with the Dorset Cancer Partnership and Macmillan Cancer Support.

The first phase launch of the website will focus on information about COVID-19 for cancer patients and how it will impact on their lives. The second phase launch will focus on information about specific cancer pathways, including diagnosis, treatment and support available.

How can I get involved?
If you’d like to participate in the user testing of the website, you will need access to an email account and a computer. Contact Ruth Webster (ruth.webster@dorsetccg.nhs.uk) by 10 July for further information.

2/3/2020

Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Workshop on 18 March 2020

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The Thames Valley and Wessex Strategic Clinical Network are hosting an Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Workshop on 18th March 2020 from 9.30am to 4.00pm at Crowne Plaza, Basingstoke.

The event provides an opportunity to network with colleagues from across the region, hear from National and Regional leads, to share local initiatives and consider how we can work together to improve care across Thames Valley and Wessex.

Topics will include national programme overview, regional EIP data, implementing peer support, clinical best practice from across the region and local best practice examples.

This workshop is targeted at a variety of professionals including Clinical Directors, Chief Operating Officers, Commissioners, Clinicians working in EIP, Peer support workers, Pharmacists, Data leads and anyone else with an interest.

Register for your place today by clicking here.

For any queries or help with registering please contact: Carolyn.Hinton@nhs.net or to view the event flyer, click here.

10/1/2020

Patient Representatives Needed for Length of Stay (LOS) Engagement Event

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NHS England is seeking patient engagement and input into the Length of Stay (LOS) Programme.

We are planning to hold an engagement event with key leaders and interested parties to outline the LOS programme on 20 January at 10am to 1pm (registration opens at 9.30am). Lunch will be included. The venue is still to be confirmed but will be in Leeds city centre.

We would also like to invite a key patient network leader to take part on the LOS Oversight Group meeting to maintain a focus on inclusion of the patient voice across the programme. Attendance would be on a quarterly basis.

Background
The LOS programme advocates that patients are discharged (either home or to a care facility) rather than remaining in hospital when clinically appropriate and without unnecessary delay. Unnecessarily prolonged stays in hospital can significantly decondition patients, increase the risk of falls and expose patients to infections.

If you would like to attend the 20th January LOS engagement event please email Claire Eaton at Claire.eaton1@nhs.net
If you would like to nominate yourself as a patient network leader to take part on the LOS Oversight Group, please email Claire Eaton at Claire.eaton1@nhs.net

12/12/2019

Eye Care Survey

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Regular eye tests, or sight tests, are the best way to ensure your eyes are healthy and make the best use of your eyesight. Adults with learning disabilities and/or autism are 10 times more likely to have a serious sight problem (SeeAbility, 2016.) Eye tests can monitor any changes in how well your eyes can see, confirm if you need glasses and/or contact lenses, and monitor diseases.

Wessex Voices is working with NHS England Wessex (South) and SeeAbility to understand how eye care and eye tests can be improved for people with learning disabilities and/or autism in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

What is the survey about?
In our new survey, we want to know what are the problems and how can accessibility be improved? Questions in the survey will ask about the experiences of:

Eye tests (also called sight tests)
Having your glasses or contact lenses fitted
Taking care of your glasses or contact lenses
If you don't go to eye tests, what could be improved to help you go?

Who do we want to hear from?
We want to hear from adults with learning disabilities and/or autism, people with complex needs, and their carers/supporters.

The survey will be available online (including Easy Read) and hard copies with reply paid envelopes (including Easy Read). We are also doing face to face interviews with individuals, as well as speaking at group forums and meetings. Get in touch with us if you would like Easy Read versions, hard copies or would like us to speak with your group or for an individual interview.

When is the survey open?
The survey is now closed; it was open from 20 December 2019 to 16 February 2020.

When is the report available?
The report will be published in 2020 on our website. Please keep checking our websites for updates or if you'd like to receive a copy when it is available, you can sign up by emailing wessexvoices@helpandcare.org.uk.

Where can I get more information about eye care and tests?

The NHS has general information available on their website: www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/look-after-your-eyes/
They also have information about free NHS eye tests and vouchers for prescribed glasses, for those who are eligible: www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/help-with-health-costs/free-nhs-eye-tests-and-optical-vouchers/
SeeAbility also has a variety of information, including printable PDFs in Easy Read: www.seeability.org/looking-after-your-eyes

Contact details
If you have any questions or would like to get involved, please emali us at wessexvoices@helpandcare.org.uk.

27/11/2019

Coaching offer for people representing patient and public voice in the NHS

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NHS England and NHS Improvement is offering coaching for Patient and Public Voice (PPV) partners as part of its ongoing support offer.

We are offering places to people who are currently involved in the work of NHS England and NHS Improvement or are supporting health and care system transformation programmes (STP, ICS, Primary Care networks, etc.) on a regular basis. The places are aimed at PPV partners who are supporting major changes in health and care services and who would like to further develop their strategic or practical skills and so support them to strengthen their voice in their volunteering role.

The coaching will be provided by an accredited employee coach or an employee undertaking this qualification, both would also coach NHS England employees.

This development opportunity is aimed at strengthening the patient voice. The offer is for six hours coaching including one face to face meeting. We have limited places available. This opportunity does not attract any type of involvement payment. Expenses incurred would be covered as per our expenses guidance; these are expected to be minimal as the majority of the sessions would be conducted by telephone wherever possible.

Criteria

- We would anticipate that you would have been volunteering for a minimum of four months representing patient voice (less will be considered if you feel you have had enough time in the role to have something you wish to receive coaching on)
- We will consider location as part of the criteria to get a spread across the country and to fit with coach availability
- You will need to have a specific issue related to your volunteering role which you would like to work through with your coach. This should be something that will help you increase your effectiveness in representing patient voice (this will remain confidential between yourself and your coach)

More information and how to apply

If you are interested please send an email to england.ppve-learning@nhs.net requesting an application form and a guide with more details. As part of your application, you will be asked to include details of your sponsor and a supporting statement from them. Or visit their website: https://www.england.nhs.uk/participation/learning/learning-for-patients-and-the-public-non-accredited-courses/.

The closing date for receipt of completed application forms for this year will be 5 December 2019.

8/11/2019

Participants needed for Community Participation and Mental Health survey (UCL)

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Do you have lived experience of mental illness and aged 18+ years?

UCL is embarking on a new research project to find ways to help community groups and places such as museum and libraries, support more people with experience of mental illness, and remove barriers to taking part.

Interviews will focus on why you do, or don’t, take part in community groups and what would help you to do so.

More information can be found in the recruitment poster and in the study information sheet.

If you would like to be involved, please contact Louise Baxter on l.baxter@ucl.ac.uk or 020 7679 8347 for more information or to arrange an interview.

8/11/2019

Survey participants needed for new eye care survey

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Wessex Voices is working with NHS England Wessex and SeeAbility to promote better eye care for people with learning disabilities and/or autism.

What is the survey about?

In our new survey, we want to know about the experiences of:

- Eye tests
- Having your glasses or contact lenses fitted
- Taking care of your glasses or contact lenses

What are the problems and how can accessibility be improved?

We want to hear from adults with learning disabilities and/or autism, carers and supporters, and adults with complex needs and their carers.

How can you help?

We need help with testing our questions, to make sure our survey is asking the right questions.

We are also looking for people to take the survey once it is ready from late November 2019 to end of January 2020.

Contact Details

We will keep posting updates about the survey on our website.

If you would like to get involved, please complete this online form with your contact details.

17/10/2019

AFC Bournemouth Kicks Off Talking Group for Local Men Living With Cancer

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AFC Bournemouth, in partnership with Wessex Cancer Trust, will be holding a monthly MENTalk group at the football club to support local men living with cancer.

The initiative will launch at Vitality Stadium on Thursday 7th November. Men of any age, who either have cancer themselves or are supporting someone through it, can visit the club, enjoy a stadium tour and find out more. The group will meet on the first Thursday of the month between 7.00 and 8.30pm starting on 5th December.

MENTalk enables men to come together to share knowledge and experiences whilst supporting each other. They will also be able to learn skills to help them deal with stress and adjust to their changing situation. Additionally, it will provide a safe place to talk openly about feelings and fears. It will be led by a trained facilitator and attended by cancer specialists. Wessex Cancer Trust already runs well-attended MENTalk groups at its Support Centres in Cosham and Waterside, Hythe.
Steve Cuss, the Head of AFC Bournemouth’s Community Sports Trust, said:

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Wessex Cancer Trust. We are fully aware through community engagement and our fanbase how cancer affects so many people. The opportunity to support through the MENTalk group is one that we are looking forward to, and welcoming to Vitality Stadium.”

Colette Cowan, Wessex Cancer Trust’s Head of Service Delivery said the launch of the new MENTalk group will address a specific need in Bournemouth:

“Wessex Cancer Trust is a charity set up specifically to provide emotional and practical support to anyone living with cancer in the Wessex region, but men make up just 22% of clients accessing our support services. This is despite them being 16% more likely to receive a cancer diagnosis and 40% more likely to die from the disease.   This year, in partnership with the Wessex Public Health Community Fellowship, we commissioned an assessment into why men living with cancer might not be seeking support as readily. We found that men diagnosed with cancer were mainly concerned with their own prognosis and how their family would cope. The main barriers to them seeking support were a lack of awareness of the support services available, a lack of time and the perception that they did not need help or that seeking support would be uncomfortable for them.   Cancer will affect half of us in our lifetime and we’re delighted that AFC Bournemouth will be encouraging men to access support as part of its healthcare education in the local community, and we’re sure it will make a big difference to any man having to live with a cancer diagnosis.”

Anyone who would like to attend the launch or find out more about MENTalk can contact Wessex Cancer Trust’s Bournemouth Cancer Support Centre on 01202 315 824 or email Bournemouth.centre@wessexcancer.org.uk

8/10/2019

Breast Screening Survey now live (updated 18 Nov 2019)

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Share your feedback and stories! We want to hear from women aged 47-54 years who live in Dorset, Hampshire and Isle of Wight about your thoughts and experiences on breast screenings, particularly from women who have received an invitation to a first-time breast screening.

Understanding what motivates women's decision making will help inform our NHS partners about how they can improve services.

The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete and all responses received are anonymous. You can complete the survey by clicking on the link below or copying and pasting it into your browser:

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/BreastScreening2019/

The survey will close at 11.59pm on 1 December 2019.

For more information, please read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

7/10/2019

Dorset Community Impact Fund - Applications Open

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Community Funding - Round 4 is now open

The Dorset Community Impact fund (round 4) aims to support community organisations and charities to deliver services that improve the lives and wellbeing of people in the Dorset Council area.

Projects supported will target those whose needs are greatest and support the council's ambition of reducing demand for its services through connecting people to the right help, support and early intervention.

Local community groups can apply for grants of up to £6,000 and micro grants (up to £1,000) are also available via the Micro grants pot. Applicants must demonstrate how their project would help achieve the council's priorities for improving the lives of local people.

For more information, including how to apply and information on deadlines for both main and micro grant applications, can be found on the Dorset Council website.

3/10/2019

Hampshire & Isle of Wight NHS Long Term Plan Feedback Events

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We would like to invite you to join us at one of the free events below to discuss our plans for the future of health and care in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight:

Basingstoke: 8th October, 4pm-7pm at The Ark Centre, Dinwoodie Drive RG24 9NN
Cowes: 10th October, 4pm-7pm at The Sugar Store Events Centre, Medina Road PO31 7HT
Southampton: 14th October, 4pm-7pm at The Atrium, Solent University SO14 0YN
Portsmouth: 16th October, 4pm-7pm at the Heritage Room at the Marriott Hotel PO6 4SH

We are hosting this event to discuss with local people, staff and our key stakeholders how we are responding to the commitments set in the national NHS Long Term Plan. We will be describing our local priorities based on the opportunities available to us, the current challenges we face such as increasing demand and the availability of workforce and crucially, what our population has told us needs to change.

The event takes the format of a drop-in session so you are welcome to come at any time during the three hours. There, we will describe our plans for the future on topics such as mental health, prevention, cancer and GP services and ask people for their feedback. We will have a number of presentations throughout the evening, as well as a wellbeing area demonstrating our focus on staying well and preventing ill health.

These events follow on from a system-wide survey that our partners in Healthwatch ran to determine what local people wanted to support their health and care needs. We received around 700 responses to the survey, so many thanks to all those who took the time to take part. Trends among the earlier responses suggested there was a willingness among our population to improve their own health and wellbeing, to live healthier lives, but that they wanted more support and fewer obstacles in order to be able to do so. They also felt that they wanted to embrace technology to manage their health but were keen to ensure that face to face interaction, when needed, was still a priority especially when accessing GP services.

All of this work will feed into the development of the long-term plan for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, which is due to be completed in November, and will form the basis for the planning of health and care services four our area over the next few years.

In order to attend the event located closest to you, please register your interest by clicking on one of the links below:

The Ark, Basingstoke event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/74845570115
The Sugar Store, IOW event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/74860318227
Solent University, Southampton event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/74865900925
Portsmouth Marriott Hotel event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/74870330173

25/9/2019

Have your say on NHS dental services in Portsmouth, Alton and Tadley

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The Colosseum dental group recently ended three of their contracts to provide NHS dental services in Portsmouth and the mydentist group previously ended their contracts to provide NHS services in in Alton and Tadley.

NHS England is responsible for buying NHS dental services and is planning to put in place some new long-term contracts to provide more dental services in these locations, to replace those where contracts have ended. NHS England want to make sure that the new services take into account what is most important to you when using NHS dental services.

Please share your views by completing the online survey on the NHS engagement website. The survey is open until 21 October 2019.

If you would prefer to complete the survey in writing or need the information in a different language please call 0113 824 9119 or email england.wessexdental@nhs.net.

17/9/2019

Wessex Cancer Alliance Strategy Consultation on 19 Sept 2019

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The NHS Long Term Plan (LTP) was published in January 2019 describing ambitions for improved cancer outcomes and services in England over the next ten years.

The key ambitions in the NHS Long Term Plan for Cancer are:

by 2028, the proportion of cancers diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 will increase from around half now to three-quarters of cancer patients; and
from 2028, 55,000 more people each year will survive their cancer for at least five years after diagnosis.

With our partner organisations, the Wessex Cancer Alliance is responsible for realising the LTP ambitions for the population of Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Following the development of the Wessex Strategic Vision for Cancer and Independent Cancer Taskforce strategy, both published in 2015, the Alliance has completed a review of achievements across our geography and now plan to refresh the Wessex Cancer Strategy in response to the Long Term Plan.

The strategy will describe the population needs and propose ambitious objectives for service improvement to deliver the commitments set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, seeking to address unwarranted variation, improve patient experience, and be supported by appropriate workforce.

A consultation event on the afternoon of Thursday, 19th September 2019 will take place to describe the achievements across the Wessex area to date and to draft content of the refreshed cancer strategy. A series of workshops will be held afterwards where participants will be invited to input directly into the core elements of the future strategy for Wessex Cancer Services.

The event will take place between 1.00pm and 5.00pm at The Ageas Bowl, Botley Road, West End, Southampton, Hampshire, SO30 3XH.

Places are limited so prior registration is required. Please email england.wessexscn@nhs.net to register for the event. When registering for the event please state if you have any dietary requirements (lunch will be provided).

17/9/2019

UPDATED 5/11/19: Communities Against Cancer Grant Applications (up to £700)

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Communities Against Cancer is a project to help people reduce their risk of cancer, be aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer, and seek help at an earlier stage.

Funded by Wessex Cancer Alliance and managed by the charity, Action Hampshire, the project aims to benefit people who are less likely to know how to look after their health or are less able to do so. You don’t need to be knowledgeable about cancer to apply for a grant, as Action Hampshire will provide Cancer Champion training.

They are offering grants of up to £700 to help organisations and individuals join them in this mission.

The project is focused on the Isle of Wight, urban south Hampshire, and south Dorset. If your organisation works in or near these areas then please share your ideas of how you can help your community improve their cancer-related health outcomes.

Application deadline: Fri 29 Nov 2019 and then the last working day of each month, up to Fri 28 Feb 2020.

Visit their website for more information and a copy of the application form. If you have any queries about applying for a grant, please email Kevin Sawers or call 01962 857358.

9/9/2019

Join the Patient and Public Voices Forum

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Join the Patient and Public Voices Forum, and help put people and communities at the heart of the NHS Cancer Programme

The NHS Cancer Programme exists to improve early diagnosis, survival, quality of life and patient experience for people with cancer across England.

Our Patient and Public Voices Forum allows the NHS Cancer Programme to be shaped by patient, carer and family perspectives.

We are looking for people across England, who are passionate about the NHS, and can spare a few days this year to help us transform cancer services.

For an information pack and details of how to apply please contact Kaz Obuka:

kalu.obuka1@nhs.net
075775544914

The closing date for applications is Monday 30 September 2019.