We want local people to have their voice heard. That’s why we regularly organise a range of engagement and focus events for local people to share their ideas and views about our services.
In response the CCG developed a survey in partnership with local transgender charity Chrysalis and the Hampshire CCG Partnership. The survey was publicised through Chrysalis networks and ran from July to November 2019. This enabled us to gather more detailed information from a wider range of Trans+ individuals. We are now working together to produce a report and action plan
We arranged three patient engagement events in Eastleigh, Romsey and Dibden Purlieu during 2019. We spoke to patients about the current pathway and listened to their concerns and their ideas about how to make the pathway better. We explained some new initiatives that will help to speed up access to services for those who need it, including the roll-out of a new MSK app to help patients better self-manage their condition.
We have been working with local care homes, University Hospital Southampton, Southern Health and South Central Ambulance Service to introduce the Red Bag scheme in the area. Care homes use the bags when patients are admitted to hospital. They are designed to carry people’s health information, care plan and medication, as well as personal items like glasses, dentures and slippers so they don’t get lost if they go into hospital.
This simple but fantastic scheme was launched in Sutton, South West London, in 2015 and NHS England is urging all areas of the country to adopt it. The Sutton project led to:
- Reduced average hospital stays by three to four days, saving £167,000 a year
- Fewer lost items such as dentures, glasses and hearing aids worth £290,000 in a year
- Improved communication between care home and hospital staff saving time, resources and duplication.
CCG Chairman, Dr Sarah Schofield said: “This is a simple way of preventing people’s important possessions from getting lost when they go into hospital. It is also an effective way of ensuring all important information is kept with the patient in one place.”
The scheme was launched in December 2018 and has been really well received.
Being supported at home for as long as possible in later life, without the need to go to hospital, was really important to you. We commissioned a frailty support service in the New Forest where staff visit people in their own homes if their health deteriorates. People can be treated at home and will only be referred to hospital if absolutely necessary.
Watch our frailty video which shows explains how the service works.
The scheme was launched in December 2018 and has been really well received.
Working in partnership with local people from Black and Minority Ethnic communities we developed and piloted the ‘I have communication support needs’ card. Patients can show the card to health staff to alert them to the fact that they require an interpreter.
We partnered with Healthwatch Hampshire to devise and deliver a deaf awareness training session to GP practices in West Hampshire. This covered the impact of deafness when using health services, good practice when arranging a British Sign Language Interpreter, reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, and the Accessible Information Standard.
We commissioned extended hours GP coverage in a range of ‘hubs’ across west Hampshire so that people can get an appointment with a GP, nurse or other medical professionals in the evenings and at weekends. Check out the Appointments+ service