Issue 111  |  30 August 2024

Welcome to this week's Stakeholder Bulletin.

We aim to bring you key updates each week from the health and care system.

In this edition you can read David's blog which talks about the importance of having your blood pressure checked, find out when Annual General Meetings are taking place and hear about latest on the new mental health ward set to open in September.

In our latest blog, David Evans, Pharmacist and Chair of Community Pharmacy Derbyshire talks about the importance of getting your blood pressure checked. In Derbyshire County Council area it is estimated that 22,068 people have undiagnosed high blood pressure.

"It’s “know your numbers” week from 2-8 September and community pharmacies across Derbyshire are ready to welcome you at any time for a free, simple, blood pressure check."

Read more.

A number of Annual General Meetings are taking place in September.

Derbyshire Healthcare's is on Thursday September 26 at the Research and Development Centre at its Kingsway Hospital site in Derby. Market place from 2.30pm, meeting from 4pm – 6pm. Please book via Eventbrite or by emailing dhcft.membership@nhs.net or calling 01332 623 723.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital's is on Wednesday September 18, 5pm – 8pm with market place in advance, at the Education Centre, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, or by livestream on the trust's Facebook page. No need to book.

Derbyshire Community Health Services' is on Thursday September 12, 1pm – 3.30pm, held on Teams. Logon to the meeting on the day via the trust website.

Derbyshire Healthwatch - The event takes place on Tuesday September 17, 9.30am – 12.30pm at Arena Church, Ilkeston, 1 Rutland Street, DE7 8DG. There will also be "market stalls" at the event. Book your place via Ticketsource.

Derbyshire Healthcare’s new Bluebell Ward in Chesterfield is set to open in September. With single, en-suite rooms and calm breakout spaces, patients may feel like they are checking into a hotel. 

Bluebell Ward will provide mental healthcare for 12 older adults and is the first of six facilities to open in the Making Room for Dignity programme, which gives every service user their own en-suite bedroom. 

Read more.

A guide to help patients understand how to access their GP practice team and the different types of healthcare staff that work there has been created by Healthwatch Derbyshire and the Derby and Derbyshire Local Medical Committee.

Helen Henderson, Chief Executive at Healthwatch Derbyshire, said:  "The 'How to Access Your GP Practice Team' guide is a very useful resource for Derbyshire residents, as it breaks down the various ways to engage with GP services. By providing clear, step-by-step guidance, the guide helps make sure that everyone can access the right care. This is especially important to help people be seen by the right person for their needs, meaning we can all do our part to help ease the strain on the NHS and the people who work hard to keep us well"

Dr Ben Milton, GP and Medical Director, Derby and Derbyshire Local Medical Committee (LMC) said:  "We are hugely grateful to Healthwatch Derbyshire for their work on this document. We recognise that patients don't always know how best to contact their GP practice, but we also know that practices are really struggling to meet demand at the moment with limited resources and a reducing GP workforce. Derbyshire GP practices welcome anything that helps support their patients to successfully connect with the right person first time when reaching out for help, whatever their needs might be and this document supports that effort."

Read more.

The Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism Delivery Board brings together partner organisations working across health and social care in Derby and Derbyshire. The Board is responsible, on behalf of Joined Up Care Derbyshire, for overseeing system-wide delivery, performance improvement and transformation.  The Delivery Board met on Thursday August 1.

Read more.

Derbyshire County Council together with Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust are running a consultation on proposals to transform health visiting services.

The consultation is the second phase of a review looking at how services could be delivered more effectively to ensure they remain sustainable and finite resources are targeted at families who need the most support.

Read more.

Derbyshire County Council want to hear from you about your thoughts around smoking support in Derbyshire.

They've put together a short survey and you could be in with a chance of winning a £50 gift card.

Fill in the survey.

Did you know you don't always need to see a GP or consultant to access some referral services? Self-referral is an option that can make it easier and faster for you to get help, rather than seeing your doctor.

You can register for most of them online. Find out more.