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Commonwealth Conference The Power of Youth Work 2023

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 11:18:40 GMT

International focus on young people's health

On the 10-12th July at the University of Reading, delegates, including academics, policy makers, youth workers, dignitaries and members of the Commonwealth Secretariat were invited from across the Commonwealth to discuss the power of youth work. Over the course of three days there were presentations and breakout rooms where global youth work was discussed and learning was shared.

Local voices

Munya Badze, Kent and Medway System Youth Volunteering Project Manager, and Tamsyn Phillips, Lived Experience Lead for Young Adults for the Kent and Medway’s Children and Young People’s ICB were invited to present, and presented on building partnerships using the youth voice to support health outcomes for young people; an approach from Kent and Medway.

Impact

People fed back that they felt inspired and would definitely consider using lived experience in their work going forward, which is a positive step in the right direction in incorporating youth voice directly into youth work. Global networks were made and Munya and Tamsyn are looking forward to connecting further with fellow delegates.

What do you really know about Neurodiversity?

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 06:36:46 GMT

Increasing understanding of neurodiversity and autism.

Neurodiversity is highly misunderstood and is commonly understood as another term for autism.

We have produced a resource for those wanting to understand or seek support for Neurodiversity. To introduce this we wanted to address some of the common myths and misunderstandings about autism.

Autism is not an illness

Being autistic does not mean you have an illness or disease. It means your brain works in a different way from other people.

It's something you're born with, or first appears when you're very young.

If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life.

Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a 'cure'. But some people need support to help them with certain things.

People with autism may act in a different way to other people.

Autistic people may:

find it hard to communicate and interact with other people
find it hard to understand how other people think or feel
find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable
get anxious or upset about unfamiliar situations and social events
Take longer to understand information
Do, or think, the same things over and over

If you think you, or your child, may be autistic, you can get more advice about the signs of autism here.

Being autistic does not have to stop you having a good life.

Like everyone, autistic people have things they're good at as well as things they struggle with.

Being autistic does not mean you can never make friends, have relationships or get a job. But you might need extra help with these things.

We want to hear your story

Have you or loved one experiences of neurodiversity and/or autism?

We want to hear your story

We’ve been working for several years now to try and improve the services that support people who have neurodiversity and/or autism, and their families.

We can only do that if you tell us your story.

We can use your story to make change happen.

Get in touch here

Where to get support:

Find out where to get support here

Download Neurodiversity resources here:

Talk of the Town Kent and Medway Young Adults Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 13:02:44 GMT

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On the 25th of May, Kent and Medway Children and Young People’s ICB held a conference to start a conversation around young people’s mental health and wellbeing, which was co-organised by EK360’s Lived Experience Lead for Young Adults. The event was held at Repton Connect Community Centre in Ashford, and had a turn out of over 100 people, including stakeholders, young people, and volunteers from a local secondary school.

The all-day event had speakers from TONIC, NHS England, Involve and more. In attendance were also members of LGBTQ+ support group Prysm and young counsellor Ruby Porter from the Faversham Counselling Service.

However, the most striking speakers were the young people that had volunteered to share their experiences. Ryan, a service user at Involve, spoke to us about his experience of struggling with mental health issues, and explained how Involve had made a big difference in his life. Shivali shared with us her experience of having mental health issues through university, and how she struggled to find resources that helped – she now advocates for better resources and runs a student union group that supports others that are struggling with their mental health.

Another notable presentation was held by two students from the Hundred of Hoo Academy. Tegan and Isabelle presented their experiences of being young people with mental health issues, and explained how they felt there was not enough support for young people dealing with these issues. They went above and beyond in their presentation, even demonstrating a survey that they had created, asking their fellow students whether they were satisfied with the support they had received from young people’s mental health services. The overwhelming response from the entire day was NO.

At the end of the event, we were asked to fill out feedback forms and write down what we think ‘It would be better if...’ for the young adults mental health services. This will all be collated and anything actionable will then be used to inform what people want from future events. We will be continuing the conversation going forward.

To watch a video report of the event through the eyes of a young adult, click the play button in the image below:

Heroic individuals and organisations working within our Mental Health Community

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 08:32:23 GMT

At the end of last month, organised by both Healthwatch Kent & Healthwatch Medway, 200 guests came together to celebrate the best in health & social care.

Attendees, including the Leaders of both Medway & Kent County Council, applauded alongside senior representatives from every NHS organisation in Kent & Medway. Community and voluntary groups, as well as the individuals who had done the work, joined in the celebrations at Revelations in Ashford.

32 people and organisations were winners at the prestigious Healthwatch Recognition Awards amongst them were two awardees known to our Mental health Voice Network:

East Kent Mind and a Team working around Lived Experience supported by the ICB/KMPT and EK360.

We have put together profiles of these projects. They are built into a resource on Mental Health support covering:

Guidance around Mental Health Crisis

x2 Healthwatch heroes: Mental Health

Links to further information

Click below to download the resource on Mental Health and our profile of the two projects related to mental health.

Have you heard of NHS Talking Therapies? (Formerly IAPT)

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 19:52:47 GMT

Thousands of us use the mental wellbeing service every month to help us deal with anxiety and depression. If you, or someone you know, have used the service, we want to hear your story.

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) , recently renamed as NHS Talking Therapies, wants to bring the voice of people who use the services to the heart of service development. Your feedback will be used to help shape and develop NHS Talking Therapies services and how they link into wider community mental health services.

You need to read about this invitation to influence your service and share your thoughts if you are:

Currently receiving therapy through NHS Talking Therapies 

Have been referred to NHS Talking Therapies and am currently on a waiting list

Have been referred to NHS Talking Therapies in the past but was unable to use the service

Previously received therapy through NHS Talking Therapies

A survey has been co-produced by people who have used NHS Talking Therapies (Formerly IAPT) and the Mental Health Lived Experience Team hosted by EK360.

EK360 is a community interest company based in Kent who work with health and social care organisations across Kent and Medway.

To complete the survey and share your views click here.

The current closing date for this survey is Friday 31st March.

Your feedback will help us to shape the future of NHS Talking Therapies (formerly known as IAPT) across Kent & Medway. Recommendations will go to local NHS Talking Therapies providers about how the service can support its patients more effectively.

The Mental Health Lived Experience Team are currently working with local commissioners to gather feedback about using the NHS Talking Therapies (formerly known as IAPT) service in Kent and Medway.

All your feedback will be confidential and anonymised and will be used to inform the development of NHS Talking Therapies as well as the pathway between NHS Talking Therapies and Community Mental Health services as part of the Community Mental Health Framework Transformation.

If you have any questions about the survey or would rather arrange a one to one chat with a member of the Lived Experience Team to discuss your experiences, please email livedexperience@ek360.co.uk and someone will be in touch with you in a few days.

Have you experienced a mental health crisis?

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 07:55:39 GMT

Has urgent help become essential to support in the management of your life? If this has meant you have been on Section 136 we would value your thoughts.

This February and March, face to face and online opportunities are available to share your experiences and influence services for those in crisis around their mental health.

Someone from NHS Kent and Medway will be available to listen on the following dates:

In-person: Margate Media Centre

Tuesday 28th February, 1pm

Online: via Zoom

Tuesday 7th March, 1pm

Future meetings are hoped for in Ashford and Dover/Deal.

The shape of Crisis care is extremely important to the Mental Health Community. SpeakUpCIC are hosting these two forums to allow you to share directly with NHS Kent and Medway

NHS Kent and Medway is bringing people’s experiences together to help shape changes in Crisis care services and improve how Section 136 is included by the NHS as a form of response to mental health crisis.

To be heard, please email aram@speakupcic.co.uk or maggie@speakupcic.co.uk

or call 01843 448384 . State your preference for face to face or the online forum.

You will be contacted prior to the forum to confirm details.

If you are uncertain as to whether you have accessed Crisis Services or Care and want to learn more about Section 136, please click here

Christmas support for those in Medway Helplines included

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 14:34:20 GMT

The year coming to a close, for some means an opportunity to celebrate and be grateful in good company. For others, the fall in temperature and rise in cost of living means rather than exchanging gifts, they are in need of significant help.

Help is available.

If you or those you know are in need, we wanted to let you know of a range of offered support, who is offering it and how to get in contact.

Find below a link to a resource put together for if you and loved ones are finding this season to be a time when you are seeking assistance.

The booklet, produced by MEGAN CIC, includes local services available across the coming months.

Making it easier for you to get your Covid jab

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 14:36:49 GMT

The NHS are making it as easy as possible to get your latest Covid booster by bringing it close to you.

If you live in Tonbridge

There’s now a temporary Covid clinic in the Sovereign Way North Car Park. If you’re eligible for the autumn booster, they are open on Tuesday afternoon (2-6pm), Thursday afternoon (2-6pm) & Saturday mornings (9am – 2pm).

You can just walk in, or book here

If you live in Dover & Deal

There are four temporary clinics, and they are all welcoming walk in appointments. You can find them at:

Sundays at St James Retail Park in Dover from 10am to 4pm.

Mondays at the Dover Health Centre from 10am to 4pm

Tuesday at Deal Hospital 10am to 4pm.

Wednesday at Buckland Hospital from 10am to 4pm

If you are housebound

GPs, pharmacists and community organisations are busy visiting people who are housebound to offer the autumn booster. It does take time to get round to everyone, so the NHS is asking people to be patient.

They’re aiming to reach everyone who is eligible by early December. There is no need to chase your GP just yet.

How to use 999 if you need British Sign Language

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 13:03:54 GMT

There’s a new service called 999 BSL. We’ve got all the details about how it works.

The service launched on June 17th and allows d/Deaf people to access the emergency services with the help of a remote BSL interpreter. It has been judged to be revolutionary in the rights of d/Deaf people.

How to use it

There are two ways to use it. The first way is to access it via the app. The app is simply called 999 BSL and is available on IOS and Android systems. So after pre-downloading the App, in the event of having to use it simply open the app and press the red button which says ‘Call 999 BSL Now’ and then connect to a fully qualified interpreter.

The second way to use the service is via the website https://999bsl.co.uk. Once accessing the website it is the same basic idea as via the app. Click the red button saying ‘Call 999 BSL Now’ and connect to a fully qualified interpreter.

When to use it

It is designed to be used when the services of an ambulance, police, fire or coastguard are needed because someone is seriously injured, a life or lives are at risk, a person themselves is in danger or at risk of immediate harm or a serious criminal offence is occurring or has just occurred.

If it is less urgent please use Police 101 or NHS 11 (Using Sign Video).

Other Important information:

The service is available at all times with no downtime.
The service allows call backs to be used. For that, the app or website must not be closed during the waiting period after the initial call has been made. If the app or website is closed, the call back cannot take place.
You’ll need Wifi or 5G/4G/3G/2G data to make it work.
Due to legal reasons all calls are recorded.
If something goes wrong with the system, then text relay can still be used.
All calls are free and do not affect your date usage. If you have been charged then please contact your mobile provider as it is illegal to charge for the data use relating to this service.
The location of every call is tracked to protect the users of the service.
For more info, visit https://999bsl.co.uk

Help Kent County Council to decide what to spend its money on

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 12:03:52 GMT

Every year, the Council needs to make tough decisions about how it spends its money. They need your help.

The Council is considering raising our Council Tax by 3%.

Although they have a budget of £1.8 billion for the year ahead, it's not enough to fund everything.

The Council want to hear your thoughts about its proposals and help them decide how to spend their funds.

Get more information and share your thoughts here

Do you have an idea of how to improve the mental health of your community?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 14:33:24 GMT

Funding is available for projects that support the mental health of your community but you need to act quick : the deadline for applications is 9am August 1st.

Groups can apply for up to £15,000 and there is a total of £100,000 available.

The Saving Lives Suicide Innovation Fun and the Kent & Medway Listens Community Chest are seeking a wide range of applications from community groups or charities.

Applications must support communities at a grass roots level. They are particularly keen to receive bids which will support :

children & young people (50% of the funds will be allocated to this area)
people who self harm or who have made a suicide attempt
those from seldom heard communities
people who are struggling with cost of living
those who are affected by domestic abuse
people living with long Covid
those who struggle with substance misuse as well as mental ill health

Get your bids in!

Last year over 90 community projects received funding and we would encourage you to think of innovative ideas to submit.

You can get more information, and submit your bid here

Did you know 15% of us have a disability?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 07:00:12 GMT

This month is Disability Pride Month. Every day we hear from people who are disabled, and we wanted to help raise awareness of some of the different types of disability.

A disability is defined as the consequence of an impairment that may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.

There are many different types of disabilities such as intellectual, physical, sensory and mental illness. A disability may be present from birth, or occur during your lifetime.

Not all disabilities are black and white. Two people with the same type of disability may not have the same experiences. Everyone is unique and everyone copes with their disability differently.

Over 1 billion people – about 15% of the global population – currently experience disability, and this number is increasing.

Here are the facts:

Over 1 billion people live with a disability.

The number of people with disability are dramatically increasing. This is caused by a variety of reasons but the increase in chronic health conditions is a key reason. Almost all of us are likely to experience some form of disability – temporary or permanent – at some point in your life.

There are so many different types of disability:

Intellectual Disabilities: An intellectual disability is characterised by an IQ below 70 (the average IQ is 100), as well as significant difficulty with daily living such as self care, safety, communication and socialisation. People with an intellectual disability may process information more slowly, find communication and daily living skills hard, and also have difficulty with abstract concepts such as money and time.

Examples include

Fragile X syndrome
Down syndrome
Prader – Willi Syndrome
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)

Physical Disabilities: Physical disabilities may affect your physical capacity and/or mobility. There are many different causes of physical disabilities, but they can include inherited or genetic disorders, serious illnesses, and injury.

Examples include

Acquiredbrain injury
Spinal cord injury
Spina bifida
Cerebral palsy
Cystic fibrosis
Epilepsy

Mental Illness: Mental illness is a general term that refers to a group of illnesses that significantly affects how you feel, think, behave, and interact with other people. Mental illnesses can be very difficult and debilitating to those experiencing them, as well as their families and friends. They can also be permanent or temporary.

Examples include

Bipolar disorder
Depression
Anxiety Disorders
Schizophrenia
Anorexia nervosa
bulimia nervosa

Sensory disabilities: A sensory disability is a disability of the senses (e.g. sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste). As 95% of the information about the world around us comes from our sight and hearing, a sensory disability can affect how you gather information from the world around them.

Examples include

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Blindness and low vision
Hearing loss and deafness
Sensory processing disorder

Tell us your experience of disability.

Do you get the support that you need? How could health and social care services be improved for you?

TELL US YOUR STORY HERE

Do you or someone you know suffer with a disability? Would you like to share your personal experiences of your disabilities? We value all feedback, and you can share your experiences with us here

New initiative to support women with mental health issues during pregnancy and after birth.

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 10:51:30 GMT

Up to 20% of women develop mental health problems during pregnancy or in the first year after giving birth. Many more experience mild mood changes. Partners may also experience poor mental health.

In Kent, a new scheme is training professionals to identify and support people who may be struggling. The training has been created with help from people with lived experience of perinatal mental health and is focused on helping healthcare professionals to recognise the signs and support families better.

If you are a healthcare professional who would benefit click here to find out more.

If you feel like you need help, talk to your GP, midwife or health visitor.

Changes to the way homeless people are supported in Kent

Thu, 26 May 2022 11:58:00 GMT

Kent County Council has recently agreed its budget for 2022/23. It’s been well known that the Council needs to make significant savings this year and that they would have to make tough decisions. One of those decisions is about the homeless service.

In the new budget, KCC are proposing to let the Kent Homeless Connect service to end on 30th September 2022. This is a Kent wide service that helps people who are both homeless and at risk of being homeless. This includes finding people safe housing and helping people with finances, employment and supporting people to improve their health.

Kent County Council are proposing that instead they will work with District, City & Borough Councils to find an alternative way to support people who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless. KCC have pledged to make money available until March 2023 to ensure no break in service continues.

What do you think?

Before any final decision is made, the council want to hear your thoughts.

A public consultation has launched to gather your feedback. It will run for six weeks until 6th June.

Hard copies or alternative formats of the documents are also available via alternativeformats@kent.gov.uk

KCC are organising four drop-in sessions across the county too. Council officers will be at the sessions to talk about the proposal and help with completing the consultation questionnaire, if needed.

Canterbury Library - May 9th 10am - 12

Maidstone Library - May 12th 1-3pm

Gravesend Library - May 17th 10am - 12

Tonbridge Library - May 18th 10am - 12

As well as these public sessions, KCC officers will be providing face-to-face sessions at closed events which are specifically for people who are currently being supported by the Kent Homeless Connect service.

Do you know someone who is vulnerable?

Thu, 26 May 2022 11:35:59 GMT

Are you an adult that receives care?

Are you the relative, or friend, of someone who does? Do you consider yourself vulnerable? Do you know someone that could be vulnerable? Then this announcement is for you.

A new plan for how people in Kent & Medway will be kept safe has just been published. It’s a draft at the moment, and they want to hear your thoughts, especially if you have had experience of the adult care system.

Your feedback will be used to help improve the plan before it is finalised later this year.

What is in the plan?

The draft plan is built around making sure that those of us who receive care are at the heart of everything. For that to happen three main policies have been included.

These are;

Promoting Person Centred Safeguarding which means putting adults at the centre of their work
Strengthening System Assurance which means they will check that organisations are working well together to support vulnerable adults
Embedding Improvement and Shape Future Practice which means they will help the organisations their work with to keep getting better

Overall the new plan should enable the best possible safeguarding to happen and ensure that all the organisations involved in care are working together to support people.

Your feedback will make a difference. Every single piece of feedback will be read and taken into account before the final plan is written and then agreed by the Kent & Medway Adult Safeguarding Board. All your feedback will be confidential and no personal or identifying details will not be included.

The draft plan includes a commitment to listen to the mistakes of the past and make sure those mistakes cannot happen again by improving the issues that led to the mistakes happening. The draft plan also includes a commitment to make sure activities that are risky and dangerous are not allowed so that harm does not come to those most vulnerable in society.

The Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board is made up of Kent County Council, Medway Council, Kent Police, Health, Local Councils, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Prison Service and advocacy organisations. That range means pretty much anyone who might be involved in a persons care will be subject to the plan and highlights just why everyone affected should submit feedback.

Both the draft plan and consultation are available in a range of versions and languages to help make sure as many people as possible can access it – nobody is being allowed to miss out on giving their views.

The consultation lasts until the 20th June so don’t miss out on having your say. Everyone’s experience is important and deserves to be heard.

Mental Health User Voice: Focus on Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Thu, 05 May 2022 11:47:10 GMT

In the past 6 months we have had regular feedback regarding people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) accessing services to support them. The feedback covers a number of areas, but the majority of feedback is related to Mental Health Services including Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT’s.)

We have put together a report detailing some of the feedback we have been hearing. We heard from a range of people and have feedback relating to the experiences of parents of children with ASD, as well as adults who are having difficulties when trying to access support.

Read the report to find out what we did as a result of this feedback.

Do you have a story to tell about Autistic Spectrum Disorder? We’d love to hear from you. Share your story here

Where can I go for support for my mental health as a new parent?

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 14:41:07 GMT

Where can I go for support for my mental health as a new parent?

Your mental health is important, both for your wellbeing and your child’s. It’s important that you feel supported throughout your journey of becoming a parent and have a safe space to talk about how you are feeling.

Take a look at the information below to find out where you can go to get the support you and your family need.

Are mental health problems common during and after pregnancy?

Yes, you are not alone in how you feel.

NICE guidelines say that depression and anxiety are the most common mental health problems during pregnancy, with around 12% of women experiencing depression and 13% experiencing anxiety at some point; many women will experience both. Depression and anxiety also affect 15‑20% of women in the first year after childbirth.

How will my mental health be affected during pregnancy?

How your mental health is affected during pregnancy depends on many things. These include:

The type of mental illness you have had already.
Stopping medication for a mental health problem - you have a high risk of relapse if you do this when you become pregnant. This is more likely if you have had a severe illness, several episodes of illness or a recent episode.
Recent stressful events in your life (such as a death in the family or a relationship ending).
How you feel about your pregnancy - you may or may not be happy about being pregnant.
Upsetting memories about difficulties in your own childhood.

What Were the MHUV Outcomes for January 2022?

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 13:42:43 GMT

The Mental Health User Voice Network are a network of committed people and organisations across Kent and Medway. The role of the network is to ensure that people with experience of mental health services are being heard and supported by the right people in the right way.

When possible, we try to help individual people to resolve their issues. As a result of the work we are achieving, we have put together a report detailing all of our brilliant outcomes for January 2022.

To find out more about the organisations we work with, visit our page here.

If you or someone you care for has experience of using a public service within Kent and Medway, share your story with us here .

Mental Health Awareness Week 2022: Loneliness

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 10:44:21 GMT

9 million people in the UK are lonely right now. Are you one of them?

Everyone can feel lonely at some point in their life. Loneliness affects people of all ages and backgrounds. It can cause us real emotional pain and can impact on our physical and mental health. It also has an economic cost; as well as the cost to the NHS and social care services, there is also the missed contributions to society when people are unable to connect with others.

In short loneliness is a big issue.

Covid hasn’t helped the situation. Research by the Campaign to end Loneliness showed the people who were already lonely before the pandemic, became much more lonely. As we start to try and move beyond Covid, research also shows that people who were already at risk of loneliness – such as those who were poorer, in worse health or from ethnic minorities or LGBTQ+ communities – became at greater risk of loneliness during the pandemic.

Feeling lonely is personal, and what you experience when you feel lonely may be different for other people. Loneliness does not always mean being alone, you may be surrounded by loved ones but still experience feeling lonely, especially if you don’t feel understood or listened to.

Loneliness is not a mental health problem, but it is closely linked to ill mental health. For example, if you suffer from social anxiety you may struggle to make new connections with people which can make you feel lonely.

What causes loneliness?

Loneliness has lots of different causes and will vary from person to person. For some, a big life event such as a bereavement, starting university, changing jobs or moving to a new area can cause loneliness.

Some people find they feel lonely at certain times of the year such as Christmas or their birthday.

You may be more vulnerable to experiencing loneliness if you:

Have no close friends or are estranged from your family
Experience discrimination because of your sexual orientation, gender, race, disability or long-term health problem.
Belong to a minority group in an area without others from a similar background
Are a single parent or a carer for someone
Are excluded from events due to mobility issues or a lack of finances
Have experienced abuse

How can I manage my loneliness?

Try talking about your feelings to someone you trust such as friends or family. You could also contact the Samaritans if you need someone to talk to. You can call them on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org . To find out more, visit the Samaritans website here.

What about joining a club or group that interests you? Groups can provide you with an opportunity to meet new people with similar interests to you. You can find local groups on Facebook, or you could try joining your local gym. If you are feeling particularly anxious, an online group can be a good place to start. We work with some great organisations who offer peer support groups for ill mental health. You can find them here.

Spend time with animals. Some people find that spending time with animals can help to alleviate feelings of loneliness. If you don’t have a pet, you could visit a local farm or petting zoo, or ask to borrow a friends.

Be careful with time spent on social media. It can be easy to compare ourselves to others online, however it is important to remember that what people share on their profiles probably isn’t a true reflection of their life. If you’re worried about your online mental health, visit the Mind website here.

If you would like to get involved with this year’s mental health awareness week by fundraising or spreading awareness, visit the Mental Health Foundation website here.

Spring 2022: Older People's Forum- What have they been up to?

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 13:44:23 GMT

Older Peoples’ Forums exist in almost every District of Kent. Funded by KCC and supported by EK360, they reach over 2,000 older people in Kent each year. Covid has made it much harder for the Forums to physically meet as they would normally, but it hasn’t stopped them listening and engaging with people and working to make a positive change.

We have put together a handy document that tells you all about what the Older People's Forums have been up to recently, as well as some things to remember when contacting your local Forum.

To find your local Older People's Forum, check out our page here.

Focus on Medication: Conclusion

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 13:56:37 GMT

Last year we published a report detailing the feedback we heard through our mental health forums about medication.

Since our first report , there has been a drop in feedback relating to mental health medication. Out of the 7% of feedback we received, a quarter related to the issue of communication within the Dartford Gravesham and Swanley area.

This report details what changes and improvements have been made since we first raised the issue with decision makers.

Do you have a story to tell about medication? We’d love to hear from you. Share your story here

What Were the MHUV Outcomes for December 2021?

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 12:29:18 GMT

The Mental Health User Voice Network are a network of committed people and organisations across Kent and Medway. The role of the network is to ensure that people with experience of mental health services are being heard and supported by the right people in the right way.

When possible, we try to help individual people to resolve their issues. As a result of the work we are achieving, we have put together a report detailing all of our brilliant outcomes for December.

To find out more about the organisations we work with, visit our page here.

If you or someone you care for has experience of using a public service within Kent and Medway, share your story with us here .

What Were the MHUV Outcomes for November 2021?

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 12:12:31 GMT

The Mental Health User Voice Network are a network of committed people and organisations across Kent and Medway. The role of the network is to ensure that people with experience of mental health services are being heard and supported by the right people in the right way.

When possible, we try to help individual people to resolve their issues. As a result of the work we are achieving, we have put together a report detailing all of our brilliant outcomes for November.

To find out more about the organisations we work with, visit our page here.

If you or someone you care for has experience of using a public service within Kent and Medway, share your story with us here .

New idea to support older people and people with disabilities in Kent to live better at home.

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 12:34:17 GMT

A new project is being developed by Kent County Council to help support people with disabilities as well as older people in Kent to stay in their own homes and communities. The people organising the project (Community Catalysts) want to invite you to hear more about their ideas and talk to them about what would be useful for you.

They are hosting a series of virtual meetings across the 12 districts of Kent starting THIS WEEK. The Eventbrite links for all 12 events can be found below:

• Dover: Thu 3rd March 11.30am-1pm

• Thanet: Thu 3rd March 2.30pm-4pm

• Folkestone & Hythe: Wed 9th March 9.30am-11am

• Canterbury: Wed 9 March 1pm-2.30pm

• Ashford: Thu 10th March 9.30am-11am

• Swale: Thu 10th March 2pm-3.30pm

• Maidstone: Thu 17th March 11am-12.30pm

• Tunbridge Wells: Thu 17th March 2.30pm-4pm

• Tonbridge & Malling: Thu 24th March 9.30am

• Gravesham: Thu 24th March 2.30pm-4pm

• Dartford: Tue 29th March 9.30am-11am

• Sevenoaks : Tue 29th March 2.pm-3.30pm

If you are unable to attend the event for your own district, book to attend in another district as the meeting format and content will be the same.

At the meeting they will share more information about the project and explore the following questions:

• What is working well for people- what support/services are on offer already?

• Do you know of any small enterprises (may be a sole trader/up to 8 staff) already offering care and support at home OR activities in the community for older or disabled people?

• Where are the gaps?

• What is missing?

• Where are there long waiting lists for care and support?

• Any other local information that you would like to share

If you have any questions at all, please contact Debbie John from Community Catalysts: debbie.john@communitycatalysts.co.uk Tel: 07990515632

What are the rules about Covid testing now?

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 12:13:04 GMT

COVID-19 testing rules have now changed across England. Find out the latest information on where to go to get tested, which test is most suitable for you, and what to do if you get a positive COVID-19 test result.

The last time we updated this article was 28th February 2022. The guidance may have changed since then.

To check the latest Government guidance please visit Gov.uk

There are different tests you can get to check if you have coronavirus (COVID-19). The test you need depends on why you're getting tested.

The two main tests are:

PCR tests – mainly for people with symptoms, they're sent to a lab to be checked
Rapid lateral flow tests – these are usually for people who do not have symptoms. These tests give you a quick result using a device similar to a pregnancy test

Tests are currently free until 1 April 2022.

Which test do I need if I have COVID-19 symptoms?

You will need a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test if you have at least one of these three coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms:

a high temperature
a new, continuous cough
you’ve lost your sense of smell or taste or it’s changed

Or...

you’ve been in contact with someone who’s tested positive
you’ve been asked to get a test by a local council or contact tracers
a GP or other health professional has asked you to get a test
you’ve been asked to get a test to confirm a positive result
you need to get a test for someone you live with who has symptoms

If you come under any of the point above, book a visit to a test site to have the test today. Test sites are open 7 days a week.

Order a home test kit if you cannot get to a test site.

What happens if I want to get tested for COVID-19 from April?

Free lateral flow tests (LFTs) won't be available after 1 April, except for the over-75s and over-12s with weakened immune systems and social care workers and NHS staff. Everyone else will have to buy a test from pharmacists or other retailers.

Further details of all of the ‘at risk’ groups that can still get free tests will be announced in March 2022.

I've tested positive for COVID-19 through my rapid lateral flow test - what do I do now?

Anyone who receives a positive lateral flow test result should still report their result on GOV.UK.

If you get a positive lateral flow test result, you do not usually need to get a follow-up PCR test. You should only get a follow-up PCR test if:

You’re eligible for new COVID-19 treatments
You’re asked to do so as part of research

By law, you do not need to self-isolate. However, government guidance recommends that those who test positive stay at home and avoid contact with others for at least five full days.

If you're eligible for new COVID-19 treatments

If you're eligible for new COVID-19 treatments, you should be sent a PCR test to use if you have symptoms. If you do not have a PCR test at home, you can use a rapid lateral flow test.

Find out how to get a test to check if you're eligible for new COVID-19 treatments .

If you live with or have been in contact with someone who's tested positive

Recent government guidelines outline that you're no longer advised to do daily rapid lateral flow tests after you've come into contact with someone who has COVID-19.

If you live with or have stayed overnight in the household of someone who has the virus, you should follow the advice for close contacts of people with COVID-19 on GOV.UK .

If you've had contact with someone with COVID-19 but do not live with them or have not stayed overnight in their household, follow the guidance on how to stay safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Travelling abroad from England or returning

You may need to take a test before, during and after your trip.

Visit the government website to check the guidance on specific countries and their requirements to enter.

Find out more about:

• Travelling abroad from England during COVID-19

• What you need to do when you return to England

Don’t forget, when travelling abroad you’ll need to pay for a test yourself. You cannot use a free test from the NHS.

Find out about private providers of COVID-19 testing.

Have your say on changes to Kent's bus service

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 11:31:44 GMT

Kent County Council are asking for your thoughts on plans to make changes to the bus service here in Kent.

Many bus routes in Kent are not profitable for private bus companies, but up until now have been funded by Kent County Council, because they were felt to be important. Examples include buses to some rural areas as well as weekend and evening bus services.

Kent County Council are proposing to end 48 bus contracts which will affect 55 bus services from this summer.

They want to hear what you think about the proposals before April 20th.

You can find details of all the planned changes to bus routes here

If you would like to request paper copies of the consultation material, or if you have any questions about this consultation, please email bussavings@kent.gov.uk or phone 03000 42 14 37 (this number goes to an answer machine which is monitored during office hours).

Easy Read and Large Print versions of this document are available from their website. If you need any of the consultation material in an alternative format or language, email alternativeformats@kent.gov.uk or telephone on 03000 42 15 53 (text relay service 18001 03000 421553). This number goes to an answer machine, which is monitored during office hours.

Have you ever been confused about how mental health services work?

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 14:59:45 GMT

Or perhaps you’ve been unsure of what certain things mean because of the medical lingo?

You’re not alone!

Each month, the Mental Health User Voice network collects over 100 pieces of individual feedback and we often hear feelings of confusion and mis-understanding about how the system works.

Here are a few examples:

We have offered to help

We took all the feedback to the Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT) and we offered to help.

We all find acronyms confusing sometimes, so we have translated some common ones for you.

KMPT stands for Kent and Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust. KMPT provides most of our mental health services in Kent & Medway.

CMHT is the Community Mental Health Team. They are part of KMPT. This is what they can and can’t do and how they work with your GP.

1. CHMT’s can make initial medication prescription, but your prescriptions are down to your GP.

2. If a GP wishes to refer you into specialist secondary mental health services, they usually do this via email/letter and not a long referral process.

3. GPs are encouraged to send urgent referrals to Single Point of Access (SPoA) who will triage them first. If the referral needs a 4 or 24hr response, it might be that crisis team are best placed to see you.

4. CMHT have 28 days to see you once you have been referred

5. For routine appointments some CMHTs call you the day before to remind you of their appointment. If you don’t attend your appointment (this is called a DNA or did not attend) then a member of the team will phone you twice before you are discharged. A letter will be sent to you and your GP explaining that you have been discharged.

6. CMHT’s are not permitted to leave voice mail messages on non-personalized voicemails due to GDPR.

7. GP best practice is to be given anti-depressants before being referred to KMPT. If the GP is concerned that there is no or little improvement, then they should call the advice line and speak with consultant; you should notice an improvement in mood within 4-6 weeks usually.

8. You can request a second opinion of a doctor but there Is no time frame on how long this can take.

9. Non-CPA pathway patients will have a Personal Support Plan (PSP) – this should be reviewed every 6 months.

10. Each time a PSP is reviewed it should be done so with you. A copy of the PSP should be sent to you if you want one.

11. For patients on a CPA pathway these are reviewed every 6 months. All patients should be involved in their care plans.

12. If you see a consultant within secondary mental health your care plan will be sent to you in the form of a letter.

Does your CMHT follow these guidelines?

Tell us about it h ere

CMHT also offer a great service to meet the manager in every area once a month, visit your local website to find out more.

What were the MHUV Outcomes for 2021?

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 12:32:01 GMT

The Mental Health User Voice Network are a network of committed people and organisations across Kent and Medway. The role of the network is to ensure that people with experience of mental health services are being heard and supported by the right people in the right way.

When poss ible, we try to help individual people to resolve their issues. As a result of the work we are achieving, we have put together a report detailing all of our brilliant outcomes for October.

To find out more about the organisations we work with, visit our page here.

If you or someone you care for has experience of using a public service within Kent and Medway, share your story with us here .

What were the MHUV Outcomes for October 2021?

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 11:41:41 GMT

The Mental Health User Voice Network are a network of committed people and organisations across Kent and Medway. The role of the network is to ensure that people with experience of mental health services are being heard and supported by the right people in the right way.

When possible, we try to help individual people to resolve their issues. As a result of the work we are achieving, we have put together a report detailing all of our brilliant outcomes for October.

To find out more about the organisations we work with, visit our page here.

If you or someone you care for has experience of using a public service within Kent and Medway, share your story with us here.

Winter 2022: Older Peoples' Forum- What have they been up to?

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 11:04:15 GMT

We have put together a handy document that tells you all about what the Older People's Forums have been up to recently, as well as some things to remember when contacting your local Forum.

To find your local Older People's Forum, check out our page here.

Are you under 18, live in East Kent or Swale and have a long term health condition?

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 10:56:26 GMT

This is your chance to speak up. The NHS want to hear from you because they want to improve the way your care is organised and co-ordinated.

If you have a health condition such as asthma, diabetes or epilepsy and you are under 18 (or under 25 if you have a disability) plus you live in either East Kent or Swale, then the NHS wants to hear from you.

They realise that managing your condition can be complicated with lots of appointments and professionals often not working together. They want to hear what annoys you most and listen to you about the realities of living with your condition.

Click the button below to fill in the survey.

Parents and carers are important too

If you are a parent of someone with a long term condition then the NHS wants to hear from you too.

The NHS is working with the Council for Disabled Children to hear from as many families and young people as possible in East Kent, Swale & Medway.

There is a survey specifically for parents.

Have your say on Kent's strategy for Carers

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 10:20:37 GMT

Nearly 150,000 people are thought to be looking after someone in Kent right now. Many of them may not realise that they are carers.

Kent County Council have been gathering peoples’ thoughts to help them create a new vision and strategy for carers. Their new strategy has now been published in draft and they are seeking your thoughts.

14% of people in Thanet are unpaid carers

The number of Carers varies across the county.

Kent County Council is responsible for funding services that support carers across Kent. As part of this they have been working on a new strategy that will enable them to improve the experience of adult carers living in Kent.

The draft strategy highlights key areas for action which includes:

supporting carers to maintain their own identity and live a full life
working collaboratively with carers at every stage
working better with partner organisations to offer high quality support that is tailored to the carer’s own needs
respecting carers and listening to their views
communicating with carers in a clear and consistent way
making information more available and offering trusted points of contact

Kent County Council are encouraging everyone to share their thoughts on the draft strategy. You can read it and share your thoughts by clicking on the button below.

Christmas support: don't suffer alone

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 15:13:22 GMT

Mental health doesn’t take a break just because the holidays are approaching. For some people, Christmas can be harder than other times of the year.

Luckily, we work with some great organisations who are offering support over the holiday period. There are a range of different activities happening from Christmas quizzes to cooking groups.

See our list below to find out what support is available near you.

East Kent Mind have a packed timetable including a two-hour online session on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Click here for the full list.

MEGAN CIC have kindly put together a booklet which shows places to find support across all of Medway. Click here to view it.

Take Off are running groups online across Kent and will even be doing some cooking on Christmas Day! V isit their website here to find your area and to get in contact.

Speak UP will be online on Christmas Day and Boxing Day with a breakfast chat and quizzes. Click here to view their calendar.

Please note, you must be a Speak Up member to take part in the activities, you can find contact details at the bottom of the calendar, or alternatively you can visit their website here.

If you need someone to speak to outside of the online groups, the Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

You can phone them for FREE on 116123, or alternatively you can email, send a letter or use their app.

Find out more here.

For further information on support at Christmas, visit the NHS website here

Changes to Cardiology services in West Kent

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 13:54:28 GMT

The NHS is considering making changes to cardiology services in West Kent and they need to hear your thoughts.

At the moment, cardiology services (services which care for people with heart problems) are provided at both Maidstone Hospital & Tunbridge Wells Hospital. However, the hospitals often struggle to meet some of the national best practice recommendations. To improve the quality of the care they care offer, they want to make some changes to the current service.

The NHS would like your thoughts on the four options that they are considering which are:

leave the services as they are
consolidate cardiology at Maidstone Hospital
consolidate cardiology at Tunbridge Wells Hospital
build a dedicated cardiology unit at Maidstone Hospital

None of these options will affect outpatient care.

Final decision on Kent's stroke services

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 12:58:38 GMT

The Secretary of State has today agreed proposals for three new stroke units to be created for Kent & Medway.

The final decision about the long running stroke review will now mean that plans to create three new stroke units can progress.

The new stroke units will treat people in the immediate days after they have had a stroke and will be located at:

William Harvey Hospital in Ashford
Maidstone Hospital
Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford

Thousands of people have been involved in the process to review the current stroke service in Kent & Medway and comment on the proposals for the future.

A final decision about the stroke service was referred to the Secretary of State for Health & Social Care, Sajid Javid, for review by the Independent Reconfiguration Panel.

Report: Getting your voice heard. Focus on Medication

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 15:00:09 GMT

Over 10% of the feedback we hear through our mental health forums is about medication. People have talked to us about delays to their medication reviews, challenges when medication is changed and the frustrations on being passed back and forth between their GP and the mental health service.

Today we have published a report detailing everything people have told us.

“It is not easy to have OCD during a pandemic. It is less easy to have OCD and to not have stability with medication”

‘I am at home alone with my three small children so I’ve have had to stop my medication. I am unable to safely care for my children or to drive whilst taking it. I have had no help with resolving my issues which are caused by the medication’

“I called several times to let them know that I needed some more medication. Nobody got back to me so my medication ran out. On Monday they called to say it was ready to collect but when I got there the pharmacy didn’t have any. I was without medication for 7 days.”

We’ll be sharing everything you told us directly with the right decision makers.

Do you have a story to tell about medication? We’d love to hear from you. Share your story here

What was it like last time you visited the community mental health service?

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 17:27:13 GMT

Did you get the support that you needed?

What could be changed to make the service better for you?

Healthwatch Kent & Healthwatch Medway are working alongside mental health services to improve community mental health services.

They can’t do that without hearing your experiences.

Have you used any of these Community Mental Health centres within the last three months:

• Coleman House (Dover)

• Laurel House (Canterbury)

• The Beacon (Ramsgate)

• Arndale House (Dartford)

• Albion Place (Maidstone)

• Highlands House (Tunbridge Wells)

• Britton House (Gillingham)

Yes? Then Healthwatch would love to hear from you.

They want to hear about the good and the bad, no matter how small. If it matters to you, it will matter to someone else.

Your feedback will be used to help improve community mental health for you, and someone like you.

Share your story here

Healthwatch are totally independent from the NHS, so anything you tell them will not affect your care. Your story will be anonymised before it is shared with the mental health team. The right decision makers will hear your voice which will help them to make changes to the service.

If you would like to share your story, click the link here

If you need any help to complete the form, or if you would rather talk through your feedback with Healthwatch on the phone, give them a ring on freephone 0808 801 0102

If you have feedback about other mental health services, we still want to hear your story. You can fill in our webform here or contact one of the organisations we work alongside here

This month we spoke to Sam who is the Engagement Worker for the Medway User Voice Project.

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 13:51:15 GMT

This month we chatted to Sam from MEGAN CIC about her work to help improve mental health services.

Tell us a bit more about MEGAN CIC

MEGAN CIC stands for Medway Engagement Group and Network. We offer free support for people with mental health issues across the areas of Medway, North Kent and Maidstone. All our support is free and provided by people who have had their own experience of mental health issues.

There are loads of ways to get involved and we have a whole range of support on offer.

What can I contact MEGAN CIC about?

Get in touch with us if you are struggling with your mental health and would like to access some peer support. If we can’t help you, then we will try to find you somewhere that can’. We’d also love to hear from you about your experience of using mental health services in Medway and North Kent.

What sort of support groups do you have?

We offer a range of support groups including:

• Personality Disorder

• Depression, anxiety and bipolar

• Coffee and chat

• And more!

How does the referral process work?

If you wish to access our peer support groups, you can self-refer to us and you will be asked to complete a Membership Form. Once this is completed, a Support Worker will be in touch to discuss the support that we can offer.

How can people share their experiences of mental health services with you?

We’d love to hear from you! Give me a call on 01634 402077 or drop me an email sam@megancic.org.uk

Every piece of feedback we hear is anonymised and used to help improve mental health services for other people. Your story is really powerful!

If you would like more information about MEGAN CIC and what support is available, check out their website

Help improve the patient transport service

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 13:46:05 GMT

If you need help to attend an NHS appointment, you may have used the Non Emergency Patient Transport Service to help you get there. This is a free transport service that is available to some, but not all, patients based on their eligibility.

Many of you have been in touch with our friends and Healthwatch over the years to share your feedback about the service. All your stories have helped to contribute to a new national review of the service.

As part of the review, the NHS has created new national eligibility criteria and now they want to hear what you think about it.

The NHS is formally consulting on the changes and they are also holding online workshops to enable people to have their say.

Share your thoughts

The feedback from the online sessions will be used alongside comments from the consultation to help finalise the criteria before its publication in early 2022.

Workshop 1

19th October, 13:30-15:00

Discussion: Medical need, haemodialysis patients, cognitive and sensory impairment

To register visit www.events.england.nhs.uk and scroll down to search ‘all events’

Workshop 2

28th October, 13:30-15:00

Discussion: Defining mobility impairment and escorts and carers

To register visit www.events.england.nhs.uk and scroll down to search ‘all events’

Workshop 3

4th November, 13:30-15:00

Discussion: Other transport options, wider support and safeguarding

To register visit www.events.england.nhs.uk and scroll down to search ‘all events’

Have you heard of AskSara?

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 11:44:42 GMT

AskSARA is a free service that has been developed by the Disabled Living Foundation. It is a tool aimed to help you get quality advice about equipment and aids which might make your daily living easier.

The AskSara service has over 90 topics to choose from. All you need to do is select the area you are struggling in such as preparing meals and answer some questions online and the advice will be sent to you.

Try AskSara for yourself here Kent County Council.

Have you used the service yet? If you have, can you let Kent County Council know how you found it? They want to know:

Was it easy to use?

Has it helped you?

How accessible was it for you?

Send your feedback to Tecs@kent.gov.uk

Help the Non Emergency Patient Transport Service to be better

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 13:33:54 GMT

Help the Non Emergency Patient Transport Service to be better

Many of you have been in touch over the years to share with us your feedback about the service. All your stories have helped to contribute to a new national review of the service.

As part of the review, the NHS has created new national eligibility criteria and now they want to hear what you think about it.

The NHS is formally consulting on the changes and they are also holding four online workshops to enable people to have their say.

Share your thoughts

The feedback from the online sessions will be used alongside comments from the consultation to help finalise the criteria before its publication in early 2022.

Workshop 1

19th October, 13:30-15:00

Discussion: Medical need, haemodialysis patients, cognitive and sensory impairment

To register visit www.events.england.nhs.uk and scroll down to search ‘all events’

Workshop 2

28th October, 13:30-15:00

Discussion: Defining mobility impairment and escorts and carers

To register visit www.events.england.nhs.uk and scroll down to search ‘all events’

Workshop 3

4th November, 13:30-15:00

Discussion: Other transport options, wider support and safeguarding

To register visit www.events.england.nhs.uk and scroll down to search ‘all events’

Workshop 4

1st November, 13:30-15:00

Discussion: Health inequalities and implementation approach

To register visit www.events.england.nhs.uk and scroll down to search ‘all events’

If you have any accessibility requirements, please contact the team at nhsi.neptsreview@nhs.net to chat.

New service for men who are victims of domestic abuse in Kent

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 13:31:42 GMT

A new service dedicated to supporting men who are victims of domestic abuse has been launched in Kent & Medway this week.

Stay safe online

If you need to close this website quickly, click the Quick Exit buttons in this article. This will open up the Google homepage, but it won’t hide the fact that you’ve been on our website. To do that you would need to delete your computer’s browsing history.

The Woman’s Trust has more information about browsing safely online .

One in six men experience domestic abuse at some point in their lives. However that number could be even higher as many people don't come forward to seek help and so remain hidden.

The Domestic Abuse Victim Empowerment Service is also known as ‘DAVE and will offer a confidential service for men across Kent and Medway. You will be assigned a personal advisor who will provide emotional and practical support, plan your physical and emotional safety, help you to maintain relationships with your children and offer support through the justice process and court visits.

What is domestic abuse?

Domestic abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of age, background, gender, religion, sexuality or ethnicity.

Although, statistics show that most domestic abuse is carried out by men, women can also be the perpetrators.

Domestic abuse is never the fault of the person who is experiencing it.

Domestic abuse is a crime.

Domestic abuse is not always physical violence . It can also include, but is not limited to:

coercive control and ‘gaslighting’ (a pattern of intimidation, degradation, isolation and control with the use or threat of physical or sexual violence)
financial or economic abuse
online or digital abuse
verbal abuse
emotional and/or psychological abuse
physical or sexual abuse
harassment or stalking

The new service is being provided by Ashford based charity, Dad's Unlimited who are experts in support men through times of crisis.

If you need help phone the DAVE helpline in confidence on 01233 680160 or register for confidential support by visiting www.savedave.org.uk

How are you REALLY feeling?

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 13:52:37 GMT

Aaaand breathe. Are you stressed, anxious or depressed? You’re not alone.

World Mental Health day is on the 10th October, and, though mental health problems can affect anyone, any day of the year , this is a great day to show your support for better mental health and start looking after your own wellbeing. 

This years theme, chosen by the World Federation for Mental Health, is ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’ .

Covid has exacerbated inequalities between people of different ethnicities, sexual orientations, and gender. The mental health of the nation has suffered greatly this year, and research shows that people with mental health problems experience a lower quality of care.

Though we have made huge advances in talking and opening up about mental health, there is still a lot of work to be done. Stigma still exists . People with mental ill health are not only likely to have poorer physical health; their educational opportunities, job prospects, and relationships with their friends and families are also affected by stigma around their condition.

We need to work together to change this.

When was the last time you asked someone how they really are? A common response is “I’m fine” or “I’m good” but ask them again. Say “how are you really?” . It may seem like a small thing, but it can make a huge difference to people suffering with their mental health or wellbeing and may even save lives.

If you, or someone you live with or care for, has a mental health condition we’d like to hear your story. We have dedicated people in every part of Kent & Medway who are ready to listen to what you have to say about mental health services whether it's good or bad.

We gather your stories and share them with decision makers so that they can hear your voice. Your experience will help these decision makers to understand what works, what doesn’t and what could be improved. It will help them to know what is important to you.

Your story could help improve mental health services for hundreds of other people like you.

Need help now? Asking for help is one of the bravest things you can do! Once you get help, it will get easier. Life will get better. You don’t have to wait to speak to a GP if you need mental health support. You can self-refer to talking therapies online, such as NHS talking therapies , or, for help or more information, contact charities such as Mind , Samaritans , or Young Minds.

We work with some great voluntary groups who can help you. Together they have helped us and many others across Kent & Medway.
You can find their contact details here.

If you do speak to a GP, check out our article on what to expect after being referred for mental health support.

Have your say on plans for social care in Kent

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 10:00:21 GMT

If you, or a member or your family, needs help to remain independent at home, gets support for being a carer, or lives in a care home, then chances are they are funded by adult social care services.

Draft plans have been published which set out the vision for adult social care services in Kent. You are being invited to share your thoughts.

The strategy is called 'making a difference everyday' and sets out how Kent County Council intends to put people first and make a positive difference to our lives.

The strategy aims to ensure adult social care is:

easy to access
more joined up
consistent
offers more flexible support

You can read all the details and share your thoughts here .

Would you like to get involved in improving social care?

Join the Kent Your Voice Network.

You can get involved as much, or as little, as you like, but your thoughts and views will help shape social care in Kent.

To sign up click here

We are winners!

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 10:20:47 GMT

Every day we see how powerful peoples’ story can be.

Our brilliant Mental Health User Voice Network is busy listening to people like you from all over Kent & Medway. People get in touch to share their experiences of mental health services.

As a network, we’re hearing from three times as many people as we did this time last year. Thanks to your feedback we’re able to make more positive changes within mental health services.

In the past year, our Mental Health User Voice network has influenced a range of issues including :

Procurement of the new IAPT service
The launch of Live Well Medway
Community mental health transformation scoping and planning
Community mental health support
The development of a Complex Emotional Difficulties pathway
Improving how people can access the CAMHS telephone system

We’re proud of their achievements but it’s even better to get recognised as winners of the Kent Mental Health & Wellbeing awards this year!

It’s been a real team effort involving mental health support groups from every corner of Kent & Medway and a group of all those involved are heading off to enjoy the award ceremony next month. Congratulations!

How can your pharmacy help you?

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 14:26:43 GMT

Did you know that pharmacies provide advice and information on minor illnesses and ailments? Take a look at how they can help you.

Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals who can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor illnesses.

The pharmacist will let you know if you need to visit a doctor, but they can help you with a number of things first.

Can a pharmacist prescribe medication?

Pharmacists can offer advice and over-the-counter medication to help with a range of common conditions and minor injuries such as:

common ailments such as coughs, colds and the flu
tummy trouble
aches and pains
skin rashes
cystitis
access to the morning after pill and pregnancy tests

Your pharmacist can help manage repeat prescriptions and help with any questions that you might have about medication that you have been prescribed by the doctor.

If you’re taking lots of different medicines, you may be able to have a Medicines Use Review with your pharmacist to help you work out when you should be taking your medication and discuss any questions or side effects.

Find your nearest pharmacist

Not sure where your nearest pharmacist is? Enter your postcode to find a pharmacy near you, including high-street retailers, supermarkets and independent pharmacies.

Do I need to see the doctor every time I need a prescription?

Not necessarily, your pharmacist can help manage repeat prescriptions for you. If you take medication on a regular basis and your condition is stable, your GP may be able to offer a long-term repeat prescription.

Who do I turn to about general advice for my health and wellbeing?

You can visit your pharmacist instead of your GP about how best to keep you and your family well. They have all sorts of advice, from how to eat healthily, lose weight, and what type of exercise you could be doing.

What other services do pharmacists offer?

Your local pharmacist might also offer other NHS services such as smoking cessation, blood pressure tests, weight management and flu vaccination. To find out what your community pharmacist offers, just ask them.

What training do pharmacists have?

All pharmacists train for five years in the use of medicines. They are also trained in managing minor illnesses and providing health and wellbeing advice.

Is a chat with my pharmacist confidential?

Many pharmacies have a private consultation room where you can discuss issues with pharmacy staff without being overheard. Ask them if you would like to talk in private.

More information

For more information, or for a large print or easy read guide please visit the NHS website .

You can also watch this British Sign Language (BSL) video guide to find out how a pharmacist can help.

Other services that can help you find the right treatment:

Your local Healthwatch
They can help you find the right treatment and support. More information

For more information, or for a large print or easy read guide please visit the NHS website.

You can also watch this British Sign Language (BSL) video guide to find out how a pharmacist can help.

Other services that can help you find the right treatment

Your local Healthwatch
They can help you find the right treatment and support. Find your nearest Healthwatch.
NHS 111
They can advise whether a trip to the pharmacy, doctors or A&E is the most appropriate for you. They can also book timeslots at services like A&E. Just call 111 or visit their website.
A&E
If you are in need of urgent medical care call 999 or go to your nearest A&E department. Find your nearest A&E services.
NHS 111
They can advise whether a trip to the pharmacy, doctors or A&E is the most appropriate for you. They can also book timeslots at services like A&E . Just call 111 or visit their website .
A&E
If you are in need of urgent medical care call 999 or go to your nearest A&E department. Find your nearest A&E services .

What should I expect after being referred for mental health support?

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 13:58:28 GMT

Your mental wellness is as important as your physical health but seeking help can be daunting. Here's what to expect when you seek support for your mental health.

As we know, mental health is an important component of our general wellbeing. One in four of us can experience poor mental health each year. However, only one in eight adults with ill-mental health is getting treatment.

If you have been struggling with your mental health and are referred for support or are thinking about seeking help, here's what you should expect from your care.

In need of support now?

You don't have to wait to speak to a GP if you need mental health support. You can self refer for talking therapies online, or contact a range of charities for help or more information.

What should I expect when being referred to a mental health service?

If your GP thinks that mental health services can help you, they will write to them to ask for an appointment. Your GP should discuss with you the different types of mental health support available – both within the NHS and provided within the community. You should be involved in deciding what kind of service that you think would best suit your needs.

NICE guidance recommends that the mental health services should do their best to offer you an appointment within three weeks of your GP writing to them. New NHS standards set to be implemented later this year state that you should be offered an appointment within four weeks after being referred for community-based mental health services.

Your appointment letter should include information about getting there and a number to call if you have problems. It should also clearly state who you will see and what will happen during an assessment.

The letter should also ask if you need any additional support to help communicate or if you would like to bring a family member, carer or advocate with you).

Questions to ask during your assessment

After being referred to a mental health service, you'll need to attend an assessment. You might feel nervous about this, but it's important to think about some of the questions you, or your carer can ask to make sure you get the most out of your appointment.

Here are some examples:

Why am I being offered an assessment?
Will you tell anyone about my mental health problem?
Who can provide my treatment and care?
Are there any support organisations in my local area?
Have you got any information for my family or carer?
How can I manage my own condition?
Who can I contact if I need help quickly between appointments (in a crisis)?

What should I expect from mental health professionals?

The first mental health professionals you might speak to at your GP surgery might be a Mental Health Practitioner, who can advise you on access to services, or your GP who can refer you to a mental health service.

When referred to a mental health service, you might speak to a qualified Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP), a qualified high-intensity therapist, another healthcare professional or your consultant (this could be a nurse, a psychiatrist or another clinician).

The health and social care professionals supporting you should be easy to identify, friendly and welcoming. They should understand that you may feel nervous and do their best to make your feel comfortable.

How should I be involved in my treatment?

Doctors, nurses and other health and social care professionals should support you to make decisions about your treatment and care.

They should encourage you to manage your condition, including recognising warning sides of your situation worsening.

Professionals should provide you with resources to support you in a format you can understand and information of where you can go to further support. Your mental health team should explain your treatment and also work with you to develop a care plan, including:

Activities, such as education, work, volunteering, caring for family members or leisure activities
What you can do to keep well
How to cope with and reduce any risks to yourself or others
Who to contact in a crisis

If there's a risk you may have a crisis, there should be a crisis plan in place.

What should I do in a crisis?

There should be a local 24-hour helpline you can call in a crisis. Your GP or mental health team should be able to give you this number.

If the crisis team thinks you need an assessment or treatment from mental health services, you should:

be seen within four hours and be given clear information about what's involved
asked whether you would prefer a male or female professional to assess you
be asked where you would like the assessment to take place

The crisis team should be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and should support you to stay at home rather than going into hospital if possible.

Can my family, carer or advocate be involved in my treatment?

Professionals should make sure you can make decisions about your treatment – this is called 'capacity'. This can change over time if your mental health condition is severe, and your doctor might ask you if you want to make an advance statement or advance decision about your future care.

Mental health professionals should also ask you if you would like a family member, carer or trained advocate involved in your care and, if you agree, what information you'd like to share with them.

Find out more about what you should expect from mental health care in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

In need of mental health support?

We have a handy network of Engagement Provider organisations who can help provide local support and signposting.

Do you have something to say about domestic abuse services?

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 15:36:21 GMT

Are you part of a group or Forum that would be interested to in discussing housing, domestic abuse and increasing safety? Perhaps you would be willing to share your own personal story about domestic abuse?

Your feedback about whether you tried to access support services, or not, would be really powerful and help other people to get the right help, in the right way, at the right time.

In April 2021 the Domestic Abuse Act was passed by government. This meant that the Kent & Medway Domestic Abuse Strategy needed to be amended to include more information about safe housing.

The people in charge of delivering this strategy would really like to hear your thoughts about safe housing linked to domestic abuse.

If you’d like to be involved, contact the team here.

The team asked us to let you know that your safety and anonymity is really important to them .

Join us to hear directly from decision makers about the proposal to build a new inpatient facility in Maidstone.

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 14:20:40 GMT

We are hosting an online meeting on Wednesday, September 8th at 10:30 am to hear more about the proposal to relocate Ruby Ward from Medway Maritime Hospital to a new purpose-built unit next to Maidstone Hospital.

A formal public consultation is underway to hear peoples’ views, and we have arranged a meeting just for members of the Mental Health User Voice Network to hear the details and ask questions.

Let us know if you can join us by emailing forums@ek360.co.uk .

In case you haven’t heard about the proposals...

The Government has promised to remove all mental health dormitory wards by 2024. Ruby Ward, which is in Medway, is the only remaining dormitory ward in Kent & Medway.

The mental health Trust which covers Kent & Medway (the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust) has been allocated £12.65 million to replace Ruby Ward, which is based in Medway Maritime Hospital. That's why they are now asking people to share their views on the proposal to relocate Ruby Ward from Medway Maritime Hospital to a new purpose-built unit next to Maidstone Hospital.

Ruby Ward currently looks after women over 65, from all over Kent & Medway, who have what is known as ‘functional mental illness’, for example severe depression, schizophrenia or bi-polar disorder.

The consultation will run until midnight on Tuesday 21st September.

If you can’t make our session, there are three public meetings

1. Thursday 2nd September – 6:30pm to 8:30pm

2. Tuesday 7th September - 6.30pm to 8.30pm

3. Wednesday 15th September - 6:30pm to 8:30pm

To register for the meetings, visit here.

If you are unable to attend the meetings, you can share your thoughts with us and we will make sure they are heard by decision makers.

Email us on forums@ek360.co.uk to share your feedback.

Have you used community health services such as Live Well or Release the Pressure?

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 11:11:57 GMT

Now is the chance to share your thoughts about these services. Your feedback will help to shape the future of these services.

If you have used one of the following four services, then this is your moment to share your feedback . Thoughts from carers, families and professionals who work in these areas are also really important.

Live Well Kent and Medway
Mental Health Housing Related Support in Kent
Release the Pressure Helpline in Kent & Medway
Activity Programme for Young People in Kent aged between 14 – 35 who have suffered a first episode of psychosis

Share your thoughts

The contracts for all these services are due for renewal, so your feedback could help shape what these services look like for the future. That's why your thoughts are so important and could make a real difference.

Do you have feedback about other mental health services?

If you want to share your thoughts about other mental health services, such as NHS community mental health or your experience of being an inpatient, then we would love to hear from you.

We can make sure the right people hear your story. We'll anonymise it first so they won't know who it is from.

Changes to inpatient mental health services

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:11:54 GMT

Plans have been published to move inpatient mental health beds from Medway to a new, purpose built facility in Maidstone. Now is the time to share your thoughts on the proposals.

A public consultation has been launched to hear everyone's thoughts about the plans to move the beds to Maidstone.

The proposal follows the Government's promise to eradicate mental health dormitory wards by 2024. They have given NHS organisations money to help achieve this.

The mental health Trust which covers Kent & Medway (the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust) has been allocated £12.65 million to replace their last remaining dormitory ward – Ruby Ward, which is based in Medway Maritime Hospital. That's why they are now asking people to share their views on the proposal to relocate Ruby Ward from Medway Maritime Hospital to a new purpose-built unit on KMPT’s Maidstone site (adjacent to Maidstone Hospital).

The proposal outlines plans for new single ensuite rooms which would meet the national target of eradicating all dormitory style wards for mental health patients by 2024.

The consultation will run until midnight on Tuesday 21st September.

There are a number of ways to share your views.

An online feedback form

Email kmccg.engage@nhs.net

Phone 01634 335095 and select option 2 for the Engagement Team

Write to Ruby Ward Public Consultation, FREEPOST Kent and Medway NHS

More information, including the full consultation document and background details can be found here

How would you like Kent County Council to spend their money?

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 15:58:41 GMT

Kent County Council are starting to think about how they spend their money next year. They need to hear from you about what's important to you and where you would be willing to see change.

They have three key questions that they want you to consider:

How comfortable would you be to see spending reductions on a range of services?

Is a modest rise of your Council Tax acceptable if it helps to sustain the services you most value? (nearly half of their current budget comes from Council Tax revenue)

What are the most important things they should consider when deciding how to do things differently?

Before any decisions are made, this is chance to have your say and get your views heard.

Your views helped improve non-emergency patient transport services

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 10:57:57 GMT

NHS England has published a new report outlining changes to non-emergency patient transport services (NEPTS) and broader NHS transport support. Take a look at what the changes mean for you and your loved ones.

While for most people, journeys to and from healthcare appointments are something they can manage on their own, some need additional support. These people are often older, disabled or living with a long-term condition. 

Healthwatch Kent and Medway will often hear peoples' stories about using patient transport to get to their hospital appointments. They share all of your anonymised stories with the patient transport service but also with Healthwatch England.

In partnership with Age UK and Kidney Care UK, Healthwatch England have published a joint report in 2019 called "There and back".

The report looks at the experience of over 3,000 people, including people from Kent, who shared the challenges they faced when travelling to and from NHS services, including issues with public transport, parking, and NEPTS.

Thanks to your feedback, Healthwatch Kent and Medway were able to share with NHS England how patient transport services worked for you. 

Vague eligibility criteria

The main issue people reported was the impact of vague eligibility criteria and how these were applied differently across the country. The lack of consistency has left patients and families unclear about whether they could receive travel support, leading to access inequalities, confusion, and deteriorating health conditions.

People who are denied patient transport can appeal. However, because the eligibility criteria are so vague, original decisions to deny someone transport are frequently overturned. This is a waste of people's time and NHS resources, and places unnecessary stress on those already coping with health conditions.

NHS England Review

At the 2019 Healthwatch National Conference, former NHS England Chief Executive Sir Simon Stevens announced a formal review of Non Emergency Patient Transport Services.

Your experiences of patient tra nsport were shared at every stage of the review.

NHS England has now published their end of review report, announcing:

Integrated Care Systems (ICS) will now assume responsibility for NEPTS
The development of a new national framework for NEPTS
Information on a public consultation for updated national eligibility criteria, including support for all patients travelling to and from renal dialysis appointments
Improved use of technology to enhance coordination of appointments and communication to patients waiting for journeys
A commitment to more comprehensive transport support for those with needs outside of NEPTS eligibility
Support for providers to publish reports on services every six months to increase transparency
Improved procurement and contracting to help with the commissioning of improved services
A commitment to 100% zero emissions journeys by 2035.

What do the changes mean for you?

New eligibility criteria

Alongside this report, there are proposals for new, clear, and consistent eligibility criteria. These aim to:

Clarify eligibility for those with a medical, mobility, safeguarding, cognitive or sensory need
Introduce a new universal commitment to transport support for all journeys to and from renal dialysis
Provide more clarity and transparency about transport to and from appointments for everyone, regardless of eligibility to NEPTS.

NEPTS is only available for a journey to a hospital for treatment or a diagnostic appointment. For support getting to and from GP practice, your local pharmacy or your dentist, please speak to your GP.

Access to Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme

The review also commits to making improvements in accessing the Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme. This scheme is available for those who are not eligible for support from patient transport but qualify instead for financial support to get to and from their appointments.

Changes to the scheme include a commitment to reimburse claims within days (and ensure nobody ever waits more than 30 days) compared to 90 days under the current system.

The Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme is available to:

Those living permanently in a residential care home, or where the local authority pays towards the cost of the accommodation
Children in local authority care, asylum seekers and their families, where they receive government support

Those in receipt of the following benefits (and their children):

Universal Credit up to certain income limits
Income support
Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
Income-based Employment and Support Allowance
Working tax credit and child tax credit
Pension Credit

" Non-emergency patient transport has been something of a Cinderella service for far too long, because when it works well it can make the world of difference to an older person who may otherwise find it unbelievably stressful and tiring accessing hospital services when they need them. It's great that NHSE is committing to review the criteria which determine entitlement to hospital transport, and to improving the overall quality of the service too. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, but we really do hope that the outcomes of this review will make an appreciable difference to many older people, up and down the land." We would also like to thank NHSE for sticking with the review and seeing it through to a successful conclusion, when they have had so much else to focus on over the last fifteen months . " —

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK

" People requiring non-emergency hospital transport are often older, disabled or living with a long-term condition, such as patients needing renal dialysis. These services are vital in ensuring they don't miss appointments or that transport issues don’t exacerbate the physical and emotional stress of travelling and receiving medical treatment. "We look forward to supporting NHSE in implementing the changes and ensuring they work for everyone who relies on hospital transport. "

— Imelda Redmond CBE, national director of Healthwatch England

Tell us how new services are working

The report marks the end of a review which began because NHS England heard your experiences of patient transport. But is also the beginning of an implementation period for commissioners, providers, the wider system – and of course you – patients, social care service users, and carers.

It will now be crucial to ensure that these changes improve services for the public. To continue representing your views, we want to hear how new services are working for you. Your voice will be particularly valuable during the current consultation on new eligibility criteria.

Respond to the consultation by Monday 25 October to have your say on the new eligibility criteria.

Have you used the wheelchair, community equipment or technology enabled care services?

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 10:58:49 GMT

The organisations that commission these services want to hear from you about your experience. They want to know what works well, and how they can improve what doesn’t work so well.

The aim is for the NHS, councils and other partners to work better together which could benefit and improve not only the wheelchair service, but also community equipment and the technology enabled care services. Each of these services want to increase independence and improve people’s quality of life.

The surveys are short – so won’t take long, and if you use one or more of the services you’ll need to complete a survey for each of the services you have used.

The surveys will close on 15 September 2021.

Are you a young person who has moved from child to adult services? The Clinical Commissioning Group want to hear from you!

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 10:54:03 GMT

We have just finished our July round of Local Mental Health Meetings and one of the key conversations we had was around young people falling through the gap between child and adult services.

We discussed in detail this month the difficulties that some young people face as they moved from child to adult mental health services.

Kent and Medway's Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are working with Medway Council to improve the quality of mental health services for young adults aged between 18-25. They would also like to improve the experience for all young people who are making the transition from child to adult services.

TONIC, who are a social research organisation have been asked to conduct this work and analyse the findings to share back to Medway Council and the CCG.

The findings from this project will help to feed into the upcoming recommissioning plan and they have pulled together a survey to hear your views. They would like to hear from young adults (aged 18-25), their parents/cares and service and support providers.

Can you help them gather as much feedback as possible?

The survey (which is confidential and anonymous) is running from Tuesday 13th July 2021 to Monday 30th August 2021.

Share your story to help improve services for young people.

Have you been a patient at Ruby Ward in Medway, or care for someone who has?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 11:05:38 GMT

Would you be willing to share your experience?

If you, or someone you know, has been a patient on Ruby Ward in the past two years, the NHS would love to hear from you.

Conversations are underway about replacing Ruby Ward with a new facility which will be based in Maidstone. However, they need to understand what your experience was like and what is important to you to help them design a service that works for everyone.

What is Ruby Ward?

Ruby Ward is the last remaining mental health dormitory ward in Kent and Medway. It's a ward within Medway Maritime hospital and provides care for women who are experiencing acute functional mental health difficulties and need a hospital bed for a limited period. Some patients (who come from across Kent & Medway) may be frail and also have other conditions, such as dementia.

What are the plans?

Conversations have started about building a new facility in Maidstone which would offer 16 ensuite bedrooms.

However, organisers need to hear what you think, and what you would want to see from any new service.

So if you, or someone you know, has used Ruby Ward in the past two years then get in touch and share your story. Email kmpt.engagement@nhs.net to express your interest. They'd like to chat to you on the phone about your experience.

If you'd rather chat directly to us, then that's fine too. We can anonymise your story and pass it on. Call us anytime on 0800 136 656 or us your story here .

Over 1 million vaccines in Kent & Medway. Have you had yours?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 25 May 2021 14:48:39 GMT

Over 1 million people in Kent & Medway have now had their first dose of the Covid vaccine. Have you had yours? Tell us about it.

Share your vaccine story and help others

Your feedback can be used to help improve the vaccine service for the next person. Your stories about people struggling to read the vaccine information leaflets have meant that extra help is now on hand for people who may need support to read the information. Thanks to you, it's better for others.

Some second doses being brought forward

People in the top nine priority groups (that's everyone over 50 and those with existing health conditions) will now be invited to come for their second doses earlier.

You don't need to do anything. The vaccine service will be in touch with you to move your slot forward.

Are you over 30? You might be entitled to your vaccine

At the time of writing, people aged 32 and over are being invited for their vaccine. This changes regularly so do keep checking the NHS website here

Have you tried to book your vaccine appointment? How was your appointment? Did you feel well looked after?

"Health inequalities are a big subject, how do you solve that?"

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 18 May 2021 16:05:08 GMT

This week we interviewed Pamela Brivio from the Dover Senior Citizens Forum who told us all about the great work the Forum is achieving.

You can watch our interview below, or scroll down if you would prefer to read it.

Videos not for you? Read Pam's interview below.

“We’re called the Dover Senior Citizens Forum and we have been around for quite a few years. We cover Dover, Deal, Sandwich and the surrounding villages, and we aim to hold at least two meetings a year. At our meetings we have speakers who discuss a range of subjects and each topic is chosen by our members.

Prior to lockdown, we had just had a meeting in Deal where we had Caremark talking about sepsis and the U3A came along too. So, we have a mixture of what you would call information providers, like Care Navigators and Healthwatch. Then we have something like The Cinnamon Trust that our members requested, and this is an organisation that is a bit like Foster Parents but for your animals if you have to go to hospital.

At each meeting we have a Community Warden who keeps us up to date with current scams and we are occasionally joined by Kent Fire and Rescue. When we hold our meetings in Dover, we provide lunch and always have a great turn out.”

Pam, and the Dover Senior Citizens Forum, have been busy trying to ensure everyone has access to a Covid vaccination centre. Our ears pricked up as this ties in with the work we’ve been doing within the Forums around Health Inequalities.

“When we heard that the vaccine rollout was going to start, a lot of us noticed that the only vaccine hub was at the Dover Health Centre. There was nothing for Deal, nothing in Sandwich and nothing for the more rural villages, so there was a lot of concern.

I, alongside a councillor from Deal and a Forum Member set up a petition and a campaign, we even made front page news.

Lo and behold, we were successful! A local pharmacy took what we were saying on board and is continuing to give vaccines out. People in Sandwich were able to travel to a facility in Broadstairs (which is a shorter journey than to Dover). The mass centres began to open up, and our closest one was in Folkestone which for residents of Deal, was still about an hour. Things have now settled down quite nicely, but at the start we had to put a bit of pressure onto organisations.

What concerns me regarding Health Inequalities is that it’s a big subject. If you live in rural areas, life expectancy is a lot higher than if you live in a more deprived area. How do you solve that? It’s difficult to encourage people to join things like Forums as a lot of people don’t know that places for help and advice exist. Digital inclusion is difficult too as not many of our members are online.

Two main issues we’ll be focusing on this year as a Forum will be the lack of public toilets and problems with rural bus services. It’s not always the elderly that struggle with these things, it’s the youngsters too. It’s another universal health inequality.”

If you, or someone you may know, wants to join the Dover Senior Citizens Forum to help fight health inequalities, send Pam an email on pambrivio@ntlworld.com or call her on 07772 471905 . Anyone is welcome to attend.

Mental Health Awareness Week- How can I connect with nature?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 07 May 2021 15:26:46 GMT

Mental Health Awareness Week is the 10th-16th May. This years theme is nature and the benefits that the natural world can have on our mental health.
Being in nature is known to be an effective way of looking after our wellbeing, which has been particularly important this year.

How can I connect with nature?

Not everyone has access to an outside space, but everyone can connect with the natural world in small ways. Read our top tips below on how to connect with nature.

If you’re struggling with your mental health, we have a network of organisations across Kent & Medway who can support you. Find their detail s here.

What did you tell us in March?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 07 May 2021 13:43:58 GMT

As we reached a year since Covid restrictions began, people continue to contact us to share how they are coping right now. Read our report to find out what people are talking about in March.

Our job is to make sure your voice is heard by the right people, at the right time, in the right way.

Every fortnight we share all your stories (anonymised of course) with decision makers. Your feedback helps them to plan how best to support you right now.

Check out the latest report which summarises everything you told us.

The headlines from the last two weeks in March were:

Difficulties for people wanting to see a GP

Trouble getting prescriptions

Poor communication from hospitals

Delays in the adult autism service

Impact of lockdown particularly on carers and peoples' mobility

Feedback about the vaccine booking system and concerns about second doses

Tell us your story. We're here to listen to you.

Tell us how you are feeling. Tell us about your worries. Tell us what is working well for you too - the good stories are just as important.

We're not a counselling service, but we can make sure decision makers understand what it's like for you right now. It's important that they hear how lockdown is affecting you, and your family, so that they can plan services accordingly.

Get in touch with us anytime on our freephone Helpline on 0808 801 0102

If you'd rather not chat to a real person, then you can always complete our online form here .

Downloads

Read all the details in our report.

Covid feedback March 15th - 31st

How Deaf aware are you?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Wed, 05 May 2021 09:38:57 GMT

The theme of Deaf Awareness Week 2021 is ‘Coming through it together’. As we continue to live with the pandemic, this year’s event aims to raise awareness of Deaf issues while focusing on positivity and togetherness.

Deaf or deaf – it’s not a typo – so what’s the difference?

The word deaf is used to describe or identify someone who has a severe hearing problem. Sometimes it is used to refer to people who are 'hard of hearing’ too.

Deaf with a capital D refers to people who have been deaf all their lives, or since before they started to learn to talk. It is an important distinction. Many Deaf people tend to communicate in sign language as their first language. For most Deaf people, English is a second language and sometimes understanding spoken English can be a problem.

Some facts about deafness

There are about 10-11 million people in the UK who are Deaf or hard of hearing.

Deafness is the third most common disability in the world …. but you probably wouldn’t spot a Deaf person in a crowd!

It’s an invisible disability so often goes unnoticed, making it easier for those living with hearing loss to be ignored or forgotten.

About 9 in every 10 deaf children are born to hearing parents.

Hearing loss is associated with mental health conditions such as dementia but also with physical health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, anaemia, rheumatoid arthritis, sleep apnea, balance problems and an increased risk of falls.

Hearing loss in older people

Hearing loss increases with age – nearly 42% of those aged over 50 years have hearing loss, increasing to about 71% of people aged 70 years and older.

About 400,000 older people live in care homes and are disproportionately affected by hearing loss, with approximately 75% of residents having a hearing problem.

Unassisted hearing loss have a significant impact on older people leading to social isolation, depression, reduced quality of life and loss of independence and mobility.

British Sign Language- BSL – what is it?

Most Deaf people who use sign language use British Sign Language, or BSL. It’s a combination of hand gestures, facial expressions, and body language.

BSL isn’t simply English with hand signs, it is a different language with its own grammar and sentence construction. While you would say “what is your name?” in English, a BSL user would sign, “your name, what?”

You might assume that sign language across the world is the same – but British Sign Language is totally different to other sign languages such as American Sign Language or Japanese Sign Language.

Within the UK, there are regional variations of BSL just like there are with spoken language.

Lip-reading helps deaf people to understand what others are saying, but even the best lip-readers still miss up to 40% of what has been said.

9 in every ten deaf children are born to hearing parents, but only 1 in 10 of those parents will learn sign language to be able to communicate fully with their son or daughter.

If you need the help of a British Sign Language Interpreter – Healthwatch can help!

If you have an appointment at a hospital in East Kent, you can now get a card that clearly states that you need an interpreter for your appointment.

You can get a card sent to you by our friends at Healthwatch Kent. More info here

How can YOU help?

Communication - even if you do not know BSL!

Even today most deaf people do not use BSL and use of BSL is not greatly used more widely.

Lip-reading helps deaf people to understand what others are saying, but even the best lip-readers still miss up to 40% of what has been said. So please….

Politely Get Their Attention
Face them and hold eye contact.
Check background noises and lighting. Deaf people communicate visually, so keep a check on the right lighting and no loud background noises.
Avoid covering your mouth – lip reading is hard if your mouth is covered!
Speak clearly and not too fast, but do not yell, exaggerate, or over-pronounce.
Be expressive with your body gestures and facial expression – it’s more fun and makes for a better-quality interaction.
Write or draw your point down . Don’t be afraid to write or draw to help understanding.
Be patient!

Learn some basic sign language!

There are many societies and on-line resources for learning BSL such as:

The RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People)
British Sign
BSL courses

A quick google search will also bring up lots of information.

Check access to a Registered and qualified Sign Language Interpreter.

Ask your local hospital, GP, and other health services if they provide access to a registered and qualified sign language interpreter for people with hearing loss. If they don’t suggest that they should.

You might also ask your place of work too about this.

Write a letter to your MP about access to Registered and qualified Sign Language Interpreter in the House of Commons and more widely in society.

Facilities are poor in the House of Commons for people who are hard of hearing – ask your MP to improve this! Also ask them about promoting BSL in their constituencies.

Talk to us if you have any concerns about access to an interpreter

Just tell us your story here

Tell us what it's like for you when you go to the hospital and whether you have found it hard to get an interpreter to help you.

Get more information on Deaf Awareness Week 2021

There are loads of information on the internet and a few are listed here

The RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People) are running a free online seminar every day in Deaf Awareness Week- Louder than Words.
The UK Council on Deafness has links to resources
Twinkl wants to help support Deaf Awareness Week and has some fantastic resources for teachers and parents.

Help Medway become a child friendly place to live

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 04 May 2021 12:37:04 GMT

Would you like Medway to be a place where all young people are involved and benefit from the local decisions, services and spaces that shape their lives?

To help make this a reality, Medway Council are asking young people (under 25 years old) to tell them what it is like to live in Medway right now.

They hope that more young people will come forward and start to get involved in conversations about decisions that affect them.

The Council is also keen to hear from parents who look after a child with learning dif ficulties or a physical disability.

Get involved and get your voice heard.

Start the conversation by filling in their online survey here

Your feedback is making changes!

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 16:20:27 GMT

We’ve recently been sharing feedback with the mental health trust about peoples’ experience of Complex Emotional Difficulties services. Decision makers have heard our feedback and have incorporated it into the new care pathway which they are currently developing. The Trust has committed to further work to improve on Complex Emotional Difficulties services and to ensure they are hearing the voice of service users and their families.

Similarly, feedback shared by the Mental Health User Voice Network about substance mis-use amongst people who have a mental health illness has been heard by services and has been directly used to influence how this service is funded.

Carry on sending through your feedback to us so we can share more great stories.

Have you ever thought about using Talking Therapies? Maybe you think it might help you, but you’re not sure how?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 16:17:39 GMT

This is your opportunity to have your say about how the Talking Therapy service in Kent currently works and how it could be improved for the future.

Our friends at the Mental Health Forums are hosting a friendly, informal opportunity to share your thoughts about what would make the service better for you.

Even if you’ve never used Talking Therapy before, they’d still love to hear from you. Maybe you didn’t realise that Talking Therapy is free? Maybe if your GP or your friend had explained Talking Therapy to you in a different way, you would have tried it? Perhaps someone in your family used Talking Therapy and you can share your thoughts.

They are hosting two sessions online to hear your views and EVERYONE is welcome.

Join them on Zoom on April 29th. You can choose either the 10 – 11:45am session or the afternoon group at 1- 2:45pm

Can't make it, but would like to contribute?

Share your thoughts with us and we will make sure they hear your voice.

Tell us your experience here .

Feeling stressed? You're not alone

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 10:44:43 GMT

April marks Stress Awareness Month, a national awareness month that has been held every year since 1992 to raise recognition of something we all struggle with from time to time.

As we all know, this year has been more stressful than most and the easement of lockdown could be causing new stresses and anxieties for some.

So how can you manage your stress?

Take care of your body

Eat more nutritious foods and move your body! When you exercise, your body releases feel good chemicals called “endorphins”. Not only does exercise help release these chemicals, but it can also be a good distraction from your stress and is known to help improve your sleep. Yoga and meditation are great ways to centre yourself and focus on your breathing, but try any movement that feels good to you.

Talk to someone you trust

Sharing your problems with someone else can often relieve some of the pressure and help you view things from a new perspective. If you don’t have any friends or family you feel you can speak to, contact the Samaritans here .

Take a break

The world can feel like a very overwhelming place right now, so if you need a time out, take one! If you find yourself feeling stressed by the news, switch it off and watch something that makes you feel good. If you have annual leave remaining, take a long weekend to relax and do something that makes you feel good.

Try reducing your caffeine and alcohol intake

A glass of wine may feel like it helps you to relax after a hard day, but consistently drinking alcohol to unwind won’t help in the long run. Alcohol is a depressant and disrupts the balance of chemicals in your brain. Regular drinking over time can interfere with what our brain needs and can upset our sleep.

Caffeine is also something to avoid too much of. It’s a stimulant and its effects on our body are similar to a scary event. It triggers our “flight or fight” response.

That’s not to say that your morning coffee or an evening glass of wine are bad, just consume them in moderation.

Recognise when you need extra support

If you feel like you can’t manage your stress levels yourself, know that it’s okay to ask for help.

Check out the mental health support groups that operate all over Kent. You can find the nearest group to you here or visit the NHS page on stress for more information.

‘Thanks to my new skills I’ve been able to help 10 people book their vaccine’

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 14:36:18 GMT

Traditionally, many of the Nepalese community have not used the internet. Now thanks to a new project by Kent Coast Volunteering, more Folkestone residents have got online.

We spoke to 75 year old Tika Ram who has had lessons about how to use his laptop.

“I had a laptop but I wasn’t confident in how to use it. Our Nepalese Group Leader suggested that I might find the project useful, so I agreed to get involved.

Now, I know how to book an appointment with my GP, join Zoom meetings and do shopping online.”

Tika Ram has used his newfound skills to help other people. He completed the Census for nine Nepalese families and has booked the Covid vaccine for 10 people in his community. Without his help, they wouldn’t have been able to do that.

Talking about the project, Pauline from Kent Coast Volunteering said, “It’s great to see Tika Ram’s confidence growing. We teamed Tika with one of our Digital Champions who has given him new skills. Now he has become a Champion himself and is helping other people to get online. I was more than happy to support his enthusiasm, and I am very proud by how much he has achieved in such a short amount of time.”

So far, the Folkestone Nepalese Digital project, which is funded by Engaging Kent and Folkestone & Hythe Council, has helped four people from Folkestone’s Nepalese community to get online. Six people have been trained to become Digital Champions with a further four more being recruited. If they need it, learners are loaned a computer to help them get online.

Talking about the project, Engaging Kent’s Sue Alder said, “This project has already made a huge difference to peoples’ lives. We started it before lockdown, but its importance has grown since Covid as so many people have become even more isolated at home because they don’t have a computer or know how to use it. Thanks to Tika and others in his community, more people are now able to connect with others and use the internet to get what they need like booking their vaccine.”

About Engaging Kent

Engaging Kent is a community interest company which means that any money we make is reinvested in the company and our community. We specialise in hearing from people from all walks of life, especially those who are traditionally harder to reach. We deliver a range of projects including the award winning Healthwatch Kent, Healthwatch Medway and a family of Forums across Kent and Medway. We also undertake bespoke commissions to help organisations hear from particular communities.

We get your vaccine questions answered

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 16:30:33 GMT

Every day Healthwatch are taking calls from people with questions about the Covid vaccine.

Here are a few of the questions that have been heard this week. We hope the answers may help you too.

I’m housebound – how do I get my vaccine?

Vaccinating people who are housebound is a particular focus for the NHS right now. Make sure you are registered with your GP as being housebound and they will make sure you’re on the list for a vaccination at home.

The NHS will contact you to book your vaccination at home. It’s important that you know that they will not turn up unannounced.

I’ve heard there is an issue with the vaccine supply. Will I get my second jab?

If you already have your second vaccine appointment booked, then don’t worry. The NHS in Kent & Medway has said that all second jabs will be honoured despite the national supply issues.

I’m 54, am I entitled to the vaccine yet?

Yes!! Anyone over 50 is being encouraged to contact the national booking system and get a slot secured. You can book through the national website or by calling 119.

I’m allergic to some of the vaccine ingredients. What do I do?

You need to talk to your GP who will advise you what to do and help you to get the right vaccine for your allergy.

There is good advice about allergies on page 17 of the Green Book which is the bible that NHS professionals are using for the vaccine roll out.

I’ve moved to Kent since my first vaccine, how do I ensure I get the second dose?

If you had the AstraZeneca vaccine then simply use the national Covid booking system here or call 119.

If your first dose was the Pfizer vaccine then you need to contact the Clinical Commissioning Group on Kmccg.covidvaccine@nhs.net and they will help you.

I’ve called 119 and I can’t get through

The 119 system is covering the whole country and it can be busy at times. We have no other advice other than to be patient and keep trying. The online system is quick and easy. You can book online here.

There’s a lot more information on the Clinical Commissioning Group website .

Have you had Covid? Are you still struggling?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 16:17:21 GMT

Have you, or someone you know, had Covid and are still feeling the effects four weeks later?

The NHS is looking to improve the support that they can offer to people who have had Covid, so your thoughts and experiences will be really useful to help them plan what that service looks like.

Share your views here.

You could also join an online workshop with other Covid patients. There are two dates to choose from and they will be lead by the Kent & Medway Clinical Commissioning Group. To find out more information and sign up click here .

The dates are:

8th April at 6pm
28th April at 10am

If it's all too much, you can always chat to us.

We know that joining an online meeting, or filling in a survey, might be too much for some people right now. Many many people are still struggling with the after effects of Covid and you are not alone.

We're on hand to chat to you anytime, however you want. We'll make sure your voice is heard by the decision makers.

You can reach us by sending an email to forums@engagingkent.co.uk

If you were treated for Covid at either Maidstone or Tunbridge Wells Hospital a support group has been set up in partnership with the Hospital. Join us here .

Covid: One year on

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 10:47:20 GMT

March 23rd marked a whole year since the Government announced the first lockdown. How has your life changed since then?

This time last year we were searching the aisles for loo roll and tins of food and spent our evenings glued to the news on TV.

Now one year on, life has changed for all of us. Some people haven't left the house for a year, many of us have lost loved ones and all of us have had to adjust our way of life.

Our children have missed their friends and months of learning. Many of us have been in hospital alone with no visitors, most of us have had a GP or Outpatients appointment over the phone, all of us have had to adjust to communicating through a face mask.

Your stories have helped others this year. Thank you.

Hundreds of people have been in touch this year to tell us how they are coping. Their stories have helped our NHS and social care services to understand the challenges you are facing and change their services to help you.

We'd love to hear from you too.

How life has changed this year?

We've all been on a journey this year as we have adjusted to living with Covid. Every month, we've published a report detailing the issues you are concerned about. Reading these reports back, you can see how things have evolved and our needs have changed as both us (and the services that support us) have adapted to the situation.

Take a trip down memory lane, and read the monthly reports from this past year.

Downloads:

Covid and the Vaccines – great news but it’s not all over yet

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:23:37 GMT

The UK government has published their four-step roadmap of a route back to a more normal way of living. In England, the easing of restrictions on our current COVID lockdown began on March 8th with the return of schools.

Crucially though each of the four steps will only occur if there is sufficient evidence that it is safe to do so. The steps are:

The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
Assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.

There is a minimum of five weeks between each step - four weeks to collect and analyse the scientific data on what effect loosening of restrictions have had on each of the evidence points shown above. This will be followed by one week’s advance notice if the next set of restrictions will be eased.

Covid infections whilst still quite high are falling, and the number of patients being admitted to hospital as well as deaths due to Covid are all declining too. This has allowed the government to begin to ease restrictions.

This is all great news – but how did we get here?

This is due to us staying at home; getting tested when needed; isolating when required, and following the ‘hands, face, space’ and ‘letting fresh air in’ guidance.

The success of the UK vaccination programme is clearly having a major effect. 90% of Kent's residents who are over 60 have now had at least one dose of the vaccine. Studies show this is reducing hospitalisations and death due to Covid and some studies suggest vaccines can reduce the transmission of the virus.

We still need though to still be cautious as we progress out of lockdown.

The ‘Kent Covid variant’ is now the dominant strain causing Covid infections in the UK and it does appear to infect people much more easily than the previous variant. So, we all need to:

Get our 2nd covid vaccine jab for maximum protection. About 3 weeks or so after we should have the maximum protection from the vaccine. We all need to be aware though that no vaccine protects 100% of people or gives 100% protection.

Be aware that as we approach summer there will be people who are not vaccinated yet or have not received their second jab. Infections may spread in these groups and could spread more widely .

It is worth just a moment of caution and reflect on the advice of UK's chief medical adviser Prof Chris Whitty on the success of the UK lockdown and the vaccination programme: he warned that the fight against the virus is far from finished …" A lot of people may think this (Covid) is all over. It is very easy to forget how quickly things can turn bad," he said.

Going forward though and, as part of the government’s four-step plan to end lockdown in England, it has stated that it proposes to update advice about social distancing between friends and family “ as soon as possible ”, but this is not expected to happen before 17 May (step 3).

The government also stated it will carry out a review of all current social distancing rules before step 4, which is not expected before 21 June.

So, let us hope for a lovely summer and a great time but we still need to be a bit cautious and even for those of us fully vaccinated (with two jabs) that, until we are advised otherwise, we still should practice the ‘hands, face, space’ and ‘letting fresh air in’ guidance.

Do you have questions about the vaccine? Healthwatch might be able to help

Drop them a line.

If you've had your vaccine, tell Healthwatch how it went. How did you get your appointment? How did you feel when you got the news? Was the clinic well organised? Did you feel safe?

All these questions, and more, are so important. Your feedback can help organisations to ensure the vaccine programme works for us all.

Being invited for the vaccine made me feel like there’s hope...

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:22:42 GMT

We spoke to 21-year-old Sebastian who has recently had his vaccine. We've been hearing peoples' vaccine stories and questions and sharing them directly with decision makers. Tell us your story.

"I think everything went really well and I have felt fine since having the vaccination. My arm was a bit achy the next day but that’s the extent of it"- Sebastian

“I was actually in bed when my GP surgery called, but luckily someone else answered the phone! I was invited to have a vaccination because of my health and they said that there was an appointment ready for me to grab, so I was given a specific time as well as instructions on what to do. The surgery made it very clear I shouldn’t attend if I had any COVID-19 symptoms. However, a bit later I got a text telling me I should book an appointment for the next day, but when I phoned the surgery back they cleared things up and confirmed my appointment was at the original time.

I was genuinely really excited when I got the call, it made me feel like there’s some hope this will get cleared up soon. I wasn’t nervous as I knew what to expect, I’m not scared of vaccines and I trust the science behind them. My vaccination was at my GP surgery which is only a five minutes’ walk away so travel wasn’t a concern either.

The appointment process was good. There was a small queue, but it didn’t take longer than five minutes to get inside. There was a desk where I gave my name and received a card with my vaccine information. Pretty much straight after that I was sent to a room where a nurse went through some safety and demographic questions and then I had my vaccine. It wasn’t painful at all. I felt safe and everything seemed to have been planned out properly. After my vaccine I was sent to a waiting room for fifteen minutes and there was enough distance between everyone.

Despite being a lot younger than the current age demographic eligible for vaccines, I don’t think anyone was concerned or confused about why I was having mine now."

Have you had your vaccine? Tell Healthwatch your story.

Did you feel safe at your appointment? Is there anything you would like decision makers to know to improve the system?

They're looking for people who've had their vaccine to share their story. Could that be you?

Can I finally hug my parent in a Care Home?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 16:01:38 GMT

From this week, some visitors are being allowed into Care Homes. But what are the rules and regulations and will you actually be able to hug your loved ones just yet?

What are the rules?

Although the Government has announced that face to face visits can be reintroduced, every care home will have its own rules and guidelines so it's best to check with them first. For example, you may need to book a visit and there may be a time restriction on your visit. The new guidelines apply to care homes for working age and for older adults.

Can the whole family come?

Unfortunately not yet. Residents will be asked to nominate just one family member to visit them. If they can't make a decision because they are too unwell, then the home will contact you as a family to make a choice. That does mean that if your Mum has three children, only one of you will be able to visit. Once you've made the decision, that will be the only family member allowed to have face to face visits. Some homes will be offering other family members visits through windows or screens so again so check out what their procedures are.

How safe will it be to visit?

Prior to every visit, you should be offered a Covid test. This will be a lateral flow test and it will give you the results in 30 minutes. If you are negative then the planned visit can go ahead.

Can we hug?

Some homes may allow you to hold their hand, but the guidance still encourages you to remain 2 metres apart and to be careful.

You should be wearing a face mask too. There may be some exceptions to the social distancing rules but this will be on a case by case basis.

For more information and guidance, visit the Government website.

We hope your visit went well! Tell us what it was like.

Many people have been in touch to tell us how hard they have found not visiting their loved ones for many months. We'd love to hear how your visit went. Was it well organised? Did you feel safe? Could anything be done differently?

Extending the interval for Covid vaccines to 12 weeks – what’s the rationale?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 08:46:33 GMT

Acting on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the four UK chief medical officers announced in December, that the second doses of covid vaccines should now be given at 12 weeks rather than initial 3-4 weeks.

Why did they do this?

This was done for public health reasons, as the UK had alarming rates of infection and deaths at the time. In addition, our NHS was close to being overwhelmed. Thus, they decided to give as many people as possible one dose of vaccine in the top 4 clinically vulnerable groups:

Residents in care homes for older adults and their carers

80-year-olds and over and frontline health and social care workers

75-year-olds and over

70-year-olds and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals

These groups account for the largest numbers who get admitted to hospital with covid and where the biggest proportion of deaths arise.

The JCVI argued that one dose of vaccine gives good protection against covid but our vaccine supplies are limited. Thus, if we can protect groups 1-4 with one dose of vaccine then this should result in decline of infections with a subsequent reduction of hospital admissions and death. This should lead to less pressure on all staff working in our NHS and Social Care Sector.

The timeline was ambitious giving one dose of vaccine to groups 1-4 (approx. 15million people) by mid-February. It is progressing really well.

If they had gone with giving 2 doses of vaccine much less people would have been vaccinated and this would not reduce infections, hospitalisations, and death as quick as the JCVI wanted.

What's the evidence for the 12-week interval?

A recent study from Oxford- Astra Zeneca found that one dose of vaccine gave 78% protection from covid three months after a single dose. In addition, they found that waiting at least 12 weeks between dose 1 and 2 gave 82% inhibition of infection. Finally, they found that antibodies in the blood against covid were much higher 12 weeks after giving one dose.

Pfizer-BioNTech did not specifically investigate the effect of one dose of their vaccine. Analysis of the data presented showed that it took about 12 days for the immune response to kick in and stop people getting covid. After this time there were few covid cases and from this the JCVI calculated that the effectiveness after 1 dose is about 89%.

Moderna (which UK has licensed) vaccine works in a similar way to Pfizer - they did investigate the effect of 1 dose - though not quite as long as Oxford - but again they found very good protection after 1 dose.

The Bottom Line

It appears that you get good protection after one dose of covid vaccine.
The UK needs to quickly vaccinate all those in vulnerable groups 1-4 by mid-February.
Given vaccine supplies - we can only do this, in the timeline, by giving one dose to all those in vulnerable groups 1-4.
A second dose of vaccine is needed for a boost and consolidate of our immune response - but evidence suggests we can wait up to 12 weeks to get this second jab.
Evidence from other vaccines suggests it is not unusual to wait a long time between doses for vaccine.

Have you had your vaccine?

Would you share your story with Healthwatch? They really want to hear from you.

How did you get your appointment? How did you feel when you got the news? Was the clinic well organised? Did you feel safe?

All these questions, and more, are so important. Your feedback can help organisations to ensure the vaccine programme works for us all.

What’s it really like to be a parent, teacher, cook, cleaner, partner as well as a work colleague?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 14:38:38 GMT

We hear from working parents about how lockdown is affecting them.

We caught up with Dan about what life is like for him and his two children aged eight and four right now.

“We have a support bubble with my Mum so we are really lucky that she home schools the kids for us between 10AM and 3PM. If we didn’t have her, it would be a lot harder.

It’s really hectic in the house before they leave and again when they come home. They need attention from us which makes it much trickier to juggle work during those hours.

Before the pandemic, the children would spend a lot of time with their Nan so it’s good that they have some normality and that they still have that connection. The school have been good and have said ‘don’t worry about missing deadlines, just submit the work for teachers to see’. The school appreciate that we’re both working and they’re more relaxed this time. They’ve really made an effort to see how families are coping. Their focus is more about mental health and the care of young people which is great."

" When would an adult be in a kid’s classroom? When would a child be in an office?"

“ The hard part is the blurred boundaries of school/office/home. When would an adult be in a kid’s classroom? When would a child be in an office? That’s a bit of a challenge. It has helped hugely knowing we have my Mum to help. We know that from 10-3 we can do our jobs. The hardest part is at 3pm; they want to say hello, my Mum wants to tell me about their schoolwork, and I have to upload it online for the school to see. Its not bad but it’s not ideal!

We didn’t have the help from Mum in the first week of lockdown and my son knew I was working. He had a habit of walking in and climbing onto the fridge to get food. We regret having an open plan layout and taking the doors down now!”

"Lockdown can have its positives too"

“It’s positive that we can spend more time together, but on the flipside, you can spend too much time with someone. I try to make a habit of turning the computer off at 5pm, I try to keep that as a rule as best as I can. At lunchtime me and my wife have actually been cooking which is kind of relaxing. We have dinner earlier and then we watch TV, and the kids sit with us which we’ve never really done before. But in terms of exercise, Jesus that’s gone backwards!”

Are you a parent or carer who is currently balancing working from home and home-schooling your children? Tell us your story.

What are the struggles or the positives? What are you and your family doing to cope? Are you feeling overwhelmed or enjoying having your children around more?

Get in touch with Healthwatch on 0808 801 0102 or fill in the form here

If you are struggling and need support don’t be afraid to reach out. Information is available here for people experiencing a range of mental health and wellbeing issues.

"I felt fine but I really hate vaccinations!"

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 11:51:28 GMT

This week we spoke to Penny who is a carer for her husband. They have both recently had their first COVID-19 Vaccine.

“We were phoned by our GP surgery to arrange our vaccination appointment. I asked if me and my husband could have our appointment at the same time and they said yes. Our second vaccination was booked on the same phone call. The invitation was very clear and organised.

My husband got very nervous, confused, and anxious when he found out he was having the vaccine. I chose an early morning appointment on purpose so he didn’t have all day to worry about it. I felt fine but I really hate vaccinations!

We drove to the vaccine centre; it was about six or seven miles away and there was some flooding on the road. However, when we arrived it was confusing. It wasn’t clear where we were allowed to park and people were being turned away and told to go to another carpark. As we have a disabled badge I was able to go and park in a housing estate but it was quite nerve wracking for some people. We had to queue for about ten minutes and it was very cold, a lot of people didn’t have hats or coats on! We were told to keep apart but lots of people didn’t social distance, however they did all have masks on.

We were marshalled in and went through identity checks to make sure we were who we said we were. They filled in my husband’s details at the desk but forgot to do mine.

When we were in the vaccine room I helped my husband get his arm out for the injection, the nurse was a lovely lady. Because the people at the entry desk hadn’t filled in my form it meant that I hadn’t given my authority for the vaccination so the nurse had to go back to get it all filled in. This didn’t worry me, but it might worry some people. Once my vaccine was done we had to wait for ten minutes and then we left."

“The challenge is that my husband won’t remember having the first vaccine”

“There were a lot of people inside who were confused and they weren’t social distancing. I knew I had to keep my husband apart from everyone else, it’s difficult being a carer because when you’re in public its different from being at home. My husband had to verbally state he understood what was happening before he could be vaccinated and the nurse did it so quickly he didn’t even realise he’d had it. The challenge is that he won’t remember having the first one done when it’s time for his second one. Looking after my husband distracted me from my own anxiety about the vaccine so that was better for me."

Have you had your vaccine? Tell us your story.

Were you relieved to have your vaccine call up? What was the appointment like? Did you feel safe? Is there anything you would like decision makers to know to improve the system?

Healthwatch are looking for people who've had their vaccine to share their story. Could that be you?

Get in touch on 0808 801 0102 or click here

When I told my friend that I was getting the vaccine, his response was ‘Bravissimo!'

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 11:41:08 GMT

We spoke to Libby who has recently had her first COVID-19 vaccine.

“I received a text at about 3pm last Tuesday to invite me to use the “My GP” app to attend a COVID-19 vaccination at Meopham surgery. The whole process took about five minutes! I was given a series of time slots between 9am onwards for Saturday 30th I chose 9 to 9.30 assuming that was the first slot and hoping to avoid the inevitable queue!

I felt greatly relieved to be invited for a vaccination. I felt reassured that if I didn’t reply to the text that I would have received a phone call or letter.

The day of the vaccine it was absolutely pouring with rain! Some of the roads were a bit flooded too which was worrying but the centre was only a fifteen-minute drive away and there was plenty of parking. I donned my waterproof hooded coat and my rain hat. When I arrived, I was about ten minutes early and there were about eight people in front of me. However, by the time I was at the front of the queue there were over twenty people behind me!

When the door opened people went in efficiently. I sanitised my hands then went to one of the 6 desks, where I was asked some questions to confirm my identity which took next to no time. Then I was given a card with information and the date of next vaccine.

After I had had the vaccination, I was asked to sit down for fifteen minutes just to check I was okay. I felt very safe at the appointment, the people giving the vaccine were in full PPE. I was back home within an hour of leaving!”

Libby wanted to praise the public

“The public have been fantastic for volunteering for vaccination trials, I wanted to volunteer but I wasn’t eligible. It is no mean task to move from a creative scientific hunch to fruition in less that twelve months. Corners haven’t been cut, what’s been cut is the bureaucracy around the testing. This is a health emergency, and our health services can’t cope. Although I would prefer to have the second vaccine sooner, I understand why there is a wait.

I check in with the COIVD 19 site which was set up by set up by Professor Tim Spector and his team each day. You can see what the state of infection is in your area as well as report if you’ve had a test or a vaccine.”

If you would like to take a look at the COVID-19 site, click here

"I felt very safe at the appointment, the people giving the vaccine were in full PPE. I was back home within an hour of leaving!"

Have you had your vaccine? Tell us your story.

Were you relieved to have your vaccine call up? What was the appointment like? Did you feel safe? Is there anything you would like decision makers to know to improve the system?

Healthwatch are looking for people who've had their vaccine to share their story. Could that be you?

Get in touch on 0808 801 0102 or click here

All adults with learning disabilities are now being offered the vaccine

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 12:40:37 GMT

All adults with learning disabilities in Medway are now being offered the vaccine.

That means around 9,500 adults in Kent & Medway who are on the GP learning disability register will now be offered the vaccine.

People living in a care home will be vaccinated within the home and anyone living independently, or with family, will be offered the vaccine through the GP vaccination service.

The decision has been taken by the Kent & Medway Clinical Commissioning Group after the data showed an increase in people with learning difficulties being affected by Covid-19.

The CCG has stated that this decision will not affect their progress to vaccinate the priority groups.

We've been putting your vaccine questions to the Head of the Vaccine programme.

Last week, Healthwatch Kent interviewed Gail Locock and asked her all the questions you had been contacting them about.

You can listen to the answers here .

Have you had your vaccine?

Would you share your story with Healthwatch? They really want to hear from you.

How did you get your appointment? How did you feel when you got the news? Was the clinic well organised? Did you feel safe?

All these questions, and more, are so important. Your feedback can help organisations to ensure the vaccine programme works for us all.

Your Vaccine questions answered

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 15:51:33 GMT

So many of you have been in touch to share your experience of being vaccinated, or to ask questions about the vaccine programme. We asked the Head of the Vaccine Programme in Kent and Medway all of your questions, and more.

We're all part of the biggest vaccination programme in our lifetime. So many of you have been in touch with your questions and concerns.

We've got the answers directly from Gail Locock who is leading the Vaccine Programme in Kent & Medway.

If you haven't got time to listen, here are the headlines:

Kent & Medway are on track to vaccinate the top four priority groups by Feb 15th as set out by the Government

New vaccine sites are being added all the time (two more mass vaccination centres will open by the end of February)

You might be invited to attend a mass vaccination centre or to visit a smaller centre nearer to you. They are tying to offer as much choice as possible.

Don't turn up too early for your appointment as it may cause people to queue

People who are shielding will need to continue to shield after their vaccination

The vaccine is safe for women who are pregnant or breast feeding

People who are housebound will be vaccinated in their own homes

If you are one of the top four priority groups and you haven't heard by Feb 14th then get in touch with your GP

Thanks to everyone who shared their questions with us and an extra special thanks is needed for all of the Forums which shared questions with us too, all of them were answered in the interview.

Keep passing on your questions and we will continue to get as many of them answered as possible.

All over 70s told to contact the NHS for their vaccine

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 15:31:01 GMT

If you are over 70 years old and have not yet had your Coronavirus vaccine, you are being asked to contact the NHS to get booked in.

If you've not yet had your vaccine, you are being invited to call 119 for free. The lines will be open from 7am to 11pm.

Up until now, the NHS has been encouraging people to wait to be contacted but tonight the Health Secretary Matt Hancock is inviting everyone over 70 years old to get in touch.

According to figures released tonight:

91% of people over 80 have had the vaccine, and 93% of care home residents
95% of people aged between 75-79 have had it
and around 75% of people aged 70-74 have received a first dose

Health and social care workers, who are also among the top four priority groups for vaccination, should speak to their employer about arranging their jab if they have not yet had one.

Everyone in the top four priority groups will be offered the first dose of the vaccine by the target of Feb 15th. The top four groups include:

people aged 70 and over
people who are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable
people who live or work in care homes
health and social care workers

The order in which people are offered the vaccine is based on national advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Everyone will be offered the vaccine free of charge regardless of their immigration status.

Last week, we interviewed the Head of the Kent & Medway Vaccine programme, Gail Locock. We asked Gail a series of questions from the public about the roll out across Kent & Medway.

Gail told us they are on track to hit the target set by the Government to offer the first vaccination to the top four priority groups by Feb 15th.

Have you had your vaccine?

Will you share your story with Healthwatch? They really want to hear from you.

How did you get your appointment? How did you feel when you got the news? Was the clinic well organised? Did you feel safe?

All these questions, and more, are so important. Your feedback can help organisations to ensure the vaccine programme works for us all.

Click here to share your story with Healthwatch Medway

Click here to share your story with Healthwatch Kent

Calling everyone living in ME15

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 11:50:10 GMT

Everyone living within the postcode ME15 in Maidstone will soon be offered a COVID-19 test at home after the South African variant of Coronavirus was found in the area.

Door to door testing will begin in the ME15 area in Maidstone from today (Feb 2nd).

Staff from Kent Police, Maidstone Council and Kent Fire & Rescue will be knocking on doors and offering everyone over the age of 16 a test on their doorstep.

Even if you've just had a test, or have a test booked, it is important that you go ahead with this test too.

It's quick and easy to do, and could help to reduce the spread of the new South African variant.

Healthwatch have been sharing your feedback of Covid testing with decision makers

Thanks to everyone who has been sharing their experience of being tested for Covid so far. Healthwatch have been sharing your feedback with the people who are organising testing. Thanks to your stories, there is now extra support for people who may need help to read or understand the testing instructions.

Share your story too and make a difference.

Have you had a Covid test recently? What was your experience?

We want to hear what worked well and what could be improved. Your experience could help make a difference for other people.

Share your story here

Second mass vaccination centre opens today!

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 11:34:33 GMT

Kent is to have a second mass vaccination centre which will open today (Feb 2nd) in Gravesend.

The Woodville in Gravesend which was previously a theatre, will join the old Debenhams building in Folkestone in vaccinating thousands of people every day.

Opening on Tuesday February 2nd, free parking will also be available at the Parrock Street car park thanks to a deal with Gravesend Borough Council.

Please do not turn up without an appointment slot and don't arrive too early as you will cause unnecessary queuing.

People are also being asked not to contact the NHS, they will contact you.

For the latest list of vaccination centres in Kent & Medway click here

Pharmacies are joining the vaccination programme

Sevenoaks Pharmacy has become the first community pharmacy to join the vaccination programme this week with other pharmacies to follow.

New vaccine sites are opening all the time, so keep an eye on the NHS website here

Have you had your vaccine? Tell Healthwatch your story.

How did you feel when you got your call up? Could you get there yourself, or did you need help? What was the appointment like? Is there anything you would like decision makers to know to improve the system?

Healthwatch are looking for people who've had their vaccine to share their story. Could that be you?

Get in touch on 0808 801 0102 or click here

What did you tell us in November?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 12:00:14 GMT

Thanks everyone for sharing their thoughts and experiences with us this month. This report details everything you told us in November. We have shared your stories with decision makers to help them make decisions about services.

We heard from people all over Kent about what mattered to them in November.

Voluntary organisations and support groups also shared issues with them on behalf of their clients.

We have put all the feedback into our report which we have shared with the relevant organisations and decision makers. Your feedback is helping them to make important decisions about how best to support you right now.

The headlines from November were:

We have continued to hear the struggles that people face trying to access an NHS dentist.

We heard many stories about the need to have continuity of care from mental health services, with people telling us that there are staff changes, a lack of “check in” phone calls and being discharged from the service when they didn’t feel that they are well enough.

Parents told us about their concerns about increasing infection levels within schools. Many parents have been calling for schools to close ahead of Christmas.

There has been some confusion about the latest guidance for the clinically extremely vulnerable, whereas some organisations state that “shielding is no longer a thing”

Don't struggle alone.

Tell us how you are feeling. Tell us about your worries. Tell us what is working well for you too - the good stories are just as important.

Get in touch with us anytime on our freephone Helpline on 0808 801 0102 .

If you'd rather not chat to a real person, then you can always complete our online form here

Everyone can now get a Covid test in Medway

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 15:55:22 GMT

Testing is now available for all us living and working in Medway if you don't have any Covid symptoms. One in three of us will have Covid with no symptoms so it's really important to get tested regularly to reduce the spread of the virus

Up until now, testing has only been available for people from key professions such as teachers, police and healthcare workers. Now, with more slots available, testing has been opened up for everyone.

Booking is on a first come, first served basis and is recommended for anyone who is leaving the house for work, to go shopping, for exercise or for medical reasons.

We are being encouraged to get regular tests, every two weeks if possible.

To book your test click here

There are five test sites across Medway:

Chattenden Community Centre , Swinton Avenue, Chattenden, Rochester, ME3 8PH

The Student Hub (The Deep End) , North Chatham Maritime, Chatham, ME4 4AG

The Oast House, Granary Close, Rainham, ME8 7SG. There is no parking at this site but there is a pay and display car park nearby on Station Road. And if you have limited mobility, you may prefer to use an alternative centre.

Rochester Cathedral , Garth House, The Precinct, Rochester, ME1 1SX.

Medway Park , Mill Road, Gillingham, ME7 1HF. You will need to pay for parking on site.

Have you had a Covid test? What was your experience?

The organisers of Covid tests are working hard to ensure the service is working well.

Your experience could help improve it for other people, so tell us your story and you can help make a difference.

Share your story with Healthwatch Medway here

Thank you

COVID-19 vaccine: what you need to know

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 13:00:29 GMT

Take a look about what you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccination programme including how you will know when it's your turn, where to go, and why it's important.

We all have an important part to play to help the NHS deliver their vaccine delivery plan:

Please do not contact the NHS to seek a vaccine, the NHS will contact you;
When you are contacted, please book and attend your appointment(s);
Turn up to your appointment on time, do not arrive early or late as the vaccination centres cannot accommodate you.

Regardless of whether or not you have been vaccinated, you must continue to follow the Government advice around COVID-19 restrictions.

Find out what you can and can’t do.

For the latest information about the vaccine go to the NHS website.

Frequently Asked Questions: COVID-19 vaccine

Here are some FAQs to help you get the information you need to know about the biggest vaccination programme in history.

When will I get the COVID-19 vaccine?

The NHS has a clear vaccine delivery plan and will contact you when it's your turn to get the vaccine as quickly and easily as possible.

The Government will continue to follow the scientific advice and vaccinate those most at risk first, and those who work closest with them - care home residents and staff, followed by people over 80 and health and social care workers, then other people in order of age and risk. You can find the full prioritisation list here .

Do not contact the NHS first, they will contact you.

How might I be contacted to get my vaccination?

Local hospital services - you might be contacted either to have the vaccine as an inpatient or at an outpatient appointment.
Local GP services - practices in your area are working together to contact and offer the vaccine to as many people as possible. This may be at a different surgery than you usually go to, or at a venue that has been set up specially to deliver vaccines.
Through your care home - GPs and their teams are also arranging to vaccinate care home residents directly, in their homes.

Where do I go to get my vaccine when I’m contacted?

Hundreds of local vaccination services run by family doctors and their teams have opened across the UK, as well as specific vaccination centres.

You will be given information by the NHS about where you need to go for your vaccination appointment(s) when contacted. If the option given is not suitable, you can request for a more local centre for your appointment.

I’ve contacted the national booking service but I can’t travel to one of the locations that are available, what should I do?

More locations will become available in the coming weeks so you could try again later.

Alternatively, you can choose to wait until your local GP service invites you for the vaccine.

Find out how many people have had the COVID-19 vaccine

The NHS publishes a weekly report on vaccination numbers. To find out the latest numbers click here .

How long between my first and second dose of the vaccine?

You will receive your second dose 12 weeks after the first, regardless of the vaccine type. The second dose completes the course and is important for longer term protection.

Are there any side effects?

Like all medicines, vaccines can cause side effects. Most of these are mild and short-term, and not everyone gets them.

You should not have the vaccine if you've ever had a serious allergic reaction to:

a previous vaccine
a previous dose of the same COVID-19 vaccine
some medicines, household products or cosmetics

Serious allergic reactions are rare. If you do have a reaction to the vaccine, it usually happens in minutes. Staff giving the vaccine are trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.

I'm pregnant, can I still get the vaccine?

There's no evidence the COVID-19 vaccine is unsafe if you're pregnant. But more evidence is needed before you can be routinely offered the vaccine.

Click here to find out more.

Protect yourself from fraud

In England, the COVID-19 vaccines will only be available via the NHS. You can be contacted by the NHS, your employer, a GP surgery or pharmacy local to you, to receive your vaccine.

Remember, the vaccine is free of charge. At no point will you be asked to pay.

The NHS will never ask you for your bank account or card details.
The NHS will never ask you for your PIN or banking password.
The NHS will never arrive unannounced at your home to administer the vaccine.
The NHS will never ask you to prove your identity by sending copies of personal documents such as your passport, driving licence, bills or pay slips.

Find out more and report fraud.

Now that we are rolling out vaccines across the UK, can we end restrictions and lockdowns? 

The full impact on infection rates will not become clear until a large number of people have been vaccinated with two doses, but as larger numbers do get vaccinated, we will hopefully move further along the path back to a more normal way of life.  

Are the Government introducing vaccine passports?

There are no plans to introduce immunity passports following the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Do I have to have the COVID-19 vaccine even though I've already had COVID-19?

An effective vaccine is the best way to protect people from COVID-19, reduce hospitalisations and save lives. Vaccines are the only way to eradicate disease.

People that have already had COVID-19 should still get vaccinated. It is still just as important for those who have already had COVID-19 as it is for those who haven’t. 

Is the COVID-19 vaccine compulsory?

There are no plans to make the COVID-19 vaccine compulsory.

What does a vaccine do?

Vaccines teach your immune system how to create antibodies that protect you from diseases. It's much safer for your immune system to learn this through vaccination than by catching the diseases and treating them. Once a vaccine has trained your immune system to know how to fight a disease, it can often protect you for many years.

Are vaccines safe?

Vaccines are now safer than ever before. Any vaccine must first go through the usual rigorous testing and development process and be shown to strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness before it can be deployed.

Have you had your vaccine yet? Are you concerned about your vaccine?

Get in touch with our friends at Healthwatch Kent, they would love to hear from you. By sharing your story, they can make sure the vaccine programme works as well as possible for everyone.

Call them for free anytime on 0808 801 0102

Alternatively, you could share your feedback with them here.

More new testing centres to open in Kent

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 15:36:31 GMT

Another five new testing centres are opening next week for people who have no Covid symptoms.

The five new testing sites join the 12 sites that opened last week.

You can book a test at one of the new sites from today (Jan 12th) before they open next week. Book your slot here.

The new test sites can be found at:

Swanscombe Centre Craylands Ln, DA10 0LP (open from 15 Jan)
Bat and Ball Centre, Cramptons Road Sevenoaks TN14 5DN (open from 15 Jan)
The Dray, The Hop Farm, Maidstone Rd, Paddock Wood, Beltring, Tonbridge TN12 6PY (open from 16 Jan)
Hawkinge Community Centre CT18 7FP (open from 16 Jan)
Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ (open from 18 Jan).

So far 53,260 tests have been conducted in Kent with 526 positive cases identified.

Once all 19 sites are open, there will be capacity for over 17,000 tests a day in Kent.

If you have Covid symptoms, you should NOT visit one of these centres but book a test through the Government website HERE .

The new testing sites join those that were opened last week:

Northfleet Youth Club, Hall Road, Gravesend DA11 8AJ
Swanley Youth Club, St Mary's Road BR8 7BU
Dover Discovery Centre, York St CT16 1PH
Folkestone Library. 2 Grace Hill, Folkestone CT20 1HD
Unit 1 Eurogate Business Park, Thomson Rd, Ashford TN24 8XW
Kent Show Ground, Detling ME14 3JF
Kemsley Community Centre, Ridham Avenue, Kemsley ME10 2SF
The Centre, Birchington, Alpha Rd, Birchington CT7 9EG
Sidney Cooper Gallery, 22-23 St Peter's St, Canterbury CT1 2BQ
Larkfied Library Martin Square, Larkfield, ME20 6QW
Fairfield Leisure Centre, Lowfield Street, Dartford DA1 1JB
Assembly Hall Theatre, Crescent Rd, Tunbridge Wells TN1 2LU

Have you had a Covid test? What was your experience?

The organisers of Covid tests are working hard to ensure the service is working well. Your experience could help improve it for other people, so tell us your story and you can help make a difference. Share your story here .

Thank you.

Someone I love has died - where can I find support?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 15:20:15 GMT

It can be tough at any time to lose someone, but particularly hard during a pandemic when you can feel more alone than usual.

Take a look at our article on the organisations and groups that can support you if you’re grieving.

What is grief?

Grief is something we experience when someone close to us dies. There is no right or ‘normal’ way to feel, as everyone experiences grief differently.

As it is natural to have a strong reaction to someone dying, you may feel:

• Shocked about what has happened

• Pain and distress

• Anger

• Guilt

• Depression

• Longing

• Worried about other people’s reactions

When you’re grieving, it’s important to not put too much pressure on yourself to feel better.

To help you support yourself and others experiencing grief, Cruse Bereavement Care have put together a series of useful articles, including practical advice on what to do when someone dies.

You can find out more here .

COVID-19 and grief

Increased public talk of death can be distressing for people who are already grieving. For example, the current pandemic may bring up painful or traumatic memories. Social distancing measures also mean people may now be cut off from their usual support networks, intensifying their grief and loneliness.

You may have been bereaved as a result of Covid. Because we are being asked to stay at home to help prevent the spread of the virus, it may mean people do not have the chance to spend time with the person who is dying or are unable to say goodbye. This can make it difficult to accept the reality of the bereavement.

Cruse has some useful information specifically to support people who have lost someone to Covid. Their Helpline is open and ready to hear from you.

Where can I get support?

Grief is a natural response to loss that many people will cope with through support from family and friends. However, if you want to talk to someone else about your grief, there are services, organisations and community groups that can help you.

NHS support:

If you need support, you can use NHS talking therapies, like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). These are free and you can refer yourself directly.

You can find talking therapies near you here.

Read on for details of support groups and voluntary services which can support you.

When should I see a GP about my mental health?

You should go to the doctor if:

• You’re struggling to cope with stress, anxiety or a low mood

• You’ve had a low mood for more than 2 weeks

• Things you’re trying yourself are not helping

• You would prefer to get a referral to a service from a GP

Find out more here

If you're in a crisis and need urgent help:

If you don't feel you can keep yourself safe right now, seek immediate help by visiting your nearest Accident & Emergency (A&E) department or call 999.

If you need urgent support but don't want to go to A&E:

• Call Samaritans on freephone 116 123 – they're always open and are there to listen.

• Contact your GP surgery and ask for an emergency appointment

• Contact NHS 111

Find support on social media.

Lots of people have set up their own online communities or accounts exploring grief and bereavement. For example, the UK Motherless Daughters Facebook group is a closed space for people to share their experiences and feelings.

These groups can be particularly helpful if you’re waiting for NHS support or are currently unable to access traditional support because of COVID-19. Please note that we are not checking these sites regularly so we cannot vouch for all their content.

You can find these groups by searching key words, like grief and loss, on different social media channels. Some examples that might help you are:

• Griefcase (Instagram)

• The Grief Gang (Instagram)

• Your New Normal (Instagram)

• Siblings Grieve Too (Instagram)

• Live. Death. Whatever. (Twitter)

• The Loss Project (Twitter)

• Apart of Me is a game designed to help young people cope with the death of loved one.

• The Griefcast is a podcast where comedians talk about their own experiences of death and bereavement.

• Grief Encounters is a podcast about love, life and loss.

Charities and community organisations

There are lots of organisations that can help you if you’ve been bereaved. This article has a selection of national charities and community groups, but to find the full range of support available to you, you can use the At a Loss website.

Many of the organisations below run helplines, online chat services or are arranging digital meet ups to continue providing supporting during the pandemic.

Organisations supporting adults:

Cruse Bereavement Care provides bereavement support to people across the UK. If you need someone to talk to you can call their helpline. Call 808 808 1677

Friends Together is based in West Kent. They run a Grief Chat which is a completely free service and is available Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm. Call 01732 360328

The Compassionate Friends offers support for those mourning the death of a child of any age and from any cause. You can email them here helpline@tcf.org.uk .

Death Cafes are local groups of people getting together to drink tea, eat cake and discuss death. They are run entirely by volunteers. Although they may not be meeting physically right many are meeting virtually. Find your nearest here .

WAY Foundation is a national charity that supports people who have been widowed before their 51st birthday.

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide exists to meet the needs of those bereaved by the suicide of anyone close to them.

Call 0300 111 5065 - Monday to Friday, 9am-9pm.

Macmillan Cancer Support provide information and support for anyone affected by bereavement due to cancer.

Call them on 0808 808 0000

Organisations supporting children and their families:

Grief Encounter is a charity supporting children and their families who have experienced the death of someone close to them.

Call 0808 802 0111 - Monday to Friday 9am-9pm

Holding On Letting Go is a Kent-based charity that helps children to cope with the death of someone close to them.

Winston’s Wish supports children and their families after the death of a parent or sibling. If you need advice on supporting a bereaved child, you can phone their helpline.

Call 0808 802 0021 - Monday to Friday 9am-5pm

Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals both when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, and when a child is facing bereavement.

Call 0800 028 8840 - Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm

Jigsaw South East provides information, advice and guidance to help support bereaved children and young people and those facing the death of a loved one. They support families across Surrey, parts of West Sussex, Kent and surrounding areas.

Call 01342 313895 – Monday to Friday 9am – 12pm

Slide Away is a charity which works in partnership with schools in West Kent. Their aim is for all children to have access to a bereavement support service.

You can email them on slideawayone@aol.com

Organisations supporting young people:

Hope Again is website set up by Cruse Bereavement Care for young people.

Let’s Talk About Loss is a peer-led meet up group in cities across the UK for young people aged 18-35 who have been bereaved at any stage. You can find them on Instagram

The New Normal runs grief support meetings to connect young adults who have all experienced loss and are looking for others who understand.

End of life organisations:

Compassion in Dying is helping people to prepare for end of life.

Call 0800 999 2434 - Monday to Friday, 11am-3pm.

Hospice UK is a national charity for hospice and palliative care.

How to get an NHS dentist appointment during COVID-19

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 12:39:08 GMT

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, routine dental care has had to change to comply with social distancing rules.

Read on for some information on how to access an NHS dentist during the pandemic.

How do I find a dentist?

To get the help you need you can:

• Phone your local dentist to get information about their opening hours and advice on where you can go to get the care you need.

• If you don’t have a dentist or your dentist is closed, you can phone NHS 111. Translation services are available.

• If you are deaf or hard of hearing visit https://interpreternow.co.uk/nhs111

• Remember you don’t need to be registered with a dentist in the same way as you do with your GP. You can see any NHS dentist.

Do not visit a dentist without an appointment.

Practices will need to prioritise their patients based upon their needs. The British Dental Association advises:

• If you call to make an appointment, you will be asked some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again at your appointment.

• You will probably be asked to use hand sanitiser or to wash your hands when you arrive (and again before you leave)

• Social distancing measures will be in place in the waiting rooms.

• Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.

I need urgent dental assistance, what can I do?

• NHS 111 (open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

• Call the dental helpline at 01788 539780  (local rate call in the UK) for free and impartial advice between 9 am – 5 pm, Monday to Friday.

For urgent advice on any oral health issue , you can call NHS 111 (open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

If you need emergency dental help when your surgery is closed, you can call the Kent & Medway DentaLine . DentaLine can help you if you have an emergency dental situation when surgeries are closed. They can offer pain relief and temporary dressings. You will probably need to book an appointment with your own dentist to complete the treatment.

Contact DentaLine on 01634 890300

They are open for specific hours when your dentist is closed:

• Monday to Friday: 6.00pm – 11.00pm

• Saturday and Sunday: 8.30am – 1.30pm and 6.00pm – 11.00pm

• Bank Holidays: 8.30am – 1.30pm and 6.00pm – 11.00pm

Have you been to a dentist since the pandemic started? What was it like?

Tell us your story so we can help others. We will share your (anonymised) experience with decision makers so that they hear what it was really like for you and help to make changes for other people.

Tell your story here

A vaccine with your name on it!

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 14:10:23 GMT

One million adults in Kent & Medway will be offered the Coronavirus vaccine in the coming weeks and months. When will you get yours?

We are watching the biggest vaccination programme in history. With so many people in need of the vaccine, health experts are asking us to be patient whilst they work hard to vaccinate people as quickly as possible.

In Kent, five more vaccination centres are opening this week. These join the locations which had opened before Christmas. Nine further sites are due to open by January 17th across Kent.

New sites will be added in the coming days and weeks. You can find all the up-to-date information here www.kentandmedwayccg.nhs.uk/covid19vaccine

People are being advised NOT to ring their GP surgeries or other NHS organisations. You will be contacted and invited for your appointment.

You will be aware that the NHS is following a nationally agreed priority list which follows:

Residents in a care home and their carers

All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers

All those 75 years of age and over

All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals

All those 65 years of age and over. All individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality

All those 60 years of age and over

All those 55 years of age and over

All those 50 years of age and over

More information, including lots of questions and answers can be found here

“Have you had your vaccine yet? Are you concerned about your vaccine?

Get in touch with Healthwatch Kent, they would love to hear from you. By sharing your story, they can make sure the vaccine programme works as well as possible for everyone.

Call Healthwatch for free anytime on 0808 801 0102 or email info@healthwatchkent.co.uk

Alternatively, you could fill in their short feedback form here

National lockdown: what does it mean for me?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 11:35:00 GMT

To help stop the spread of coronavirus, the government is advising everyone to

stay at home from 5 January 2021.

With Coronavirus cases rising rapidly and our hospitals under extreme pressure, the Government has announced a new national lockdown.

But what does it mean for you and your family? We explain the details.

Leaving home

You must stay at home. You can only leave in certain circumstances:

• to shop for basic necessities

• to go to work, if you cannot reasonably do so from home

• to exercise once a day and only in your immediate area. You can exercise with your household or one other person.

• to meet your support bubble or childcare bubble , but only if you are legally permitted to form one

• to seek medical help or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm. This includes escaping domestic abuse

• for those that are eligible, you are able to travel to school, college or childcare. Schools and colleges will be closed to everyone except key worker and vulnerable children.

• If you do have to leave your home for one of the above reasons, then you must stay in your immediate area unless you need to travel further for work.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable you should only go out for medical

appointments, exercise. You should not attend work.

Education

Schools, universities and colleges will remain closed to all children apart from key workers and those who are classed as vulnerable.

Schools will provide online learning for all children until February half term.

Higher Education provision will remain online until mid February for all except future critical worker courses.

Meeting people

You cannot meet with anyone who is not from your household or support bubble either indoors or outside.

The only exception is that you can exercise outside with one other person outside of your household.

All of these measures will be put in law.

More information

You can read all the latest guidance including the details about exemptions on the Government website here

Help is available to you

If you're struggling to get food or medication, or perhaps you're finding it hard to cope at home, get in touch with Kent Together. They can help you get supplies and offer someone to talk to. It's free.

To get help, visit here

In every part of Kent & Medway, there are brilliant organisations who can support you if you are struggling with your mental health. There will be a group local to you who is ready to help you. Click here to find the contact details for the one nearest to you (their details are at the bottom of this page)

Don't struggle alone.

New testing sites opening in Kent

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 11:12:20 GMT

12 new testing sites are opening in Kent this week offering tests for people with no Covid symptoms.

The tests will offer people who don't have any Covid symptoms, a rapid result. This will help to reduce the number of people who are spreading the virus and help to reduce the rates of transmission across Kent.

The new testing centres will all be open by Thursday 7th January but are already open for booking. They will offer free tests for anyone without Covid symptoms. If you have Covid symptoms you will need to book a test at a Covid testing site.

You can find the sites at the following locations:

Northfleet Youth Club, Hall Road, Gravesend DA11 8AJ
Swanley Youth Club, St Mary's Road BR8 7BU
Dover Discovery Centre, York St CT16 1PH
Folkestone Library. 2 Grace Hill, Folkestone CT20 1HD
Unit 1 Eurogate Business Park, Thomson Rd, Ashford TN24 8XW
Kent Show Ground, Detling ME14 3JF
Kemsley Community Centre, Ridham Avenue, Kemsley ME10 2SF
The Centre, Birchington, Alpha Rd, Birchington CT7 9EG
Sidney Cooper Gallery, 22-23 St Peter's St, Canterbury CT1 2BQ
Larkfied Library Martin Square, Larkfield, ME20 6QW
Fairfield Leisure Centre, Lowfield Street, Dartford DA1 1JB
Assembly Hall Theatre, Crescent Rd, Tunbridge Wells TN1 2LU

These join the existing two asymptomatic testing sites at Sheppey & Ramsgate.

If you DON'T have Covid symptoms, you can book a test HERE

If you DO have Covid symptoms, you should book a test through the Government site which you can find HERE

Have you had a Covid test? What was your experience?

This week we spoke to Ellie who is the Director of Operations at Take Off

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 10:03:10 GMT

Take Off - who we are and what we do ?

We started by chatting about Take Off and what they do.

“Take Off is a mental health charity that is 100% led by service users. Everyone who works for Take Off has struggled with their own mental health in some way. We run a mixture of talking groups and activities which are all started because of a need in the community.

My job is so varied. I go from designing projects to fundraising.”

We asked Ellie what people can contact Take Off about.

“The main thing is that you don’t need to have a diagnosis to get in touch. You could be feeling lonely, which could then trigger other feelings. If someone has a diagnosis of bipolar, EUPD or similar we can support them too if they get in touch.

You can just be experiencing something.

We can offer general support and help you to build social interactions and enable you to talk to other people. Talking and interacting with people is so important when you suffer from things like depression or anxiety. Our groups give you something to look forward to during the week.”

Ellie told us about how the pandemic has affected them.

“Lots of us are tired. Covid, combined with the darker days, can make some of us feel like we have jet lag. But we’re supporting so many people, so we have to stay motivated.

We expanded into West Kent during the pandemic and it’s great that we’ve been able to support more people during this time. Our staff have really stepped up too. My role is to make sure everyone is okay. We have to protect and support each other. “

Most of Take Off’s groups are currently running online. Three groups are face to face: a walking group in Canterbury, an allotment group in Faversham and a farming group in Shatterling which all allow up to six attendees.

To find out more about what Take Off do, what is available and their Christmas opening times check out their website https://www.takeoff.works/

Engagement provider Christmas hours

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 09:47:37 GMT

We work with a great group of mental health organisations who support people all over Kent. They are still on hand to support you over Christmas and are ready to hear your experience of mental health services.

Here are their opening hours over the Christmas period.

Take Off

Take Off will be open over the Christmas period, including from 12:00-16:00 on Christmas day.

Please visit their website here for their full calendar here.

Mental Health Resource

The Hub at Mental Health Resource will be closed from the 24th December to the 4th January.

Reachout will be taking a short break. The last group telephone call is on the 22nd of December and will be resuming on the 5th of January. The group zoom calls finish on the 23rd of December and resume on the 6th January.

Reachout Youth will also be taking a short break. The Tonbridge group finishes on the 16th of December and is back on the 6th of January. The Tunbridge Wells group is finishing on the 17th of December and will be resuming in the 7th of January.

You can visit Mental Health Resource’s website here

Rethink

For information about Rethink’s Christmas availability please email surf@rethink.org or call 01474 330282

You can also visit their website here

Megan

Megan’s Zoom and wellbeing calls finished on the 18th of December and will resume on the 3rd of January. Their service users can still access Megan’s Facebook group.

You can visit Megan’s website here

Speak Up

On Monday 21st of December from 19:00-21:00 Take Off have a speakers corner on Zoom. Those interested should contact ivan@speakupcic.ci.uk

On the 23rd of December, Speak Up will be having a speakers corner from 11:00-12:30 on Zoom.

On the 25th of December they will be holding a drop in session on Zoom between 10:00-10:45.

On the 30th of January between 11:00-12.30pm Speak Up are also an art group also on zoom.

Anyone wishing to take part should contact Amanda@speakupcic.co.uk.

Alternatively you can visit their website here

New funding gives Medway residents a voice

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 09:00:47 GMT

People who use mental health services in Medway, and those who care for them, will now get their voice heard by the right people at the right time thanks to new funding.

Engaging Kent has been awarded money from the Kent & Medway Clinical Commissioning Group to create a new service to give people who use mental health services in Medway a clear, easy and effective way for their voice to be heard.

The money will fund a pilot which will start on January 1st 2021 and run until March 2022. It will enable the successful scheme, which is already running in Kent, to be expanded to benefit Medway residents too.

Over 600 mental health service users and carers were involved, alongside professionals in a year long project to design the service in Kent. It’s been established since 2019 and has already used feedback from people to influence Kent wide changes to the Community Mental Health Crisis service, patient pathways and a myriad of improvements for individual people.

The project will see Engaging Kent work with the Medway based mental health support organisation, MEGAN CIC. They already work with Engaging Kent to support people living in Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley and will now expand their work to include Medway residents

Talking about the Medway project, Engaging Kent’s Adam Littlefield said, “We’re looking forward to bringing a new way for people to get their voice heard in Medway. We’re going to be working with the team at MEGAN to ensure we can listen to people who use Medway’s mental health services; using their feedback to improve the service both for them and many others.”

Talking about the new work in Medway, MEGAN’s joint Chief Executives Tracey Chapman & Catherine Button said,

''The team here at MEGAN CIC are excited to be delivering the new Mental Health User Voice model in Medway. We are passionate about ensuring Medway residents have their voices heard and look forward to working with our existing members, partner organisations and the wider community to hear their feedback and experiences, recognising what is working well and identifying where improvements are necessary. User voice is vital in influencing change, we need your feedback to help shape services for the future.''

Have you, or someone you care for experienced a mental health crisis?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 16:29:45 GMT

The Kent and Medway CCG are looking to improve mental health crisis care. They have created a short survey to hear about the experiences of people who have suffered a mental health crisis, or care for someone who has.

Can you help?

They are looking to hear from you if you or someone you care for has:

• Been taken to a place of safety (usually a hospital) by the Police, otherwise known as S136

• Been hospitalised as a result of mental ill health

• Been under the care of the Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team

• Attended A & E when experiencing a mental health crisis to receive support

• Attended a safe haven or a crisis café

Please follow this link to the survey https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/KMs136/

This survey is open until midday on the 4 January 2021.

The survey is anonymous and the results will be shared with the S136 Improvement Group as well as the Local Mental Health User Voice Networks.

If you would prefer to speak to someone about your experiences, then contact the Healthwatch Helpline on 0808 801 0102 or email info@healthwatchkent.co.uk and we can arrange a time to chat.

New strategy for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 13:01:42 GMT

Kent County Council has published a new draft strategy which outlines its ambition that all children in Kent have equal access to support and education.

They are calling for your views and thoughts on the new strategy which also details how services will be shaped for children and their families in a way that improves wellbeing, resilience and learning in our communities.

Kent County Council have developed the strategy alongside the NHS, parents, children, young people, carers and organisations.

You can read and share your thoughts about the strategy by visiting www.kent.gov.uk/sendstrategyconsultation .

The consultation is open until 4th February 2021.

What's your experience of services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities?

Tell us your story. We can make sure decision makers hear your experience, what worked and what could be improved.

We're on hand to listen to you. Call us anytime for free on 0808 801 0102.

We're also on info@healthwatchkent.co.uk or send your thoughts through our online form here

Don't struggle alone

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 12:55:00 GMT

There is help for you and the people around you.

The NHS and Kent County Council have worked together to create a series of new information leaflets that shares some of the key places that you can get support for your mental health.

There are two versions available:

Children and Young People mental health services- download here

Adult mental health services - download here

Looking after YOU

It's important that you take time to look after yourself during these uncertain times. There is no rule book that tells you how you should feel or what you should be doing.

We've teamed up with Kent County Council, and a whole range of organisations, to help pull together some information and suggestions about what you can do and what support is available to help us all get through this.

We hope you will find something useful in here

Talk to us

Tell us how you are feeling. Tell us about your worries.

We have a number of people ready to chat to you. Pick the one local to you here

Looking after your mental health and wellbeing during self-isolation

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 15:23:25 GMT

Local Occupational Therapist, Justine Morris has shared with us some excellent information to support us all during the pandemic.

She’s created these for the Kent mental health trust (KMPT) and they include some really useful ideas and tips about how to look after ourselves during isolation. Download your Self Isolation booklet here .

She’s also shared a Journal Notebook to help us keep track of our thoughts and feelings as well as a Recovery Pack and Safety Plan . These are all useful documents at any time, but particularly now when we may be finding it harder than usual.

We’re delighted to be able to share these with you too. Thanks Justine!

Top Tips for lockdown health and well being

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 21:04:17 GMT

Many more people are suffering from anxiety, low mood or just feel ‘plain fed up’ because of the pandemic and the lockdown restrictions. This can often make us feel tired and can affect our enthusiasm for doing almost anything.

So what can we do about it? …...here are some top tips to help

Try to follow a routine and get some exercise

• Try to get up and go to bed at the same time every day and aim for about 8 hours sleep a night

• Are you working from home? Make sure you schedule in tea breaks and lunch breaks, and remember to get up and walk around your house/flat ...try not to sit in one place all day long

• Make time for exercise such as going for a walk, doing the garden, lifting weights, or an online dance or fitness session

Exercise can help ease depression, stress, and anxiety, and aid in the management of chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. By finding new ways to get moving and stay motivated, you can take charge of your mood and well-being and regain a sense of control during lockdown.

Make sure you eat

Try to prepare nutritious meals if you can. Eating well is good for both your physical and mental health. Meals don’t have to be complicated. Simple meals can be fab such as baked beans on toast followed by fruit. Similarly, pasta with a bit of chicken, vegetables and pesto is also a good meal. If you can:

• Eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day to make sure you get a range of vitamins and minerals. Fresh, frozen, dried, and tinned options all count.

• Have regular meals and stick to healthy snack options such as fruit, or a small handful of unsalted nuts and seeds and try to avoid eating things such as several packets crisps each day.

• Consider taking a daily supplement of vitamin D (10 micrograms), especially during the winter. Alternately, a multi vitamin pill and cod liver oil are also good sources of vitamin D. This is particularly important if you are not exposed to much sunlight, are over 65 or have dark skin. Vitamin D is important for absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. In addition, scientists now think Vitamin D is important for the functioning of our immune system which helps us fight infections.

A great resource is the NHS Eatwell Guide here

Keep hydrated

Drinking enough fluids helps your body function properly. The NHS Eatwell Guide recommends you have six to eight glasses of fluid a day and drink a bit more if you’re exercising. Fluid can be water, fruit juice, tea, coffee etc but not alcoholic drinks!

Avoid the couch and binging

It can be easy to form unhealthy habits especially if we are feeling a bit down. These might feel like they are helping but often make you feel worse in the long term.

• Try cutting down on how much caffeine you drink. Whilst coffee and tea are obvious drinks which have caffeine so too do Coke and Diet Coke. Having too much caffeine, or having it later in the day, can affect how well you sleep. It may also cause you to feel irritable and add to any feelings of anxiety.

• Don’t turn to alcohol, smoking or other recreational drugs as coping strategies for stress. They will only make things worse.

• Avoid binge eating or drinking – these can often lead to weight gain and make us feel worse in the long term

Take time to look outside

If you can go outside, then try going for a walk or run in a green space. If you can’t leave your house, just looking out of your window can help. Take a few minutes to notice nature such as plants, trees, animals and clouds

Just imagining the outdoors can have a positive effect. People exhibit a better mood and behaviour simply from viewing images of nature.

Take time to switch off from online news and social media

It is important to stay informed but try not to constantly read or listen to the news. Often the news is repeated throughout the day and often bad news predominates – switch it off if you find it makes you feel anxious, angry or stressed.

It may also be helpful to limit helpful to limit the time on social media.

Breathing is also a great way to relieve stress - taking some slow deep breaths can help reduce anxiety levels and help you reset. Another good technique is to breath in slowly through your nose then breath out through your mouth.

Maintain relationships

Many of us have been apart from some of our friends and family for a long time now.

Try to keep in regular contact using phone, text or video calls if you can. Writing letters or sending cards might be a nice change if you’re feeling tired of video calls or texts.

Try to enjoy spending more time with those you live with if you can.

If you know people who live alone, the elderly or those who are vulnerable try to keep in touch with them as best you can.

Help Children

Changing rules and routines can be confusing for children. Try to be a positive role model to help them learn how to manage in uncertain times.

• Play regularly, get them exercising, bake, draw and paint, play instruments and sing.

• If you can, try helping them with their schoolwork

• Try getting children to write down things that have made them feel proud or happy recently.

• Make time to ask your children how they’re feeling. It is important for children to know that they can come to you if they are feeling anxious, fed up or scared.

Seek support

For many people, the idea of going into a lockdown may feel overwhelming. You might feel sad, anxious, stressed, angry or tired

If you’re struggling, make sure you talk to someone about how you’re feeling. This could be a partner, friend, your GP, your employer or a mental health organisation.

Support in Kent

Information is available at www.kent.gov.uk/wellbeing for people experiencing a range of mental health and wellbeing issues.

There is also a specific web page to help families with children or young people who might be experiencing difficulties at www.kent.gov.uk/wellbeingfamilies

Both web pages offer advice and signposting to other sites which can help in range of situations.

As part of the Release the Pressure campaign, a text service is also available to people who are struggling to cope and need immediate help. By texting the word “Kent” or “Medway” to 85258, you will start a conversation with one of the many trained and experienced volunteers who can give help at any time, wherever you are.

Finally. …...Be kind and remember…...It’s natural to feel a whole range of emotions during times of uncertainty such as with the Covid 19 pandemic and lockdown. Some days will be better than others. This is a time to be kind to yourself and to those around you. Be patient with yourself and others

Giving blood during a pandemic

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 17:18:10 GMT

This week we spoke to Rheanna, who shared her experience of giving blood at the start of our second national lockdown.

“I regularly give blood and have already been twice to donate during the first lockdown. Both times have felt extremely safe and secure, and not much different to pre-covid times! The only notable differences are that the chairs where you have your refreshment before and after giving blood, are socially distanced and you must of course wear a face mask and use hand sanitiser.

I was told to arrive at the venue no earlier than my appointment time to avoid queuing. Then as I entered the building- (wearing my mask!), I had my temperature checked, used some hand sanitiser and was asked to read a board which asks if you have any coronavirus symptoms. Once it was confirmed I had not been in contact with anyone with the virus and I was symptom free, I was allowed to take my drink and await to be called for the pre-donation checks.

Once I had given blood, I was given a card that stated if I felt ill or got any symptoms of coronavirus within the next two weeks I must contact the helpline number.

The experience felt extremely safe and sterile and I recommend that anyone who is able to give blood to do it. I must say though, it was as busy as usual and donation appointments are often hard to grab!”

Have you thought about giving blood?

Giving blood is a really easy, practical way to help during the covid pandemic. We have blood donation centres all over Kent and they are particularly keen to hear from you if you have a rare blood type or black heritage.

Have a look on the NHS Give Blood website here: https://www.blood.co.uk/

Tell us your experience of giving blood here

Do you look after someone who is living with Dementia?

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 15:39:11 GMT

Would you be willing to chat about your experience of looking after someone with Dementia to help improve services?

The NHS wants to hear your story and understand what they could do to help you, and other people in a similar situation right now.

They'll use your feedback to improve services for people across West Kent who are looking after someone with a Dementia diagnosis.

How are you doing in lockdown 2.0?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 14:43:41 GMT

You can apply for support through Kent Together HERE

If you're unable to use the online form, call the Kent Together helpline on 03000 41 92 92 (text relay 18001 03000 41 92 92).

Deaf British Sign Language users can text the Sensory Services team on 07920 154 315 for help making a request.

Talk about how you are coping

Tell us how you are feeling. Tell us about your worries.

We’ve teamed up with Healthwatch Kent to gather feedback about how people are coping. Together we can make sure decision makers understand what it's like for you right now. It's important that they hear how lockdown is affecting you, and your family, so that they can plan services accordingly.

Get in touch with Healthwatch anytime on 0808 801 0102 or email info@healthwatchkent.co.uk

If you'd rather not chat to a real person, then you can always complete the online form here

How have people been coping during the pandemic?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 14:33:36 GMT

Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, all our Forums have been working together with Healthwatch Kent, to gather feedback about how people have been coping.

Together we have been sharing with decision makers every fortnight the latest updates on the challenges you are facing, and the issues you are experiencing. We’ve heard about a huge range of issues which have changed as the situation has evolved.

Each month we publish a monthly report which summarises everything we have heard that month. The latest monthly report covers the stories we heard in August which include:

• Concerns about going back to school

• Struggles to see a dentist

• Stories about blood tests and the phlebotomy service

• Using technology to access GP and outpatient appointments

You can read all the feedback in our report HERE

Keep sharing your stories

Don’t forget we still want to hear your experiences. Have you been to the dentist recently or tried to see your GP? What about your flu jab? Do you have relatives in a care home, or are you trying to access support for your mental health? Whatever it is, we want to hear from you.

Share your story with Healthwatch Kent and together we can make a difference. Get started HERE

Did you know that smoking is a leading cause of accidental fires in peoples’ homes?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 14:47:56 GMT

Did you know that smoking is a leading cause of accidental fires in peoples’ homes?

Kent Fire & Rescue Service are looking to create a new campaign to help people stay safe in their homes. Could you be involved? KFRS wants to talk to smokers to understand your thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Would you share your experience with them? Your input could help save lives.

Please note, they’re not trying to get you to stop smoking; they want to understand how they can prevent accidental fires.

Would you be willing to take part in a 30 minute telephone call to help?

If you are interested in taking part, complete the form below and email it to Lynsey & Tom at customer@kent.fire-uk.org.

KFRS regularly carry out other research which you may be able to help with. If you would like to find out more please visit the KFRS website here .

Do you know someone who may be hoarding?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 15:55:21 GMT

Do you know someone who may be hoarding?

Hoarding can become a serious issue for people on many levels. It will undoubtedly affect the person’s mental health, and will also lead to physical and sanitary issues. In Kent, we know that every area has a slightly different approach to supporting people who may be hoarding.

We want to hear what works well and ensure everyone in Kent gets the help they need.

If you have a story to tell about hoarding, please get in touch. We have someone local to you who is ready to listen to your story. Please contact us here .

Does your GP tell you about how to get support near to you?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 15:38:58 GMT

Does your GP tell you about how to get support near to you?

For many people, their GP can be a brilliant place to hear about local support services that could help you. For example, they might tell you about a local walking group, a coffee session for other carers who live near to you, or let you know about a group that could support you with your mental health. The benefits of this knowledge are obvious and can have a huge impact on individual patients and help them immensely.

Do you look after someone and have experience of both Care Navigators and Mental health services?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 15:04:15 GMT

Do you look after someone and have experience of both Care Navigators and Mental health services?

Can you tell us your story?

We are urgently seeking feedback from people who are currently looking after someone, and have an experience of the Care Navigation service as well as mental health services.

Can you tell us your story? We will anonymise your feedback before using it to help improve the service for someone else. Click here to contact us.

Are you struggling to get mental health support because of your Autism diagnosis?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 14:48:28 GMT

Are you struggling to get mental health support because of your Autism diagnosis?

We want to hear from you.

When should I get a Covid test?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 12:52:11 GMT

When should I get a Covid test?

With increasing numbers of people trying to get a Covid test, it can be confusing to know when you should, or shouldn’t seek a Covid test.

It’s also difficult to know what to do if you have come into contact with someone who has had a positive Covid test.

Here is the latest advice from Public Health England.

If you have Covid symptoms, you must get a test

If you don’t have symptoms, don’t get a test

If you don’t have Coronavirus symptoms, and have not been advised to take a test by a doctor or a public health professional, you should not be booking a test.

A recent survey states that a quarter of people arriving at testing sites don’t have any symptoms. Please ensure that testing remains for people who actually need it.

What are the symptoms?

NHS 111 lists the main symptoms of Coronavirus as

· a high temperature, a new

· continuous cough

· a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

Most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms.

I have symptoms but can’t get a test. What should I do?

If you have any coronavirus symptoms you must isolate immediately for 10 days (don’t wait for a test or a test result before doing so)

I have been in contact with someone who has a positive Covid test. What should I do?

If you are identified as a contact of a positive case, you must isolate for the full 14 days. You must continue to isolate at home, even if for some reason you got a negative test during that period.

You do not need to get a test unless you have symptoms.

You can get an isolation note to show to your employer that you need to self isolate. Click here for more info

Should I get a test or not?

· Only get a test if you have coronavirus symptoms or have been asked to get tested by a doctor or a public health professional or by your local council. Do not use this service to get a test in order to travel to another country. If you need a certificate for travel purposes, you need to pay for a private test

· The testing service shouldn’t be used to prove to your employer, school, or travel company a negative coronavirus test result. You should only get tested if you have symptoms.

· If someone in your household starts to have symptoms, then they must get tested and the rest of your household should self-isolate with them whilst they wait for the results. If you or other members of the household don’t have symptoms, then you should not get a test – only people with symptoms should get tested. Most people who are tested in person get their results the next day. More information on self isolating is available here

· If you have been in close contact with someone who has coronavirus you should not get tested unless you have coronavirus symptoms. A negative test result does not change the period of time that you will be required to self-isolate.

· If you have been abroad and are quarantining, you should not get tested unless you have coronavirus symptoms. A negative test result does not change the period of time that you will be required to quarantine.

· Do not stockpile tests. If you develop symptoms in future you will be able to book a test. There is no need to order a test in case of future use.

How do I get a test?

If you have symptoms and need to book a test, you can do this online here or by ringing 119.

· You should get tested within the first 5 days of your symptoms

· Do not call 111. This is an urgent service and they cannot help you with tests.

My school or work are telling me I need to get a test…….

· Schools should follow the official guidance here . Schools should not advise pupils or teachers to take a test unless they exhibit one or more of the listed symptoms. If there is a confirmed case then schools should not advise entire classes or year groups to get tested. Only those with symptoms or those advised by their clinician or Local Authority should get a test. Schools must not require students without symptoms to provide evidence of a negative test before letting them back to school.

· Employers should not be asking members of staff to get tested before they come into the workplace.

· Travel companies should not be directing clients to NHS Test and Trace to get a test for anything related to overseas travel.

Remember!

· To stop the spread of the virus - remember: Hands. Face. Space.

· Hands: wash your hands regularly

· Face : use a face covering when social distancing is not possible

· Space : try to keep your distance from people who are not in your householdNew paragraph

Covid-19 vaccine – where are we?

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 10:57:40 GMT

Covid-19 vaccine – where are we?

Scientists all over the world are racing to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus pandemic.

The virus causing this disease is called SARS Cov2. A total of 26 candidates are currently in the clinical evaluation stage of development, according to WHO.

The virus first binds to cells in the lung and then inserts its genes into the lung cells. This tricks the DNA in our lung cells to make new coronaviruses. These then burst out of the cell and infect more cells in our lungs. SARS Cov2 binds to cells with a protein called the spike protein.

A vaccine is a type of medicine that gives our body's immune system an advanced warning of a disease which it has not seen before. Then, if the disease turns up, our body is primed to fight it off such that we do not catch it or spread it around to other people.

Will you get a flu jab this year? Start thinking about it now!

183:814548644 (Engaging Kent) — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 09:02:27 GMT

Will you get a flu jab this year? Start thinking about it now!

Influenza, or flu, is a viral infection that can cause an unpleasant respiratory illness with symptoms such as fever, exhaustion, and cough. Luckily after a few days in bed most people recover. However, it can cause severe illness and even death among vulnerable groups including older people, and those with an underlying health condition.

Does this sound familiar?

The same thing is said for the Covid-19 pandemic that we are all experiencing right now.

In the UK, the flu season runs from about October to March. Flu is not an illness to be dismissed. Public Health England estimates that an average of 17,000 people die from flu and its complications every year in England with many more people admitted to hospital.

In addition, for both the flu and Covid-19, whilst the elderly and those with underlying conditions are more susceptible, flu also hits children and spreads readily in schools and from there to their families and to the wider population.

Scientists and Healthcare workers are worried about the double whammy of a bad flu season and Covid-19 this autumn and winter as this could overwhelm our NHS and Social Care services.

Currently there is no vaccine for Covid-19 but (thankfully) we have one which can help protect you from flu. The NHS is encouraging more people than ever before to get a flu jab. Not only will it mean you should be protected from influenza, it will also mean that the flu virus will not spread as rapidly so you will be helping to protect people who may be really vulnerable.

Covid-19 appears to be taking off again in the UK, so by getting a flu jab you will also be helping to reduce the number of people attending and/or being admitted to hospital with flu allowing our NHS to focus their resources on treating patients with Covid-19.

So, please get your flu jab this year. Millions of us are eligible for a free vaccine and this one small step we can all take to help our NHS and social Care.

Are you eligible for the free vaccine?

This year, the NHS is offering more people than ever a free vaccine.

If you fall into one of these categories, then you will be eligible for a free vaccine:

adults 65 and over
people with certain medical conditions (including children in at-risk groups from 6 months of age)
pregnant women
people living with someone who is at high risk from coronavirus (on the NHS shielded patient list)
children aged 2 and 3 on 31 August 2020
children in primary school
children in year 7 (secondary school)
frontline health or social care workers

Later in the year, the flu vaccine may be given to people aged 50 to 64. More information will be available later in the autumn. However, if you are aged 50 to 64 and in an at-risk group, you should not delay having your flu vaccine.

You can find more information here ( www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine ).

Even if you are not eligible you can get vaccinated at pharmacies for a small fee.

What are you waiting for?!!

We may not be able to protect ourselves against Covid-19, but we can protect ourselves from flu and avoid the risk of getting both at the same time.

By helping ourselves, we will also be helping the NHS and social care and helping to focus on caring for people with coronavirus.

Have you had the flu jab? Tell Healthwatch your experience.

Healthwatch Kent really wants to hear from you if you have had the vaccine or are trying to get one.

Every piece of feedback that they hear will be used to help improve the system for other people. They make sure decision makers hear your feedback so they can do something about it. If you do not tell them, then things will not change.

Get in touch here or call their friendly freephone Helpline on 0808 801 0102