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Advice and Information -
Avoid the wait at the GP and know when to visit your pharmacist instead. Look at how your pharmacist can help you. -
Report -
Read more about our February 2020 Board meeting in public. Our Board members reviewed and signed off our ‘Patient Experience at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust’ report. -
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Report -
The report from our visit to Minor Injuries, Beckett ward and Outpatients at St Albans City Hospital using our legal power to Enter and View. -
Advice and Information -
In light of recent Public Health and Healthwatch England advice we have been reviewing our activity in response to the coronavirus outbreak. -
Advice and Information -
In response to the current crisis surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19), please see below some key information that we hope will be useful to the public within Hertfordshire and beyond. -
Advice and Information -
Take a look at our advice article on the organisations and groups that can support you if you’re grieving. -
Advice and Information -
The Coronavirus outbreak is placing huge pressure on our local hospitals. So that they can look after patients with acute needs, hospitals are changing the way patients are discharged. -
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We worked with our Learning Disability Service Watch Group to co-produce an Annual Health Check research project. The focus of the work was to investigate the uptake and quality of Annual Health Checks from the Learning Disability Community. -
Advice and Information -
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is affecting all our daily lives. Social distancing and self-isolation in particular can be difficult to cope with, and can have a significant impact on our mental health -
Advice and Information -
The Integrated Musculoskeletal (MSK) services in Herts Valleys have now moved all appointments to either virtual or telephone appointments.
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News -
Plans are in place to move Moorfields Eye Hospital to a new location and design a new patient friendly centre.
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Healthwatch Hertfordshire alongside Healthwatch Hillingdon has been supporting the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre Review led by NHS England Specialised Commissioning. -
Advice and Information -
Self-isolation, social distancing and shielding have been introduced by the Government to help you and your loved ones stay safe from COVID-19. Find out what they mean in practice and what applies to you. -
Advice and Information -
The Coronavirus outbreak is placing huge press on our local hospitals. So that they can look after patients with acute needs, hospitals are changing the way patients are discharged -
News -
Please read more to find out how you can have an impact on the way pharmaceutical services are commissioned in Hertfordshire in the future.
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Advice and Information -
Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, there have been local changes to the NHS provision of non-essential outpatient appointments. -
Advice and Information -
Following national guidance, there have been restrictions placed on most hospital visitation. -
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Healthwatch Hertfordshire’s Chief Executive Geoff Brown has an important message for us all. -
Advice and Information -
In line with government guidelines, the vast majority of the public in Hertfordshire are protecting themselves and others from coronavirus by staying at home.
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How you can contribute to the health service’s efforts in this difficult time - East of England Ambulance Service are looking to recruit temporary workers.
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We carried out a short survey to understand service user experiences of Non-Emergency Patient Transport, provided by the East of England Ambulance Service in Hertfordshire. Find out what people told us here. -
Advice and Information -
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the NHS is encouraging people, especially those at the highest risk of COVID-19, to talk about their preferences for end of life care.
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Advice and Information -
Grief is something people experience when someone close to use dies. People react in different ways when someone dies, and there is no right or wrong way to feel.
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Advice and Information -
You may have heard the word ‘shielding’ in reference to coronavirus. Shielding is the word used to describe how to protect those at highest risk of severe illness if they catch coronavirus. -
Advice and Information -
The Commission on Human Medicines has now confirmed that there is no clear evidence that using ibuprofen to treat symptoms such as a high temperature can make coronavirus (COVID-19) worse. -
Advice and Information -
Due to the coronavirus outbreak NHS England have made changes to the way they deliver dental care. To help prevent the spread of coronavirus routine dental care is not currently available and routine appointments will not take place. -
Advice and Information -
Whilst it is extremely important to follow Government advice to stay at home during this period, it can be confusing to know what to do if your child is unwell or injured. Parents should not delay seeking help or advice. -
Advice and Information -
As older people are at an increased risk of severe illness, NHS and Government guidance advises that older people need to be particularly stringent in following social distancing and staying at home. -
Advice and Information -
Data has shown that the number of people going to A&E has dropped, prompting concerns that the seriously ill may be staying away because of concerns about catching coronavirus, or not wanting to place additional burden on the NHS.
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Advice and Information -
We wanted to share some important information regarding the coronavirus situation. -
Advice and Information -
If you are experiencing, or feel at risk of, domestic abuse or are worried about someone who might be, find out where you can go for advice and help. -
Advice and Information -
The NHS has contacted people who are at risk of severe illness if they catch coronavirus – this is because they have an underlying health condition which makes them clinically extremely vulnerable. -
Advice and Information -
From Monday, 1 June, people who are shielding are able to go out once a day for exercise but they must maintain social distancing.
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Advice and Information -
From Monday 15th June in line with Government recommendations, outpatients and visitors attending hospital must wear a face covering at all times to help prevent the spread of injection and keep everyone safe. -
Report -
Read about the work that we have been doing over the past year to hear the patient voice in Hertfordshire and to recommend improvements to health and social care services. -
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Our Annual Report 2019/20 is now published online. The report details the work that we have been doing over the past year to help the patient voice in Hertfordshire and to recommend improvements to health and social care services. -
Advice and Information -
On the 22nd of June, the Government updated the advice for those shielding. The new advice is being carried out in two phases on 6th of July and 1st of August. The advice takes into account the reduction in COVID-19 infection rates in recent weeks. -
News -
Did you know that according to ONS data, there are approximately 36,000 veterans living in Hertfordshire? However, as in other parts of the country, there is relatively little data on specific health issues or priorities of the veteran community.
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Read more about our AGM, where the members approve the accounts and elect the trustees new to the Board, or conduct a re-election where a member’s term has reached three years. -
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Healthwatch Hertfordshire CEO Geoff Brown reflects on learning from the pandemic from a Healthwatch and patient perspective during an eventful year. -
Report -
This policy and procedure outlines: what Enter & View is, how Healthwatch Hertfordshire plans its visits, and how Authorised Representatives should conduct the visit. It also includes information on our statutory powers to do this. -
Advice and Information -
National Voices, Traverse, PPL and Healthwatch England put together some tips on how to get the most out of the virtual health and care appointments both for patients and health and care professionals. -
Advice and Information -
As dental practices reopen you will encounter changes such as dentists and nurses dressed head to toe in full PPE. There is an even greater emphasis now on ensuring safe and effective measures to stop the spread of infections including Covid-19. -
Advice and Information -
The usual processes the NHS follows to discharge you from hospital have changed during the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s what you can expect when it’s time to leave hospital. -
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Report -
Read more about our August 2020 Board meeting in public. Our Board members reviewed and signed off our new Strategy for 2020 – 24 and looked at the highlights of our achievements based on information from contract monitoring returns in 2019-20. -
Report -
Annual Health Checks for people with learning disabilities were being missed, or not done properly by local GP’s. This is how we helped. -
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We have been working with Herts County Council to find out what people with learning disabilities, their carers and support workers think about Annual Health Checks. The response was fantastic and our report is now available.
