Category Archives: Health News

Local Healthwatch (which came into being on April 1st),  is a new watchdog organisation set up as part of the 2012 Health and Social Care Act, to hold health and care services to account. To be effective & to ensure that local services meet needs, they need your support and are asking that voluntary and community organisations to sign up to supporting your local Healthwatch via the following Healthwatch website. Organisations have until the end of May to sign up.

FEDS Kirklees is a carers’ support group, which also raises awareness of eating disorders with the ultimate goal of improving services in Kirklees and Calderdale. They are encouraging anyone who has experienced health care in the last 3 years, either as a patient or as a carer or friend of someone else, to visit the  Patients Opinion website. This independent site has been set up to gather experiences of UK health services, good or bad, and then pass them on to the right people to make a difference.

NHS Kirklees is currently in the process of raising awareness about NHS Continuing Healthcare – Introduction of deadlines for requests for assessments of eligibility for cases during the period 1 April 2011 – 31 March 2012. NHS CHC is care provided over an extended period of time to meet physical or mental health needs that have arisen as a result of disability, accident or illness. NHS CHC funding is only provided where an individual has a primary health need and requires long term healthcare, as opposed to social or residential care. They are asking for individuals or their representatives to notify NHS Kirklees in respect of previously un-assessed periods of time where there is evidence that they should have been assessed for eligibility for NHS CHC funding. Full details can be found via the NHS Kirklees website.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is setting up new independent advisory committees to develop quality standards for the treatment and prevention of different diseases and conditions and provision of social care. Lay members are required to play a key role in making sure that the views, experiences and interests of those who use NHS and social care services inform the development of quality standards and their recommendations to the NHS and social care providers. Full details about this opportunity and how to apply can be found via the NHS Nice website. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 27th February (5pm).

As part of the Meeting The Challenge programme, NHS Calderdale, Kirklees & Wakefield district are looking to gather feedback from anyone that has had (in the last three months) or is awaiting an outpatient appointment at Dewsbury, Pontefract or Pinderfields Hospitals. The programme’s aim is to track a patient’s journey through the outpatient service at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, and to identify areas for improvement.  To get involved, contact Helen Butters on 01924 317644 or email helen.butters@wdpct.nhs.uk by the end of January.