Welcome to the latest update from Healthwatch Bradford and District, your voice on health and social care. This month: how your views on local NHS mental health services will make a real difference in West Yorkshire. Plus: volunteering opportunities, the latest on NHS dentistry and everything you need to know about local health and care services.
Share your story to help improve mental health support in Bradford and West Yorkshire
Have you or your loved ones used NHS mental health services? What was the experience like? What would you change? What needs to be improved?
Many people across West Yorkshire are struggling with their mental health. The West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board will be looking at ways to make this better at its meeting next month (September 2023).
Healthwatch Bradford and District has joined forces with other local Healthwatch in West Yorkshire (Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield and North Yorkshire - covering Craven) for a mental health survey.
We want to hear from anyone who has used, or has a loved one who has used, NHS mental health services, including carers for anyone facing mental health challenges and staff who support people with their mental health as part of their job.
Your views will form part of wider work by the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (also known as an integrated care system), which plans and delivers services, to improve things for people throughout the region.
Share your views directly with local NHS leaders
The West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board will be looking at ways to make mental health support better for people at their next meeting on September 19 in Bradford. There is an opportunity to take part in the meeting and share your views of services, good and bad.
Get in touch with Healthwatch to find out more or to share your story. Email info@westyorkshirehealthwatch.co.uk or call 0113 898 0035.
Young people's experiences with mental health in Bradford
Are you aged 18 or under and living in Bradford district? (This includes Keighley, Shipley, Bingley and Ilkley). We want to hear about your experiences of managing your mental health and finding help and support in our area.
We've heard about a growing "pandemic" of issues facing people aged under 18 in our area around mental health.
We want to work with local young people to help do something about this.
The first step? We want to hear from young people aged 18 and under in our area about your experiences, in your own words. Tell us what's what, and how things need to improve for you:
- What are the main issues affecting mental health for you and your friends?
- Have you tried to find local support? How did that work out for you?
- Do you find support from your friends and family? Or do you talk to online friends facing similar challenges?
- Were you able to find the information you need about local support? How and where would you like to be able to find out about what help is available? Social media, leaflets, visitors to your school? What would best empower you to find support?
- What new services and support would you like to see made available locally, and how would they work best for you? Do your friends in another area have access to help that isn't available to you where you live?
Could you be one of our new Enter and View representatives and visit local health and care services?
Are you interested in making a difference to local health and social care services? Do you enjoy talking to people from all backgrounds? Can you listen to and understand other people's views and experience?
We have several vacancies for Enter and View (Authorised Representatives) Volunteers, who will visit health and social care settings across Bradford district to gather feedback and see how well the services are working.
This is a great opportunity to get involved and influence improvements in local health and social care. Training and support will be given by Healthwatch staff.
Enter and View is the one of the tools available to Healthwatch to find out people’s experiences of health and social care. It’s not an inspection - our authorised representatives go into settings where health and social care services are delivered, like care homes, doctors' surgeries, hospitals, nursing homes, residential units and day centres, and assess the services from a lay perspective and the point of view of the community.
They talk to people using services as well as relatives and staff, and make recommendations to the providers of the services.
Young Healthwatch
Are you aged 16 to 24 in Bradford district? Are you a passionate voice for your community, campaigner for change, social media expert, video guru or just love talking to others and making connections?
We can give you a platform to make sure young people's voices are listened to when it comes to developing health and social care services in our district.
If you're in education, planning a career in health and social care, journalism or digital media, we can help you develop your skills and give you experience which will look great on CVs and applications.
If you're not, but want to shine a light on the issues that matter in your community or give a voice to those who go unheard, that's great too. This is a chance for all of Bradford's young people to set the agenda and shape the future of health and care services.
MPs' report calls for fundamental reform of NHS dental care following evidence from Healthwatch
A new report by MPs into dental care, which draws upon the experiences people have shared with Healthwatch, has called for urgent reform so more people can access an NHS dentist.
Healthwatch England gave oral evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee about the problems people have experienced accessing and affording an NHS dentist.
The committee has called for fundamental reform of NHS dentistry after MPs heard about the pain and distress caused to people who can not see a dentist.
Your feedback helps drive improvements at a local level
Problems accessing NHS dentists make up a huge proportion of the feedback we hear from members of the public, and Healthwatch is working both nationally and across Bradford district and West Yorkshire to ensure your experiences are used to improve services.
NHS England has given responsibility for planning and organising NHS dental services to the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB).
Through the West Yorkshire Voice network, people from across the region shared their experiences to help the board plan what needs to happen next to improve services.
Healthwatch, working together in West Yorkshire (Bradford District and Craven, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield), prepared a report on access to NHS dentistry, and a video highlighting people's experiences was shown at a meeting of the ICB.
Top 10 ways to get the most out of your next dental appointment
How can you get the most out of your next visit to the dentist? Take a look at our tips to help you prepare for your appointment and make sure you understand your treatment and how much it will cost.
Have your say on non-surgical cancer care
People in Bradford district can share their views of local cancer care (non-surgical - such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy) at in-person and online engagement sessions.
You don’t have to have knowledge or awareness about non-surgical cancer care - we will give you all the information you need at the session. We’d like to hear from anyone who wants to be involved and the sessions will be informative and relaxed, with refreshments provided. Follow the links below to sign up.
Latest from Healthwatch England
Digging into your health and care stories
Thousands of people tell the Healthwatch network their first-hand experiences of care every month. Healthwatch England has looked closely at some issues people have told us to help NHS and social care decision-makers improve support.
- Six ways staff shortages are impacting patients
- Why accessible healthcare information is so essential
- How the cost of living is still affecting health
- Understanding the higher use of urgent care services
More admin staff needed to help tackle GP access issues
The latest GP Patient Survey, which heard from 760,000 patients about their experience of GP practices, has found that overall satisfaction with GP services is at 71.3%, down from 72.4% in 2022 and 83% in 2021.
One of the critical issues highlighted by the survey is a significant rise in the number of people saying they have had problems accessing their GP. Only 54% reported a good experience making an appointment (down from 56% last year).
Responding to the findings, Louise Ansari, Chief Executive of Healthwatch England, said: "We know that GP teams across the country are working hard to see and treat more patients, while facing workforce and workload challenges.
"And though the government and NHS England have now published a long-term workforce plan and a plan for recovering primary care services, both will take time to implement.
"To address the immediate challenges, teams must be supported to quickly hire and train more admin staff such as care navigators to improve patient choice and experience. And steps should be taken by decision-makers to make sure that cost is never a barrier for anyone needing to access care, including making GP telephone numbers free to call."
The hidden wait for cancer care
Our research on GP referrals highlighted the frustration patients experience due to long waits and a lack of support. The latest analysis looks at people’s experience of getting a cancer referral.
One in two people will develop cancer during their lifetime in the UK. And for most cancers care can only begin with a referral from GP to hospital teams for tests and treatment.
The NHS Long Term Plan aims to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment, and more recently NHS England identified that short waiting times not only lead to better outcomes and fewer complications but are important in terms of easing patient anxiety and improving experience too.
However, our research paints a worrying picture that suggests there is still much to do to ensure cancer is flagged at the earliest opportunity and that pathways to diagnosis and treatment are as smooth as possible.
Our research also aims to help the government and NHS leaders understand the importance of seeing the person behind the cancer, and that small changes can make a big difference to people at an incredibly difficult time in their lives.
Cancellations of NHS care are having serious impacts on two thirds of patients
New Healthwatch research shows that people are currently facing multiple cancellations or postponements of care which are having a significant impact on their lives and symptoms, while further increasing health inequalities.
Disruptions to care disproportionately affect certain groups, widening existing health inequalities. People who have greater health needs are still facing serious barriers to timely care, and they are also more likely to be more affected by cancellations of care.
- Unpaid carers, 84%, and neurodivergent people, 83%, were more likely to report negative impacts of cancelled care on their lives, followed by people on low incomes, 80%; and those from minority ethnic backgrounds, 75%.
- Groups who were more likely to have had two or more NHS postponements or cancellations included disabled people, 52%; neurodivergent people, 51%; and people on lower incomes, ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ being affected the most, 49%, respectively.
This means that thousands of patients in England are experiencing “catastrophic health impacts” as a result of vital NHS care being delayed or cancelled.
Our national director Louise Ansari, pictured, talked to The Guardian, calling for all parties to reach a resolution.
Do any of these issues resonate with you? Share your stories and experiences with us here.
Latest news from local health and care services
New support service for autistic adults in Bradford district
A pilot service has launched for autistic adults in Bradford district.
Bradford and Craven Autism AIM is a free service co-led by and run for autistic adults (aged 18 and over) who get little or no funded support.
It works with autistic adults living in or registered with a GP in the Bradford, Airedale and Wharfedale and Craven areas.
It can provide up to four one-to-one peer support sessions, support in communicating healthcare needs and accessing GP services and a mental health peer support group.
Services will be run from a Bradford Autism Hub at a venue in Bradford city centre to be confirmed.
Most of the staff team are autistic, while the service is co-led by autistic adults.
The service is for adults (aged 18 and over) who live in the Bradford, Airedale and Wharfedale and Craven areas and/or are registered with a GP in those areas. To access Bradford and Craven Autism AIM, you must have little or no funded support.
Areas covered include Bradford, Keighley, Shipley, Skipton, Bingley, Baildon, Ilkley, Settle, Steeton, Silsden, Grassington and Haworth.
New web pages to support parents of children and young people waiting for an autism or ADHD assessment in Bradford district
Parents of children and young people waiting for an autism or ADHD assessment in Bradford district are set to benefit from a new series of web pages where they can access information about the referral process and various support on offer.
The neurodevelopmental team in CAMHS at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust has put together the pages with the aim of supporting families on the waiting list.
The web pages have been developed in partnership with the charity sector and parents.
Charlotte Hunter-Didrichsen, Assistant Psychologist with CAMHS, said: “The joint approach of developing these web pages has been key.
“It has allowed us to make sure that they are delivering the information that parents are looking for. The web pages aim to support the referral process as well as offer a resource hub that caters to the needs of our families.”
Hospital services to be affected by latest strike action
Strike action is planned this month for junior doctors (August 11-15 and consultants (August 24-26).
Hospital services are set to be disrupted, in particular accident and emergency.
More information from West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership
Read advice and information from Airedale NHS Foundation Trust here.
Read information and advice from Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust here.
New surgical day case unit gets the go-ahead for St Luke's Hospital
Bradford Council has granted full planning permission for a new multi-million-pound investment at St Luke’s Hospital to build a surgical day case unit to help tackle and reduce the local backlog of patients waiting for surgery.
The £19m unit will deliver up to 5,760 operations a year, freeing up capacity for an additional 1,200 operations a year for normal planned surgery and day case surgery at Bradford Royal Infirmary.
It will focus mainly on providing high-volume, low-complexity surgery including trauma and orthopaedics, general surgery, urology, gynaecology, plastic surgery and colorectal surgery.
Currently, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust does not have any dedicated day case theatres. All surgery is carried out in the theatres on the main hospital site at BRI.
Hospital worker gets medal for bravery after tackling man with gun in A&E
A Bradford hospital worker has been presented with a medal for bravery by the Royal Humane Society.
Security officer Dean Priestley disarmed a man who walked into the X-ray area of the A&E department at Bradford Royal Infirmary brandishing an imitation gun and demanding to be seen.
He was was awarded the bronze medal along with a certificate signed by the society’s president, HRH Princess Alexandra.
- The 27-year-old man later pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm, namely a gas-powered BB gun with intent to cause fear of violence. He received a prison sentence.
Latest visiting arrangements at local hospitals
Invitation to Airedale NHS Foundation Trust’s Annual Members’ Meeting
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust is inviting people to attend its Annual Members’ Meeting on Thursday September 7 from 12.30pm. The event is open to everyone.
This is the first face-to-face Annual Members’ Meeting in three years, and the trust is looking forward to welcoming attendees in person at Airedale General Hospital, Steeton.
It is also the first public meeting since the announcement that Airedale has joined the government’s New Hospital Programme so will be an opportunity for members of the public to join the conversation about the trust’s plans.
West Yorkshire makes continuous glucose monitoring devices available for some people living with diabetes
A number of different continuous glucose monitoring devices for people living with diabetes are to be made available for prescription in West Yorkshire following new guidance.
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices are used by people with diabetes to understand their blood sugar (glucose) levels at any time. Having this detailed information can help people living with diabetes, carers and family members manage diabetes more effectively. Devices can alert people to high and low readings and can help people understand patterns in their glucose levels in response to food, exercise or stress.
The NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has commissioned the prescribing of a number of different CGM devices. This follows the publication of new NICE guidance on the management of diabetes and engagement with clinicians across West Yorkshire.
The new policy offers a choice of CGM device to a wide range of adults and children, depending on the type of diabetes they have.
West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership launches plans to support 2.4 million people
West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (WY HCP), which includes NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (NHS WY ICB), has launched two important plans to support the 2.4 million people living across the area.
With the passing of the Health and Care Act 2022, there is a requirement for integrated care systems (like the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership) to develop an integrated health and social care strategy and for integrated care boards to develop a joint forward plan to deliver the NHS components of the strategy.
Building on people’s views on how its ambitions for the NHS will be achieved in a new joint forward plan for the area, the strategy and plan are available to view here.
Co-produced in partnership with colleagues from across all health and care sectors in West Yorkshire, they have been developed from Healthwatch engagement, local involvement activities, views from meetings held in public via the local health and wellbeing boards, West Yorkshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the NHS WY ICB and WY HCP Board.
A public consultation between January and March this year highlighted the importance of access to care, including GPs and dentists as well as breaking down health inequalities, better joined-up care, workforce recruitment and ‘getting the basics right’.
New research highlights impact of air pollution on people seeking help with breathing difficulties in Bradford
As many as one in two healthcare attendances for breathing difficulties in Bradford could be triggered by breaches in daily air pollution limits, new research funded by the National Institute for Health Research has uncovered.
The study, which analysed more than 120,000 patients over four years, has revealed that the impact of pungent gases on healthcare use is far greater than previously reported.
Research experts from the landmark Born in Bradford (BiB) programme scrutinised data from no fewer than 114,930 GP and 9,878 A&E attendances for respiratory problems, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), between January 2018 and December 2021.
Professor Rosie McEachan, pictured, director of the Born in Bradford study and senior author of the report, said: “Some 500 people die in Bradford each year from respiratory disease and we know that air pollution is a contributory factor.
“Our research has shown that when air pollution is high, there is an increase in demand at our hospitals and GPs, which can put pressure on our services."
What do you think about pollution and the Clean Air Zone in Bradford?
Born In Bradford is a research project which is following the lives of over 50,000 Bradford residents to explore why some families stay healthy and why others fall ill.
They want to find out what you think about Bradford council's plans to reduce pollution, and the best ways to reduce pollution to help keep families healthy and happy, in a study called BiB Breathes.
Information from the survey will be used to find out the most important things that could be done in the city to reduce pollution in Bradford and elsewhere.
Do you want to be in the BiBBS family?
Born in Bradford’s Better Start (BiBBS) is giving all families who live in the Better Start Bradford areas of the city – Bradford Moor, Bowling and Barkerend and Little Horton – the opportunity to take part in its important study.
BiBBS wants to understand how to give children the best possible start in life. The study monitors and evaluates the effects of the Better Start Bradford projects on children’s wellbeing, health and early development. For example, findings from the study have already shown that children who have access to good-quality green spaces and parks have better mental wellbeing.
BiBBS has been recruiting families since 2016, and so far has more than 4,800 families involved in the study. It normally invites families to take part when they are expecting a baby, but there are a lot of families that the team didn’t get a chance to talk to at that time.
The team is now keen to make sure all families that want to take part can join the study.
Share your positive mental health strategies for 'Book of Cope'
People are being encouraged to share their positive coping strategies for a new book designed to help anyone struggling with their mental health.
The ‘Book of Cope’ will celebrate and share the different strategies people from West Yorkshire use to boost their mental wellbeing, to help others when facing their own challenges.
Arlie Haslam, pictured, Suicide Prevention Coproduction Co-ordinator at Leeds Mind, said: “We came up with the idea for ‘Book of Cope’ when we were talking about coping strategies and how important peer support can be on your mental health journey.
“Our project is a team of people who all have similar lived experience. Being with people who truly understand because they have been there too can feel very healing.
“We wanted to capture this feeling in book form – a collection of coping strategies from people all over West Yorkshire, to help someone else who might be struggling. We hope the book feels like community and lets people know they’re not alone.”
Support, information and advice
Registering with your GP: understanding your rights
Many people have told Healthwatch that you have experienced problems registering with a GP. This article explains more about your rights and what do to if you are refused the right to register.
Top tips to get the most out of your GP appointment
Do you struggle to speak to your doctor about your medical concerns? You’re not alone. Take a look at our top tips to make the most out of your GP appointment.
Looking after your mental health all year round
In a post-pandemic world where the cost-of-living crisis is challenging for many of us, prioritising our mental health and wellbeing is necessary.
One in four people in the UK suffers from a mental health condition. With everything going on in our daily lives, awareness of our mental health and how to care for ourselves or others is essential.
We know how to care for our physical health and what to do when we're unwell or injured. So we should take the same approach to mental health when we're not feeling quite ourselves.
We can do a lot for our mental health and overall wellbeing. Knowing some of the symptoms of depression and anxiety is half the battle, and identifying them can help determine our next steps in deciding what care and support we need. It’s important that we should seek professional support where and when self-care hasn't been effective.
Help to stay safe and well over the summer
Advice and information on staying well over the summer is available on a West Yorkshire website.
The #TogetherWeCan resource focuses on topics like sunscreen and sun safety, hot weather advice, medication and insect bites and stings.
Local support from Diabetes UK
Here's up-to-date information from Diabetes UK about support available for people in the north of England, including peer support, Instagram, online help, the helpline and learning zone plus local contact details.