05 September 2016
Information about plans currently being drawn up to make radical changes to NHS services in Enfield and four other north London boroughs will be made public at a meeting on 26th September.
Details of the meeting at the Dugdale Centre have appeared on the Healthwatch Enfield website (see the box at the bottom of this article).
The plan in question is one of the "Sustainability and Transformation Plans" (STPs) that are currently in development, each covering health and social care in one.......
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31 August 2016
The body that commissions and pays for NHS services in Enfield is being forced to make sharp reductions in expenditure over the next two years which will inevitably affect the availability of services.
In addition, over the next five years the NHS in the five "North Central London" boroughs will be required to reduce the level of annual expenditure by around £771 million, to be achieved through implementing "Sustainability & Transformation Plans". These savings are required.......
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20 August 2016
Information from the weekly newletter issued by London Councils.
Consultation on HIV prevention drugs
London Councils is calling on Londoners to respond to the NHS England online consultation on HIV prevention drugs, known as PrEP. The drugs can be prescribed to people at greatest risk of contracting HIV.
NHS England announced earlier this year that it does not have the power to commission PrEP, but a judicial review brought by the National Aids Trust determined that it could. NHS.......
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05 August 2016
A petition has been launched in support of a cross-party campaign demanding "Fairer Funding for Enfield".
The petition has been organised by the Enfield Over 50s Forum and has the strong support of both political parties represented on Enfield Council. Enfield residents of all ages are invited to sign - the effects of underfunding are felt across the generations.
FAIRER FUNDING FOR ENFIELD
A cross-political party Petition addressed to the Secretary of State, Department of.......
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04 August 2016
Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group is carrying out an online survey of residents' experience of local Paediatric Assessment Units.
There will be a focus group meeting on 23rd August.
Please tell us your experience of local Paediatric Assessment Units (PAUs)
Paediatric Assessment Units (PAU) provide specialist urgent care services to children aged 0-18. To access care at a PAU, children need to be referred by a health professional.
We would like to hear about your experiences of local.......
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25 July 2016
A recently published document provides a detailed timeline of the developing crisis in Accident & Emergency at the North Middlesex Hospital and of the actions taken to mitigate the situation.
The document, entitled Quality and Safety Concerns at North Middlesex UniversityHospital, was prepared for discussion at the July meeting of the Governing Body of Haringey Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)*. A summary on the front page reads as follows:
During the last 18 months, Haringey CCG.......
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06 July 2016
The Care Quality Commission carried out an inspection of the Emergency Department at the North Middlesex Hosptial last week and has today issued the following press release.
The specialist website NHE has published an article based on the press release with a small amount of comment and additional reporting.
CQC inspectors find emergency care at North Middlesex University Hospital to be Inadequate
Published: 6 July 2016Service: North Middlesex University HospitalProvider: North Middlesex.......
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03 July 2016
The "watchdog" organisation Healthwatch Enfield has issued its Annual Report for 2015/16.
Healthwatch defines its role as follows:
Healthwatch Enfield is the independent consumer champion for health and social care in the borough.
We’re here to amplify the voices of local people and to help them find the health and social care services that they need.
Everything we say and do is informed by our connections to local people. Our sole focus is on understanding the needs, positive.......
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15 June 2016
An article in the Guardian has revealed that there is a serious risk that the Accident & Emergency Department at the North Middlesex Hospital may be forced to close in the near future because an acute shortage of doctors means that it is unable to provide a sufficient level of patient safety.
North Mid has one of the busiest A&E departments in the country, treating up to 500 cases per day.
Though it has been clear for some time that there were serious problems with the North Mid's.......
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and forum comments
11 June 2016
Do you have questions about GPs in your local area? Want to give us some feedback on your local practice?
Healthwatch Enfield will be holding a twitter Question and Answer session next Friday on GPs in Enfield. Staff will be on hand to answer any questions you have about GPs in your local area and to listen to your feedback.
To take part simply tweet using the hashtag #myGP on Friday 17th June between 11.30am and 2pm.
Our twitter feed is.......
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24 May 2016
Despite increases in the borough's population, the organisation that pays for NHS services in Enfield is being asked to cut its expenditure by nearly five per cent this year.
The scale of savings being required was revealed at the 11th May meeting of the governing body of Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). At the meeting it was confirmed that the CCG has been ordered to institute a Recovery Plan in order to clear its deficit, totalling £33.4 million. This figure equates to nearly.......
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13 April 2016
On April 15th 2016, I will be locked into the patient garden at Chase Farm Hospital to raise funds to redevelop the space into a therapeutic, sensory garden for dementia patients - a cause very close to my heart.
I will be locked in until I reach my target of £5,000!! Help me!
Chase Farm Charity are trying to raise £120,000 to redevelop this garden and another stroke and neuro rehabilitation garden for patients within the hospital. They have raised just.......
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12 April 2016
The following summary is taken verbatim from the Healthwatch Enfield website
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust rated "requires improvement", following inspection
30/03/2016
England's Chief Inspector of Hospitals has rated Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust as Requires Improvement following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
CQC inspectors found that although the trust leadership team had identified many of the problems facing the.......
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27 March 2016
Redevelopment plans at Chase Farm Hospital receive final approval
The following report was posted on the Healthwatch Enfield website on 24 March 2016.
The redevelopment of Chase Farm Hospital has received the final go-ahead. The finalised plans were approved by Enfield Council in January, and have now been approved by the government, which is the final stage of the approval process.
Government approval of the full business case means public funds can now be released; in total the government.......
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25 February 2016
Enfield CCG is reviewing local urgent care services to make sure they are meeting the needs of our local population. We want to hear your views on how you access and use urgent care services.
Urgent care services are the services that are there to look after you when you have an injury or an unplanned illness and you need immediate advice and support. Enfield CCG commissions a range of urgent care services so that patients in Enfield can access care for non-life threatening illnesses and.......
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05 February 2016
Enfield Council's planning committee has approved the latest planning application for the redevelopment of Chase Farm Hospital. The application covers the appearance, size and layout of the new hospital, and was approved unanimously.
Preparatory work for the redevelopment work has now begun, with demolition of unused buildings and alterations to some of the internal roads taking place.
Construction of the new hospital itself is due to begin in spring.
The next public engagement event is.......
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05 January 2016
If you've ever suffered depression and it only started when you were 55 or older, the Royal Free Hospital would like to hear from you.
The Royal Free is carrying out a study designed to improve the understanding of the causes of late-onset depression. Volunteers are needed to help researchers investigate neural pathways in the brains of older people with depression, with the aim of developing more effective treatments.
If you would like to take part you will be asked to attend the.......
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21 December 2015
Healthwatch Enfield's press release issued in connection with the publication of their report on GP waiting rooms (see this earlier report) sounds a noticeably more critical note than the summary that was issued with the report. In particular, it is evident that in three important areas - patient privacy, information about how to register, and provision for deaf patients - half or more of GP practices were found wanting.
The full text of the press release follows:
Press release -.......
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19 December 2015
Healthwatch Enfield has issued its initial report on the experiences of patients in GP surgery waiting rooms. The report looked at the following aspects:
Visible information regarding the following:
Patient Participation Group (PPG)
How to access out of hours care
How to complain
How to register
Publicity for online services
Availability of the GP Friends and Family Test (FFT)
Booking interpreters
The practice’s Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating
The Improving Access to.......
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11 December 2015
Starting on 20th February it will no longer be possible to have a blood test at Chase Farm Hospital without booking in advance.
Currently patients can either pre-book or just turn up and ask at reception. However, after 19th February the second (drop-in) option will no longer be available.
Adult blood test clinics run at the following times:
Monday-Wednesday: 8am-7.30pm
Thursday: 8am-6.30pm
Friday: 8am-4pm
To book a blood test either phone 020 8375 1471 or book online........
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