Helping local people improve health and social care services

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For previous Newsletters, please click here.

Our Latest Newsletter (December) is available to download.

For our HealthWatch Briefing March 2012, please click here

New Healthwatch regulations could ''gag'' people from making their views known on policies that shape local health and social care services

LINk Southwark and Lambeth LINk have written a joint letter to the Minister of State for Care and Support and the Chair of Healthwatch, expressing their concerns over the new regulations, that state Healthwatch organisations cannot or pomote changes in ''any matter or in any policy adopted by any Governmental or public body in relation to any matter''. Our letter to Norman Lamb MP, Minister of State for Care and Support and Anna Bradley, Healthwatch England Chair, states why both LINk Southwark and Lambeth LINk oppose the regulations.

''We work hard to ensure we express the views of the people of Lamebth and Soutwhark when giving comments to the NHS or the Council. It is our role to give voice eo the experiences that people have of services provided by local policies...many Lambeth and Southwark residents, service users, organisations, Carers, healthwatch volunteers will perceive these regulations as ''gagging'' them from making their views known''. Click here to read the letter.

South London Healthcare Trust - Final Recommendations published to Health Secretary

Matthew Kershaw, the Trust Special Adminstrator has sent his final report and recommendations to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt relating to the future of South London Healthcare Foundation Trust and NHS services across South East London. His recommendations do not widely differ from his draft recommendations published in October 2012, although they have been refined with particular reference to maternity and A&E services in Lewisham. Jeremy Hunt wil have until 1st February 2013 to publish his response to the recommendations which could see him reject or approve them. To access the report and recommendations, please click here www.tsa.nhs.net.uk

Centre of Excellence for dementia and complex needs - Agreed by Southwark Cabinet

Southwark Council Cabinet members have agreed the centre of excellence vision as set out Report appendix 1 at their last meeting on 11th December 2012. Thre will now be further consultation with families and key stakeholders on the preferred option of Cator Street as the location for the centre. Officers will now establish a working group made up of families/cares, the NHS and other stakeholders to take forward the vision for the centre of excellence, shape the proposed model of care and work jointly with corporate property in the design and procurement of the centre. An information report will be submitted to the Cabinet in 6 months. To access the report click here.

CQC - State of Care Report for all care sectors - Nov 2012

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published its first comprehensive 'State of Care' Report. The report examines all care sectors for the first time and explores why some care services are failing to meet CQC standards. With an increase in the number of peoplew ith complex or multiple illnesses, and the rising numbers of older people with dementia, the report notes a growing demand for nursing care within social care settings. This is reflected in an increase in the number of nursing homes registered with CQC in 2011/12. At the same time, the number of residential (non-nursing) care homes is falling. To read the press release and report click here. www.cqc.org.uk/stateofcare2012.

South London Healthcare Trust - Trust Special Adminstrator Report Published - 29th Oct

South London Healthcare Trust with three hospitals based in Greenwich, Bexley and Bromley* is the first NHS Trust to be put into adminstration in July 2012 as part of the Government's approach in dealing with financially-troubled NHS organisations. Mathew Kershaw, Special Adminstrator leading the review has published his draft recommendations which include changes to Community Based Care, Emergency care, Maternity care, Elective care and
Vacant and poorly utilised premises. These draft recommendations will affect on how health services are delivered across SOuth East London and will directly and indirectly affect Southwark residents including Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust, King‟s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust will also be affected.

More information including summary, full report and recommendations can be found here. www.tsa.nhs.uk.Download letter from Matthew Kershaw to stakeholders dated 30th Oct.A public meeting was held 27th November at Cambridge House, 1 Addington Square, SE5 OHF, 7- 9pm. The consultation on its recommendations will open on 2nd November and close on midnight 14th December 2012.

Read our response to Trust Special Adminstrator's draft recommendations.

Read our concerns and considerations to the proposed Kings Health Partners Merger

Proposed New Centre of Excellence for Dementia and Complex Needs

LINk Southwark would like to find out more about your views about Southwark Council's propsal to create a 'Centre of Excellence' which will be a new, more advanced Day Centre for Older People with dementia and complex needs.

The Centre will open 7 days a week for longer hours than existing day centres and will make use of more advanced technology as well as providing therapeutic rooms and structured activities. It would aim to maximise independence of older people and to support their carers with the underlying aim of preventing admission to residential care. Attendance at each activity session would be restricted to approximately 40 people in receipt of a personal budget. There would be scope for older people with early onset dementia to attend some support sessions even if they were ineligible for a personal budget. The Day Centre would host in-house and outreach sessions provided by a wide range of statutory and community organisations e.g. Community Mental Health teams; Alzheimer’s Society; Age UK as well as Leisure Services and voluntary groups.

The plan is to spend up to £2million on the new Centre and to close the two existing Day Centres, Fred Francis in Lordship Lane and Southwark Park Road. This follows the closure of Holmhurst Day Centre last year. The location of the Centre is not yet determined.To fully understand the proposal, we suggest you read Southwark Councils consultation paper called 'Future Vision'. Consultation deadline - 27th September.

How to respond:

Attend our open meeting to tell us your views on 30th August at 10am , Cambridge House
Download our form, complete and send to us by 20th September (Cambridge House, 1 Addington Square, SE5 0HF)
Email the form to us at link@ch1889.org
Leave a comment on our online forum at http://www.linksouthwark.org/forum.php
To view our Response to the consultation click here

New Pharmacy Application in Dulwich

NHS South East London Cluster has received a new application from First Care Pharmacy Ltd to open a new pharmacy at 163 -169 Crystal Palace Road, East Dulwich, London SE22 9EP. A full list of services that the pharmacy are applying to provide is available to download here and accompanying letter. Due to an electronic communication issue, the deadline for comments has now been extended. If you have any comments about the proposal, please contact us before 27th August 2012 and we will forward your coments to NHS South East London.

LINk Southwark published Annual Report for 2011-2012

LINk Southwark has published its Annual report for 2011-2012. The report outlines what LINk has been doing, its activites and how it has made an impact. The document is also intended to give the public a more thorough understanding of LINks and how to get involved in in a variety of ways. Click here to be the LINk Annual Report.

LINk Southwark E–Bulletins / Newsletters

LINk Southwark have recently introduced weekly e–bulletins – thanks to public demand. These are short snippets of news and events in Southwark and nationally. We do not upload these. To make sure you don’t miss your e–bulletin, please sign up to become a member. Its simple and free! Please click on our 'Join Here' box on your left or drop us an email at link@ch1889.org

Our more older newsletters are available below. Our next newsletter will be at the end of April 2012. Note; Newsletters will be bi-monthly although e-bulletins will be bi-weekly.