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Latest News on local and national activities
Blog - Can general practice learn from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Over the last 2 years, concerns raised by local residents about GP services has been the number one reason why they contacted Healthwatch Barking and...
Twin crisis of access and affordability calls for a radical rethink of NHS dentistry
New data indicates the dental crisis shows no signs of slowing, with four in five people (80%) struggling to access timely care during the last COVID...
GP Services in Barking & Dagenham - Spring Bank Holiday Weekend
With the late Spring bank holiday upon us, Healthwatch can advise that GP services for the borough are available to local people if they need to...
COVID-19 - Vaccinations Offered to 34 & 35 year olds
NHS england has confirmed that all 34 & 35 year olds can now apply to get their COVID vaccine done. The timetable to vaccinate people has speeded up in some parts of the country because of the increasing risk of the Indian variant, while high-risk people will now have to wait eight weeks...
Step 3 - Road Map out of Lockdown
As part of Step 3, no earlier than 17 May, the government will look to continue easing limits on seeing friends and family wherever possible, allowing people to decide on the appropriate level of risk for their circumstances. This means that most legal restrictions on meeting others outdoors will...
All Patients have a right to see their GP Face 2 Face
In a change of policy announced on 13th May 2021, NHS England has abolished telephone and online GP appointments as the only way of engaging with patients. Every patient now has a right to ask to see their GP face to face after constructive objections were raised by Healthwatch and other patient...
Ear Wax Removal Services in Barking & Dagenham
Healthwatch has received a number of issues raised by local people with concerns about accessing Ear Wax removal services at local GP practices. It was pointed out, that the nearest private service - based in Havering - costs between £60 and £80. Both the cost and travel are just not...
COVID-19 Vaccination Status When Travelling Abroad
As aspirations turn to Summer holidays and travel reasons, the government has today published guidance for people wishing to travel abroad and how they can demonstrate their COVID-19 vaccination status to enable them to do so. For more information in this latest change you can see the guidance here.
Improving Care For People With Diabetes
The National Diabetes Audit (NDA) is a national clinical audit that measures the effectiveness of diabetes healthcare against clinical guidelines and quality standards in England and Wales. The specification for measuring Diabetes healthcare is changing - if you have Diabetes, this is an...
GP Appointments in Barking & Dagenham - Early May Bank Holiday 2021
Knowing the right place for medical help over this May bank holiday weekend can help you get the treatment you need faster. You can get an appointment with a GP from 8am to 8pm on the Saturday, Sunday and bank holiday Monday (3 May). Find out more details here about GP Appointments in Barking...
Sexual Health Services in Barking & Dagenham - Survey Questionnaire
Since the arrival of COVID-19 and the consequential lockdowns, sexual health services have changed the way they are being delivered. One of the changes was that sexual health services, run by the Barking, Havering and Redbridge hospital trust, are delivered exclusively from Barking Community...
Consultation - Care/Nursing Home Staff and COVID Vaccines
Staff in care homes with older adult residents in England may be required to have a COVID-19 vaccine to protect residents from the virus. On 14th April 2021 the government launched a 5 week consultation on making COVID vaccinations a condition of work for people who are deployed in these homes...
People aged 42 and over in England can book their COVID-19 vaccination
It's been announced by the government on 27th April, that all people in England who are over 42 years old or turn 42 before 1st July 2021 , can book a COVID 19 vaccination. These are not walk-in centres. Find out more here and book your Appointment...
Regular Rapid COVID-19 Tests
As part of choosing a safer passage out of the pandemic, the government has commissioned rapid flow testing to identify those in our communities who may be carrying the virus, but show now symptoms. About 1 in 3 people carry the virus this way and could unwittingly infect those around them. More...
Blog - Access to Healthcare: Lifting the Lid on Language Barriers
How often do you hear someone say, “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it” As a phrase, it’s used as an “off the cuff” analogy for a barrier to get over or find a way around on a journey to achieving an aim. How could you relate that to someone needing to...
North East London COVID Vaccination Centres
Produced by NHS North East London CCG, this map shows the locations for the places in North East London to get vaccinations done for COVID. **It's important to note that these are not Walk-In Centres and you should book your appointments when invited to do so...
Free Health Complaints Advocacy Service
POhWER provide the Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service for the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham and to deliver NHS Complaints Advocacy to the local residents. The service is free, confidential and independent to the NHS. The Independent Heath Complaints Advocacy Service can help...
Barking & Dagenham CCG Merger
From 1st April, Barking & Dagenham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has merged to become part of North East London CCG. Find out more about how the local Integrated Care System (ICS) works and it's plans for future Health and Care Services. You can view the structure of the change here...
Coronavirus Vaccines Explained - 17 Languages
Understanding the Coronavirus vaccine with the right information is vital. This set of videos is produced in 17 different languages to enable more people to access this information. The videos can be seen here.
Healthwatch News Bulletin - March 2021
Spring has sprung! Find out what's been happening with Healthwatch - see the latest e-bulletin here...
GP appointments available over the Easter holidays in Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge
22 March 2021, 09:00 Knowing the right place for medical help over the Easter holidays can help you get the treatment you need faster. You can get an appointment with a GP from 8am to 8pm on both bank holidays. Out of hours GP appointments are available every normal weekday evening between 6.30pm...
Young People share their lived experience of lockdown
Young Londoners were at the forefront of a roundtable hosted by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and chaired by Deputy Mayor, Joanne McCartney, to mark Good Thinking’s new expanded digital platform to provide young people aged 13-18 with access to free resources and new NHS approved apps to...
The Voices of Disabled Residents in Barking & Dagenham
There is great interest and value in understanding the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of those who use health and social care services. It is of particular importance that the experiences of those who have any kind of disability are explored and understood. COVID-19 has exposed or created...
Blog - Local Relationships at the Heart of the Vaccination Rollout
As I type this, according to the government, more than 20 million people in the UK have had their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. I had my vaccination a couple of weeks ago, and some of my family have had theirs over the last month or so. It feels like a ray of hope at what has been, a really...
Digital access to GP services- share your experiences
It has always been important to access GP services. Whether you want a blood test, vaccination or prescription, a consultation with your GP is required. During the pandemic GPs have adapted the way they offer patient consultations. Whilst this has worked for some, others have Patients have...
Increasing Vaccine Uptake in Black, Asian, Minority, Ethnic Communities
A key focus for North East London is increasing the uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine by Black, Asian, Minority, Ethnic (BAME) communities. Local data indicates that so far there has been a much larger number of Asian and White population and smaller proportion of the Black population vaccinated, with...
Welfare and Wellbeing - Domiciliary Care and Care Home Staff
Caring for the most vulnerable people in our local community; people living in care and nursing homes and those that have care support in their own homes; has been an immense challenge for the local care sector throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerns about the health and wellbeing of care home...
COVID-19 - Vaccination Questions & Answers
There are a number of rumours and storys floating around on the internet about the COVID 19 Vaccines. Healthwatch has put together a Q & A document, including key messages, to inform and guide the public about the vaccines. You can find out more about here.
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