1 Welcome from your East Neighbourhood Projects Coordinator! These times can be challenging for us for one reason or another. Do you sometimes feel like you are on a rollercaster of emotions – one day making the most of life in your own little bubble and the next feeling isolated and emotional? I know I certainly do. There is lots of help and support to guide you through those difficult days. This edition provides you with some useful information which might just help to point you in the right direction …. #wecangetthroughthistogether! Cheryl Watkinson Neighbourhood Project Coordinator (East) How your Primary Care Network GP Practices have adapted to COVID-19 to support you and your families COVID-19 has brought with it massive challenges for GP practices and how they continue to function on day to day basis and support patients. They have risen to this challenge and adapted how they work and support patients in their local community. GP practices have experienced a reduced footfall due to the risk of infection and changed the way they consult with patients. Once of the biggest changes is an increasing the use of technology – many consultations are now carried out by telephone or video. GP practice staff along with our Social Prescribing Link Workers have been busy contacting their most vulnerable patients to check in on them. Patients are being encouraged to use the electronic ordering system. The impact of the virus has affected practice staff also leading to reduced staffing levels. Again, staff have adapted and remote working has now become part of the norm for many – working from home where possible. Zoom meetings have also become a ‘norm’ for GPs and practice staff. I think this would be an excellent opportunity to thank all of our GP practices in the East Primary Care Network for displaying such resourcefulness and resilience in these challenging times. Help and support is at hand …. Mental Health Self-Referral Service Self-referral support services continue to be provided for those who may be experiencing common mental health problems during these challenging times. RDaSH and the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) team have switched to remote working to enable them to keep in touch with patients. This includes telephone and video consultations and signposting people to internet therapy sessions. In these very difficult times, people are understandably worried about many matters, from their health, work and financial situations, to friends and family. It would be unusual to NOT be affected by what is happening around us. Feeling anxious, worried and possibly scared is normal in our current circumstances. Doncaster IAPT can help with psychological therapies, as and where there is an identified and appropriate need. In addition to telephone and video calls, they recently launched an online support programme, called Mind District, which offers a range of strategies, skills and techniques to help people manage their psychological difficulties. Anyone with a smartphone, tablet or computer can access it immediately after talking to the team. Self-referrals to the Doncaster Talking Shop and IAPT service can be made by ringing 01302 565556.
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Welcome from your East Neighbourhood Projects Coordinator! These times can be challenging for us for one reason or another. Do you sometimes feel like you are on a rollercaster of emotions – one day making the most of life in your own little bubble and the next feeling isolated and emotional? I know I certainly do. There is lots of help and support to guide you through those difficult days. This edition provides you with some useful information which might just help to point you in the right direction …. #wecangetthroughthistogether!
How your Primary Care Network GP Practices have adapted to COVID-19 to support you and your families COVID-19 has brought with it massive challenges for GP practices and how they continue to function on day to day basis and support patients. They have risen to this challenge and adapted how they work and support patients in their local community. GP practices have experienced a reduced footfall due to the risk of infection and changed the way they consult with patients. Once of the biggest changes is an increasing the use of technology – many consultations are now carried out by telephone or video. GP practice staff along with our Social Prescribing Link Workers have been busy contacting their most vulnerable patients to check in on them. Patients are being encouraged to use the electronic ordering system. The impact of the virus has affected practice staff also leading to reduced staffing levels. Again, staff have adapted and remote working has now become part of the norm for many – working from home where possible.
Zoom meetings have also become a ‘norm’ for GPs and practice staff. I think this would be an excellent opportunity to thank all of our GP practices in the East Primary Care Network for displaying such resourcefulness and resilience in these challenging times. Help and support is at hand …. Mental Health Self-Referral Service Self-referral support services continue to be provided for those who may be experiencing common mental health problems during these challenging times. RDaSH and the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) team have switched to remote working to enable them to keep in touch with patients. This includes telephone and video consultations and signposting people to internet therapy sessions. In these very difficult times, people are understandably worried about many matters, from their health, work and financial situations, to friends and family. It would be unusual to NOT be affected by what is happening around us. Feeling anxious, worried and possibly scared is normal in our current circumstances. Doncaster IAPT can help with psychological therapies, as and where there is an identified and appropriate need. In addition to telephone and video calls, they recently launched an online support programme, called Mind District, which offers a range of strategies, skills and techniques to help people manage their psychological difficulties. Anyone with a smartphone, tablet or computer can access it immediately after talking to the team. Self-referrals to the Doncaster Talking Shop and IAPT service can be made by ringing 01302 565556.
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There is also a separate IAPT service for Doncaster people who live with long-term health conditions. Please ring them on 01302 566999. Peer Support telephone service If you are struggling with the effects of COVID-19 on your daily activities and would like to chat or need some practical advice and signposting why not contact this free telephone service.
Are you a Carer? Have you heard about the Doncaster Carer Reach Out Service? Carer support gives you the opportunity to find out about help available locally and to help make plans for the future. For more information please contact Doncaster Carer Reach Out Service during office hours (or leave a message outside these times and they will call you back) on 01302 986900 or 07713 089 678. You can also email [email protected] or communicate by social media via Twitter @CarersDoncaster or visit the Doncaster Carer Reach Out Service Facebook page. Carer’s cards are now available to identify unpaid carers who are supporting a loved one carrying out essential tasks and are available at Making Space. For more information contact 01302 986900 or visit [email protected]
Telephone counselling and befriending available for carers
Online Support Groups Well Doncaster have launched peer support groups online for any people who live with Diabetes, Fibromyalgia and chronic pain or COPD. COVID-19 has brought a lot of changes to our lives which can be hard to manage, especially if you are already trying to manage a long term condition. It is really important to stay connected during the lockdown measures so join these free, fortnightly online groups and find ways to improve and maintain your
wellbeing through various speakers and mindfulness and movement sessions. For more information please see flyers below or contact: [email protected]
Good Work Programme A new service called Good Work is supporting people with mental health conditions into employment. Working in partnership with the NHS, Good Work offers a free 9 month programme with a personal employment coach, fast track referrals to debt and benefits advisers, and free health and well-being support.
To be eligible you must be over 18, have a mental health condition and be willing to work. It's quick and easy to refer to Good Work, simply visit www.findgoodwork.co.uk/refer and fill in the form. For more information contact [email protected] (work and wellbeing manager for Doncaster and Bassetlaw) on 0739346285 Support for our local communities through Doncaster Community Hub The Doncaster Community Hub has now been launched to support our most vulnerable people during this incredibly challenging time. The Hub has been established in
partnership with a range of voluntary sector organisations and is being hosted by Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust (DCLT). The Hub, along with partners in the voluntary and community sector will offer the following:
Helpline available 7 days a week from 8.00am to 8.00pm - Telephone: 01302 430300 – anyone can ring this if they are or know of someone who is vulnerable and has no other support
Practical support such as urgent food supplies, shopping, hot food, collection of medication etc will be a priority
Online chat, signposting and connecting people to other groups and volunteers to provide advice on exercising at home, keeping connected or just for regular contact
A proactive team who will be calling vulnerable people to see how they are and find out if they need any support
Helping to co-ordinate volunteers - collecting information about what voluntary and community sector can offer and supporting and co-ordinating voluntary effort
There is also an email address: [email protected] and a web site: www.dncommunityhub.org.uk. Please note that this support is for those that really need it who may not have anyone else to help (eg family, neighbours, other volunteers. The following groups of vulnerable residents will be prioritised:
Those over 70
Those with underlying health conditions as publicised by the NHS
Carers where they have no other support and cannot get out
Families \ parents with a child in need or in crisis who have no other support and are unable to get out
Can you help Healthwatch Doncaster?
NHS Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group hold monthly Governing Body meetings and prior to the Covid 19 Pandemic some of you will be aware that Healthwatch Doncaster supported patients to tell their experiences of health and social care at these meetings. The purpose of this is to influence health and social care services for local people and the Governing Body have been very receptive and responsive to the stories that they have heard. As I am sure you appreciate the current situation has resulted in a change to these meetings however the Governing Body remain keen to hear Patient Stories, particularly at a time when the delivery of normal services have been hugely affected by the Pandemic and people have had very different experiences. Face to face consultations over the last few weeks have been minimal and digital technology has been utilised as an alternative. It is important that the views of people experiencing such services are heard and at the next meeting, the Governing Body would like to hear about experiences of accessing services using digital technology in either Primary or Secondary Care. Have you accessed services at your GP practice or the local hospital through digital methods? Please get in touch if you would like to tell us about it. Jill Telford is leading on this and we would be grateful if you have any experience that you would like to share if you could contact Jill by email at [email protected] or by telephone on 07834 686857 or any member of the team on [email protected] or telephone 01302 965450 to discuss this more. People and Communities Forum We are looking for local people to join our People and Communities Forum. Do you have knowledge of the local area (East Doncaster) or have experience of using local healthcare services? Could you use this knowledge and experience to work with us to help improve health services for you and your family? We would really like to hear from you. We will be hosting our first ‘virtual’ session so that you can hear about plans from our PCN Clinical Director Dr Shah and how you can contribute. Watch out in our next edition for more details.
Stay in touch …. Don’t forget you can stay in touch with activities across the East Neighbourhood on Social Media! Head over to Twitter and check out @TeamEast2 or copy the link below into your web browser: https://mobile.twitter.com/TeamEast2 We also have a new Facebook page covering activities and information across the East neighbourhood and PCN Search Doncaster East Primary Care Network and like our page to stay updated You can contact me, as the East PCN Neighbourhood Projects Coordinator at [email protected] or telephone 07388 817457.
