Press release from Together We’re Better Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent:
Together We’re Better – the local health and care partnership – has launched an involvement period to encourage people across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to share their experiences of using urgent and emergency care services and mental health services.
We will be holding virtual events and online surveys to understand people’s experiences of using these local health care services and to gather your views on how we shape those services in the future.
Below we have listed the activities which will be happening in your local area with information about how you can get involved.
Have your say about mental health services in Lichfield, Burton on Trent, Tamworth and surrounding areas
About the involvement: The west wing of the George Bryan Centre in Tamworth was destroyed by a fire in February 2019, and the centre was closed from March 2019.
Since then, an enhanced community mental health service has been provided while some patients have also received services at St George’s Hospital in Stafford.
Why we want to hear from you: We want to understand your experiences of using mental health services before and since the closure of the George Bryan Centre. Your comments will be used to inform how we shape services in the future.
We are considering a new model of care for mental health services, and we would like to understand what is important to you as we develop this.
How to get involved: Two virtual involvement events will be held using Microsoft Teams on:
- Thursday 14 October: 1:30pm – 3:30pm
- Monday 18 October: 9 am – 11 am
To register for a virtual event click here.
You can also share your experiences and give comments on how you think services should be shaped through our online survey when this launches. Please check our website for further details.
The survey will launch in the coming days and will be open until 31 October. Please keep an eye on local press and social media for updates, or check for updates.
Urgent and emergency care services
Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, we are looking at how urgent and emergency healthcare services are accessed and provided to ensure that people can access the right services at the right time.
Urgent and emergency care services fall into two categories:
- Urgent care is for an illness or injury that requires urgent attention but is not a life-threatening situation. Urgent care services in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent include NHS 111, pharmacies, out-of-hours GP appointments, a walk-in centre and minor injuries units.
- Emergency care is the treatment for life-threatening conditions where your health condition requires time-critical care. For example, chest pain, a serious road accident, severe loss of blood, breathing difficulties, stroke, and severe allergic reactions. This is provided at an emergency department (also known as A&E).
Why we want to hear from you: We want to understand your experiences of using urgent and emergency care services before and since the pandemic. Your comments will be used to inform how we shape services in the future.
We also want to understand your views as we develop our plans to introduce a network of urgent treatment centres across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. In line with the national standards, we want to develop urgent treatment centres to bring together the services provided by walk-in-centres and minor injuries units. This will mean walk-in centres and minor injury units will cease to exist once the urgent treatment centres are established. Urgent treatment centres can provide access to specialist care, knowledge and advice with the aim of getting you home.
Who we want to hear from: We want to hear the views of people who live and work in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Have your say: To find out more about this involvement visit our website. On the website, you will find links to register on our virtual events (also below) and to complete the survey (also below).
There will be three virtual engagement events that will be held using Microsoft Teams on:
- Tuesday 5 October: 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
- Wednesday 6 October: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
- Wednesday 13 October: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
To register for a virtual event, please click here.
You can also share your experiences and give comments on how you think services should be shaped through our online survey. To complete the survey, please click here.
The survey is open until midnight on Sunday 31 October.
NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU, on behalf of Together We’re Better, will be hosting the survey and events. Contact [email protected] for any further queries and to request paper copies of the survey.