Welcome to the latest update from Healthwatch Bradford and District, your voice on health and social care. Here's everything you need to know about local health and care going into the Christmas and New Year period.
Strike action set to affect NHS services in Bradford district over Christmas and New Year
People in Bradford district are being asked to check their medication supplies and to visit NHS 111 online first for health advice over what is expected to be a busy period for NHS services during the Christmas and New Year bank holidays and junior doctor strikes.
The strikes will take place from:
- December 20 - December 23
- January 3 - January 9, 2024
This will be the longest period of industrial action to date, and as it will take place over the Christmas and New Year period, it will have a significant impact on services including many GP practices.
Hospitals have warned that some appointments may be affected, while emergency services are expected to be busier than usual.
Helen Farmer from Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership said: “As we approach the Christmas bank holiday period, we’re asking everyone in the area to ensure they’re prepared for their medical needs.
"NHS staff across Bradford District and Craven will continue to deliver care to those who need it over Christmas and New Year, but along with an already busy winter, and nine days of junior doctor strikes, we anticipate emergency services to be busier than usual.
“Order and collect any repeat prescriptions early and ensure you have enough medication to last the long weekends. You may also want to consider keeping a small stock of basic medicines in case needed for minor illnesses or injuries.
"Some pharmacies may be open over the bank holidays. Use the NHS website to find an open pharmacy near you: www.nhs.uk/find-a-pharmacy."
Six things we can do to help each other
As health services will be extremely busy this winter, everyone is asked to play their part and to be better prepared during the cold and flu season. The local NHS says there are six simple things we can all do to help each other:
Local hospitals see rise in patients with winter colds and illnesses
People in Bradford District and Craven are feeling the bite of winter as winter colds and illnesses increase.
Bradford Teaching Hospitals and Airedale General Hospital are seeing a rise in the number of people in hospital with respiratory conditions, and are expecting this to increase as Christmas and New Year approach.
Helen Farmer, Programme Director for Access to Care Programme at the Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership, said: “In winter, cold weather and spending more time indoors mean these illnesses spread more easily.
“If you feel unwell try to stay at home and try to avoid contact with other people until you feel better, especially people who are pregnant, are aged 60 or over, or who have a weakened immune system due to a health condition or because they are undergoing medical treatment.
“There are some things you can do to help yourself stay well in winter – it’s not too late to get your flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, just visit nhs.uk/wintervaccinations and find a pharmacy near you.”
Mental health support in Bradford district
The Healthy Minds website is your first step to mental health support in Bradford District and Craven.
On the site, you can use the ‘Support finder’ to help you find the right services, find mental health support across the district and get practical mental health tips and advice.
The website includes more than 250 support services and activities, ranging from helplines and one-to-one counselling to peer support and walking groups.
Christmas mental health tips from Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
- Think about what might be difficult about Christmas for you, and if there’s anything that might help you cope. It might be useful to write it down and keep it with you during those moments.
- Think about whether you really need to do something if you’re not looking forward to it. Can you do it differently or for less time?
- Make a list of services that you might need and their Christmas opening hours.
- If you’re worried about feeling lonely or isolated this Christmas, think of ways to help pass the time.
- If you can’t be with the people you want to see in person, arrange a phone or videocall to catch up with them on the day. Or arrange a visit around Christmas.
- Try to plan something nice to do after Christmas. Having something to look forward to, could make a real difference.
- If other people don’t seem to understand how you’re feeling, share this with them. If conversations are difficult, write down how you’re feeling and let them know.
- Take time out. Do things to distract yourself from Christmas. For example, watch a film or read a book that’s set in summer or try learn a new skill.
- Let people know you’re struggling. It can often feel like it’s just you, when it’s not.
Check in with a mate this Christmas
Anyone can feel low, alone and even suicidal.
But the festive period often proves a challenging time for many, when worries and pressures can feel intensified and take a toll on people’s mental health – eg money worries (particularly with the current cost-of-living crisis), family difficulties, grief or loneliness.
It’s important to reach out to others and let them know it’s OK to talk.
You don’t need to know the answers or solve someone’s problems, but by simply reaching out and listening, you could help someone who might otherwise be struggling alone.
Data shows suicide is more common in West Yorkshire than in England as a whole – with significantly more men taking their own lives than women.
We need to encourage more conversations around mental health – particularly among men – to help break stigma and potentially save lives.
In West Yorkshire, everyone – but especially men – is being urged to check in with a mate who might be struggling this Christmas.
Visit www.checkinwithyourmate.co.uk for support.
- To learn more about ways to help break stigma and raise awareness, sign up to become a Suicide Prevention Champion.
Tips to help with the cost-of-living crisis
It is a difficult time for everybody - the rising cost of everything, from groceries to utilities, is making it difficult to make ends meet. This is being referred to as a ‘cost-of-living-crisis’.
This does not mean that you have to be in crisis to be struggling, and it is affecting all of us - not just the lowest earners.
Take a look at local Cost of Living support available in Bradford district and download a booklet. You can also check out the 12 Tips for Christmas below.
Autism service aims to make Christmas and New Year a bit easier
Bradford and Craven Autism AIM, a free service co-led by and run for autistic adults in the Bradford, Airedale and Wharfedale and Craven areas, has produced a three-week Christmas and New Year planner for 2023-24.
It is part of a range of resources produced by the team for the festive period, including information on where to go for food aid and community Christmas dinners in the area and information about bin days and post days.
Council support for rough sleepers
Every night of the year, Bradford Council’s outreach teams are out on the streets across the district, offering support to rough sleepers. When the temperatures are set to fall below zero, the council puts special provision in place to make sure no-one has to sleep outside.
The Cold Weather Provision is a multi-agency partnership, commissioned by Bradford Council, that provides emergency bed spaces across Bradford for people experiencing rough sleeping on freezing winter nights.
Donors urged to give the gift of blood this Christmas
Blood donors in the Bradford area are being asked to give the gift of blood this Christmas and help the NHS over the challenging winter period by booking and sticking to their upcoming appointments.
Donors are being asked to make an appointment to donate over the Christmas and New Year period if they don’t already have one, and to keep their appointment if they have already made one. If there is a need to cancel, please give as much notice as possible so someone else can take the slot.
Blood is needed to help the NHS treat patients with cancer, blood disorders and those suffering medical trauma or undergoing surgery. Each donation can save or improve up to three lives.
Latest from Healthwatch
Are you looking to get involved and make a difference in 2024?
Have you thought about your New Year resolutions? We have various opportunities for volunteers to get involved in some really interesting work and help improve local health and social care services.
ENTER AND VIEW: Healthwatch Bradford and District has a legal power to visit health and social care services and see them in action. This power to Enter and View services offers a way for us to meet some of our statutory functions and allows us to identify what is working well with services and where they could be improved.
Being an Enter and View (Authorised Representative) Volunteer involves visiting health and social care settings across Bradford district to gather feedback and see how well the services are working.
YOUNG HEALTHWATCH: Are you aged 16 to 24 in Bradford district? Are you a passionate voice for your community, campaigner for change, social media expert, video guru or just love talking to others and making connections?
We can give you a platform to make sure young people's voices are listened to when it comes to developing health and social care services in our district.
WEST YORKSHIRE VOICE: This is a network that brings together individuals, groups, local panels, networks and organisations to ensure the voice of people is at the heart of health and care decision-making in West Yorkshire.
The network especially wants to hear from people with experience of health and care services, unpaid carers, people from diverse communities and those who might not normally get involved in formal groups.
Healthwatch is calling for social care reform in 2024
Social care reform is desperately needed to ensure the public can get the help they're entitled to, and that teams have the support they need to deliver this care.
In 2024, Healthwatch is launching a campaign calling for social care reform. We'll start by looking at how people access social care, and where people aren't getting their needs met.
Throughout the year, we'll make sure the urgent need to reform social care and the potential solutions are at the forefront of policymakers' minds.
ADHD and autism: Tackling the long wait for support
Long wait times for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) support can have a severe impact on individuals.
Referrals and your right to choose
Did you know you can choose which hospital you go to when referred for a test, diagnosis, or treatment?
If you use the NHS, in most cases, you have the right to choose the hospital where you get the care you need. Few people exercise this right – but if you do, you could cut down on how long you wait for care.
Access your GP records online
GP surgeries must now give patients online access to their new health record entries. Find out what information is in your record and how to access it.
The public’s perspective: The state of health and social care
Performance numbers and the media highlight the issues the NHS faces – but they only tell part of the story. The new Healthwatch report brings to light the public’s perspective on the state of health and social care.
How can the NHS better support people with diabetes?
More than 4.3 million people are living in the UK with a diabetes diagnosis. People with diabetes face the daily challenge of having to manage and monitor their condition.
News from local health and care services
Airedale cardiac team launches digital exercise clinic
The cardiac team at Airedale Hospital have launched a brand new digital exercise clinic for cardiac rehabilitation, so patients can access it whenever they want 24/7.
Laura's new role will help patients with dementia maintain independence
Laura Hughes has been appointed as the first Airedale NHS Foundation Trust Admiral Nurse to deliver relationship-centred dementia care in the hospital.
Admiral Nurses are specialist dementia nurses who are continually supported and developed by Dementia UK.
Laura said: “I have been passionate about improving the lives of those living with dementia throughout my career and I am excited to be introducing this much-needed role to our region.
“This role will allow me to help people with dementia to maintain independence at home, provide support to their families and improve staff awareness and knowledge for when they are caring for patients on their wards who are living with dementia.”
‘Cost of Living Kindness’ stall at Airedale Hospital helps keep babies warm this winter
Midwives at Airedale Hospital are offering new and expectant parents a range of hand-knitted baby items to help keep babies warm this winter.
The items, which have been donated by knitters from the local community are available in the antenatal clinic and are offered free to those who need them.
Marie Curie scheme aims to keep patients with a terminal diagnosis in the comfort of their own homes
A scheme which aims to help keep patients with a terminal diagnosis out of hospital and cared for in the comfort of their own homes has seen its 600th patient.
The Marie Curie Responsive Emergency Assessment and Community Team (REACT) virtual ward has been working with palliative medicine consultants at Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI), since June 2022.
Search is on for a new Chair to help shape future of hospital trust
The search has begun for a new Chair for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The trust's 6,000-plus staff deliver a wide range of healthcare services from Bradford Royal Infirmary, St Luke’s Hospital and local community hospitals to more than half a million people.
Following the resignation of its previous Chair, the trust is now searching for an "exceptional person" to play a vital role in shaping its future, ensuring it continues to deliver its vision to be an outstanding provider of healthcare, research and education and a great place to work.
Vice-Chair of the Council of Governors David Wilmshurst said: "This is a critical time in the transformation of the health and care system in Bradford District and Craven. We ‘Act as One’ with our partners in Bradford in the local system and play a key role within the wider West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, so the Chair will need to quickly establish positive and trusted relationships with governors, the Board, hospital staff and partner organisations."
The closing date for applications is Friday, January 5.
You can now see your prescriptions on the NHS App
Patients registered with a GP surgery in West Yorkshire can view their confirmed prescriptions on the NHS App.
This includes viewing confirmed acute and repeat prescriptions that have been authorised and collecting one-off prescriptions without the need for a paper copy.
Keighley blood pressure pilot aims to prevent illness
A blood pressure pilot programme has been established in Keighley to advise residents on how to prevent high blood pressure and related future illnesses.
Known as ‘Blood Pressure Connect’, the programme has been created by Keighley Healthy Living, a charity supporting the Keighley community, funded by Heart Research UK and with support from Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership and GP practice groups Wharfedale Airedale Craven Alliance (WACA) and Modality AWC.
Advice, information and support
Events and activities planned for male carers in Bradford district
Campfires, bushcraft, music, walks, games and good food are on offer for male carers in Bradford district in the new year.
Local charity Carers’ Resource is running a number of exciting activities as part of its Men Care Too project for male carers who live in the Bradford, Craven, Harrogate and Selby areas.
All Men Care Too events are free for male carers registered with Carers’ Resource.
Carers’ Resource is an independent, award-winning charity which offers emotional and practical help to enable unpaid carers to cope.
The Carers' Resource Annual General Meeting will take place in Shipley on Thursday January 18, 2024.
New speech and language guide for parents and carers of children aged 0-5 in Bradford district
Talking Bradford is a new online step-by-step guide for parents/carers of children aged 0-5 in the Bradford district.
The guide brings together in one place everything they need to know about helping their child to talk and communicate from an early age.
The guide also includes key resources for health and early-years practitioners.
Rethinking Pain videos for people living with long-term pain
Rethinking Pain is a new community-based service for adults living with long-term pain in the Bradford and Craven area.
The team works one to one and in groups to connect people living with persistent pain to appropriate pain information, including education, support and community-based activities.
Their approach is designed to support people’s physical, mental, social and environmental needs. While understanding the individual’s preferences and circumstances, to help them manage their pain better day to day, with potential to improve their quality of life.
Rethinking Pain has developed a series of Movement Matters videos for people who live with long-term pain, to support them to move more in ways that feel safe.