Healthwatch Devon is the independent champion for health and social care covering the largest local authority area in the South West of England with a population of 814,440 in 2021.
We take your experiences of using health and care services - both good and bad, and share these with those who have the power to make change happen.
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Who are we and what do we do?
Healthwatch Devon is the independent consumer champion for health and social care services across Devon. We are part of a national network of Local Healthwatch that was set up under the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
We gather and represent the views of the public in order to influence improvements in health and care service provision and share good practice.
We achieve this by working in collaboration with other organisations to identify causes for concern in the local community and using people’s experiences to influence relevant decision-making bodies.
At the end of last year we published The impact of providing unpaid care at home report which highlights the experiences that carers have when providing unpaid care at home. We produced this report in conjunction with Devon Carers, Improving Lives Plymouth and the Torbay Carers Service.
Devon County Council have published new consultations focusing on Adult Social Care in Devon.
As well as the three new strategies, Living Well in Devon (for people aged 18 – 64 years), Ageing Well in Devon (for people aged 65 years and over) and Caring Well in Devon (for unpaid carers) Devon County Council are now publicly consulting on five adult social care savings proposals.
The F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) acronym provides a memorable way of identifying the most common signs of a stroke and emphasises the importance of acting quickly by calling 999.
Think and Act F.A.S.T. if you see any single one of these signs of a stroke:
• Face – has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?
• Arms – can they raise both arms and keep them there?
• Speech – is their speech slurred?
• Time – even if you’re not sure, call 999.
A stroke is known as a ‘brain attack’. It is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention as every minute is vital. That is why calling 999 is so crucial. Early recognition of symptoms can give stroke patients those extra precious minutes, enabling faster access to specialist treatment.
On Wednesday 1 March TALKWORKS are hosting an Introduction to Mindfulness workshop
Starting at 9:30am this workshop is a 1 ¼ hour session on how mindfulness-based approaches can help with managing issues we all face such as stress, anxiety, low mood and chronic health conditions.
This workshop involves an introduction on what we mean by mindfulness, followed by being led through some mindfulness meditation practices. You don't need to have any prior knowledge or experience of mindfulness to attend or benefit from the session.
Have you ever worried what might happen if you suddenly became ill or had an accident whilst you were out? How would you let people know that someone is dependent on you for care?
The Alert Card is designed to be carried in your purse, wallet or handbag. A handy credit-card size, it identifies you as a carer so that if you find yourself in an emergency situation where you are unable to inform people yourself, the card will be used to alert a 24-hour emergency call centre and they will ring your nominated contacts on your behalf.
Flu vaccination is important because, while flu is unpleasant for most people, it can be dangerous and even life threatening for some people, particularly those with certain health conditions.
The flu vaccine is given free on the NHS to adults who:
are 50 and over
have certain health conditions
are pregnant
are in long-stay residential care
receive a carer's allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick
live with someone who is more likely to get a severe infection due to a weakened immune system
If you're eligible for the free flu vaccine, it's likely you can get the COVID-19 seasonal booster.
SignHealth are a passionate and caring Deaf-led team working towards a future where there are no barriers to good health and wellbeing for Deaf people, they partner with the NHS and service providers across the country.
