Welcome to the August 2021 edition of Involve - a stakeholder update from NHS Vale of York CCG.
In this edition we have a number of key updates about COVID-19 and the vaccination roll out. Please share messages with your networks, friends, families and colleagues.
CCG's Annual General Meeting Members of the public are invited to watch the live stream of our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday 16 September 2020 at 2-3pm.
The AGM will provide members of the local community with an overview of the local health and care system’s operational and financial performance during 2020-21. If you wish to ask a question or raise a matter at the 16 September AGM, you must submit your enquiry by no later than 12pm on Monday 13 September. The committee will answer your question as part of the meeting.
You can do this by email to voyccg.communications@nhs.net calling 01904 555870 or in writing to NHS Vale of York CCG, West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA.
Congratulations to Nimbuscare York healthcare provider Nimbuscare is thrilled to have been shortlisted as ‘Community Provider of the Year’ at the HSJ Awards 2021, recognising its outstanding contribution to healthcare.
Despite the demanding circumstances of the past 18 months, over 1000 entries were received for this year’s HSJ Awards, with 205 entries making it to the final shortlist. The official awards ceremony will be held in London on November 18th when the winners will be announced.
Nimbuscare’s entry focused on how, in the midst of the global pandemic and, after years of aspiration for primary care to work together as one in York, it has been able to achieve its ambition to bring together all 11 GP practices into one collaborative organisation.
As equal shareholders, Nimbuscare’s 11 GP practice members have set out a strategic ambition for the next three years and demonstrated that collaborative working can change the health and care outcomes for the local population. The York NHS healthcare provider believes it has a unique blueprint for primary care collaborative working to drive the integrated care agenda. Read more
Pregnant women urged to take up offer of COVID vaccination Health leaders across North Yorkshire and York are encouraging more pregnant women – and those who are trying for a baby – to get both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Catching COVID can cause problems with pregnancy. Women with COVID are two to three times more likely to have their babies early than women without COVID and getting the virus can lead to an increased risk of a condition called pre-eclampsia which causes high blood pressure.
While most pregnant women will fortunately only have mild cold/flu symptoms, COVID also causes some people to become very poorly. Pregnant women with COVID are more likely to need to go into hospital for treatment or even need to be admitted to Intensive Care than women with COVID who are not pregnant.
The COVID vaccination can be safely given during pregnancy and when breastfeeding and local doctors and midwives – together with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Royal College of Midwives – are urging women "to protect themselves and their bump".
The independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) confirms the jab has been shown to be effective and safe for women carrying a baby, based on "real world evidence", while the British Fertility Society says "there is absolutely no evidence, and no theoretical reason", why any of the vaccines available would affect the fertility of women or men.
York equipment amnesty To tie in with York Environment Week this month, there will be a city-wide EQUIPMENT AMNESTY so that patients can return items such as walking frames and crutches to their surgery, no questions asked.
York Environment Week takes place between 18th-26th September and you can find out more information about all of the activities here https://yorkenvironmentweek.org.uk/ World Suicide Prevention Day This year World Suicide Prevention Day will take place on Friday 10th September 2021. Every year organisations and communities around the world come together to raise awareness of how we can create a world where fewer people die by suicide.
You will now be aware of #TalkSuicide – a local suicide prevention campaign ran by the Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership. The aim of the campaign is to reduce the stigma around talking about suicide by raising awareness of free suicide prevention training available at www.talksuicide.co.uk. I am pleased to say that since 2019, we have now had over 11,500 people complete the training.
To raise a wareness of the campaign please keep an eye on our social media and share messages using #TalkSuicide. By promoting the free training, we can help more people to be able to spot the signs, speak to individuals in a supportive manner, and signpost them to the appropriate services.
Survey: Patients' experience of accessing GP services in the Vale of York during the COVID-19 Pandemic The CCG is seeking views from patients who have had an appointment with their GP practice in the Vale of York during the Covid-19 pandemic.
We are asking for a few minutes of their time to complete this short survey. This is in relation to their most recent appointment, within the last 12 months. Answers are completely confidential, and will only be used to improve services.
Please help share this survey as widely as possible. A Word document version is also attached which can be printed and returned in an envelope free of charge to a freepost address detailed in the survey by Friday 24 September 2021.
Drop-in vaccine clinics pop up across York
Have you had yours yet? Everybody aged 16+ is now eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine and you don’t need an appointment. You can find your local walk in site
The clinics are being held at selected venues across the city over the weekend and throughout next week. A full list of times and locations is available on the NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group website.
After a patient gets their first vaccine dose at a drop-in clinic, they can book their second dose through the national booking service, online or by phoning 119, from 24 hours afterwards.
A York GP has shared a day in her life to highlight the work that goes on behind the scenes at practices as staff strive to offer the best possible care to patients.
Dr Abbie Brooks, a GP Partner at Priory Medical Group, features in the 22-minute film covering several key moments in a typical working day, starting with leaving home at 7am and wrapping up the day's admin nearly 14 hours later.
The film underlines many of the points in Dr Brooks' latest blog, in which she highlights the many and varied tasks piling up for GPs every day as they battle to provide a range of urgent and routine care for patients in the face of ever-increasing demand following the COVID-19 lockdowns.
In her blog, Dr Brooks says: "We are doing our best, but it is challenging. The job of a GP is way more than the visual part of speaking to and seeing patients. We do a lot of admin throughout the day, support allied health professionals and trainees, liaise with hospital colleagues, and it is difficult to fit it all in.
"It may not look like the waiting rooms are bursting full of people but those working in general practice are working extremely hard. Please be patient with us so that we can put all our energy into patient care."
Involve is produced by the NHS Vale of York CCG
Communications and Engagement Team.
