Bexley brochure issue 1

Your local spotlight on Health & Social Care covers services in Bexley

Health & Social Care Signposting Directory Bexley

Issue 1

ContentS Contents Healthwatch Bexley Nhs - Know your Rights!

Advocacy for All Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing Healthy Living The Heart of the Matter Free NHS Health Check Don’t just go to A & E...

Patient Choice of GP Practices GP’s & GP Surgeries Pharmacies Dentists, Opticians & Hearing Centres Social Care & Independent Living Understanding the Care Act Personal Health Budgets Are you a Carer?

Telecare & Telehealth Care in your own Home Choosing between Residential, Nursing & Independent Living Residential Care Costs Residential & Nursing Care Expressing Complaints & Concerns

1–2 3–4 5 6 7 8 9 – 10 11 – 12 13 14 15 – 16 17 – 18 19 – 22 23 – 24 25 26 27 – 28 29 - 30 31 – 32 33 34 35 - 36

Disclaimer This Directory has been compiled to signpost primary health and social care providers throughout Bexley.

Whilst we have taken every care in compiling this publication, the publishers and promoters cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies.

All listings are supplied via the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and NHS Choices. Neither Healthwatch Bexley nor HealthCare Publications can be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

All signposting services are up to date as of December 2014.

A note on advertising: We offer businesses the chance to reach potential customers via this publication. It is our intention to clearly indicate that an advertisement is being displayed and no endorsement or approval by the promoters of any product, service or supplier should be implied.

Another quality publication by Healthcare Publications

If you require extra copies of this directory or are interested in advertising in future editions please email Healthcare Publications on admin@healthcarepublications.org or visit: www.hcpublications.org

HeALtHWAtCH BeXLeY

Healthwatch Bexley represents everyone in our community; adults, young people and children alike. In order to help shape YoUR services for the future, Healthwatch Bexley wants to hear from you on the local health and social care services you receive.

Healthwatch is independent and transparent - with the authority to demand action

If you want to share your experience – good and bad – then get in touch.

Healthwatch Bexley works with local people and agencies to challenge service providers and drive improvements on behalf of patients and the public.

Championing diversity, Healthwatch Bexley is rooted in communities and responsive to their needs.

Information and advice

It can be difficult to know where to turn when you need help from health or social care services. We can tell you:

• What services are available?

• How you can get the help you need.

• What your rights and options are.

Healthwatch Bexley is:

• A consumer watchdog concerned with the performance of health and social care providers

The powers that Healthwatch Bexley has:

• A consumer champion, promoting the needs, priorities and experiences of patients to commissioners and other agencies

• Healthwatch Bexley has a seat on the Bexley Health and Wellbeing Board. This body oversees health and social care in Bexley, and can influence how services are designed and delivered

• Healthwatch Bexley has the right to go into health and social care premises to collect the views of patients and residents who are using the services

Healthwatch Bexley Milton House 240a Broadway Bexleyheath, Kent DA6 8AS Tel: 0208 304 9344 Email us: info@healthwatchbexley.co.uk Visit our website: www.healthwatchbexley.co.uk Twitter: @HWBexley Facebook: Healthwatch Bexley

Bexley

• We pass information, issues and concerns to the organisations which regulate health and social care and escalate recommendations to Healthwatch England and the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

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HeALtHWAtCH BeXLeY Get Involved

What you’re saying quality

There are many ways you can get involved with Healthwatch Bexley.

public

Sign up to our quarterly Newsletter to find out what is going on at Healthwatch Bexley and the work we have been doing to improve services in Bexley.

helping A&E ease support doctors friendly waiting health long-term improvements good happy patient

Share your stories with us, so we can build up a picture of the services that are doing well, and those that could be improved.

Contact us:

Healthwatch Enter & View Team

There are lots of ways you can get in touch with Healthwatch Bexley.

If you care about services and the way they are delivered, you may wish to be trained as an Enter & View representative to visit hospital wards, Nursing or Residential Homes, GP’s, Dentists, Opticians or Pharmacies. Training is thorough and supportive and the reports written as a result of your findings make recommendations which support the improvement of the service.Contact us for further details.

Write to us at:

Healthwatch Bexley Milton House, 240a Broadway Bexleyheath, Kent DA6 8AS

Tel: 0208 304 9344 Email us: info@healthwatchbexley.co.uk Visit our website: www.healthwatchbexley.co.uk Twitter: @HWBexley Facebook: Healthwatch Bexley

Please tell us:

• Are you happy with the health and/or social care you are receiving?

• Do you have a relative or a friend living in a care home? Are they / you happy with the care they receive?

We want to hear about the treatment and care you have received.

• Can you get an appointment with your GP/Dentist when you need to?

• Have you had a stay in or visit to hospital recently? What was your experience like?

Whether you’ve had a positive experience or there is room for improvement, have your say on the Healthwatch Bexley website today. You can even leave feedback anonymously.

• Do you or a relative suffer from a long term illness; are you/they happy with the help and support you/they receive?

www.healthwatchbexley.co.uk

• Do you know what services are available and how to choose the right one, when you need it?

• If you could fix one thing in health and social care what would it be?

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nHS - KnoW YoUR RIgHtS! You have the right to expect your NHS to assess the health requirements of your community and to commission and put in place the services to meet those needs as considered necessary, and in the case of public health services commissioned by local authorities, to take steps to improve the health of the local community.

Everyone has the right to information and education about how to take care of themselves and what they are entitled to within the health and social care system.

Healthwatch Bexley helps individuals to understand, and use information to promote and maintain good health and make the best use of local services and care support.

You have the right, in certain circumstances, to go to other European Economic Area countries or Switzerland for treatment which would be available to you through your NHS commissioner.

We can: • Explain your rights and what standards to expect from services • Signpost you to access services and find your way through care ‘pathways’ – find the right service for you • Put you in touch with Support Groups, Voluntary and Community Organisations • We can register your concerns and provide information on making complaints • Pass on your reports of excellent services and care • If you need advocacy we can refer you to the Advocacy for All

You have the right not to be unlawfully discriminated against in the provision of NHS services including on grounds of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity or marital or civil partnership status.

You have the right to access certain services commissioned by NHS bodies within maximum waiting times, or for the NHS to take all reasonable steps to offer you a range of suitable alternative providers if this is not possible.

You have the right to receive NHS services free of charge, apart from certain limited exceptions sanctioned by Parliament.

You have the right to be treated with a professional standard of care, by appropriately qualified and experienced staff, in a properly approved or registered organisation that meets required levels of safety and quality.

You have the right to access NHS services. You will not be refused access on unreasonable grounds.

You have the right to expect NHS bodies to monitor, and make efforts to improve continuously, the quality of healthcare they commission or provide. This includes improvements to the safety, effectiveness and experience of services.

You have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with your human rights.

You have the right to have any complaint you make about NHS services acknowledged within three working days and to have it properly investigated.

tell us your experiences

You have the right to discuss the manner in which the complaint is to be handled, and to know the period within which the investigation is likely to be completed and the response sent.

We’re listening

together we can make a difference 3

You have the right to accept or refuse treatment that is offered to you, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless you have given valid consent. If you do not have the capacity to do so, consent must be obtained from a person legally able to act on your behalf, or the treatment must be in your best interests.

nHS - KnoW YoUR RIgHtS! You have the right to compensation where you have been harmed by negligent treatment.

You have the right to be given information about the test and treatment options available to you, what they involve and their risks and benefits.

You have the right of access to your own health records and to have any factual inaccuracies corrected.

You have the right to choose the organisation that provides your NHS care.

With all the changes to health and care services it’s not always clear where you should go to report an urgent issue, to make a complaint, or for further information.

You have the right to privacy and confidentiality and to expect the NHS to keep your confidential information safe and secure.

Healthwatch Bexley can help you find the right services to suit your needs through our Information & Signposting Service.

You have the right to be informed about how your information is used.

You have the right to request that your confidential information is not used beyond your own care and treatment and to have your objections considered, and where your wishes cannot be followed, to be told the reasons including the legal basis.

We cannot give you advice or make specific recommendations but we can help you make an informed decision in finding the right health and social care service whether it is provided by the NHS, the Council, a voluntary or community organisation.

You have the right to choose your GP practice, and to be accepted by that practice unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse, in which case you will be informed of those reasons.

Contact Us: Office telephone: 0208 304 9344

You have the right to make choices about the services commissioned by NHS bodies and to information to support these choices.

Email us at: info@healthwatchbexley.co.uk

Write to us at: Milton House 240a Broadway Bexleyheath, Kent DA6 8AS

You have the right to express a preference for using a particular doctor within your GP practice, and for the practice to try to comply.

Visit our website: www.healthwatchbexley.co.uk

You have the right to be involved in discussions and decisions about your health and care, including your end of life care, and to be given information to enable you to do this. Where appropriate this right includes your family and carers.

You have the right to be kept informed of progress and to know the outcome of any investigation into your complaint, including an explanation of the conclusions and confirmation that any action needed in consequence of the complaint has been taken or is proposed to be taken.

tell us your experiences

You have the right to take your complaint to the independent Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman or Local Government Ombudsman, if you are not satisfied with the way your complaint has been dealt with by the NHS.

We’re listening

You have the right to make a claim for judicial review if you think you have been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body or local authority.

together we can make a difference 4

ADVoCACY foR ALL As the service is only for Bexley residents, we aim to reach a wide cross section of the borough’s residents including those who find it most difficult to get their voices heard. Our main aim is to ensure complaints are used positively to improve NHS services for the whole community.

We hope that you will use our service or pass our details to others.

Please contact us if you would like to talk through any NHS concern you have or if you want to know more about the service we provide.

For more information contact:

Bigger Voices . . .

Better Lives!

Geraldine Cahill NHS Complaints Communications Officer

Advocacy for All provide free independent support to Bexley residents who want to complain about NHS services including hospitals and/or NHS staff, doctors’ surgeries, pharmacies opticians, dentists and the ambulance service.

Russell Prestwich NHS Complaints Co-ordinator

Bexley – Advocacy for NHS complaints

We provide information to help clients decide if they want to proceed with a complaint and discuss what other options they might have.

Unit 1, 241 Main Road, Sidcup, DA14 6QS Tel: 0208 269 8692 Email: bexleynhscomplaints@advocacyforall.org.uk www.advocacyforall.org.uk

We give people the opportunity to speak confidentially to someone who is independent of the NHS. If they decide to make a complaint we help them through the process. This can include helping them to write letters, attending meetings and talking over what to do at each stage.

We can support clients with the local complaints procedures through to complaining to the Health Service Ombudsman. We do not give legal or medical advice but we can signpost people to find advice if appropriate.

Bexley

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MentAL HeALtH & eMotIonAL WeLLBeIng

Mental health, emotional wellbeing and resilience is all about how we cope with what life throws at us. It concerns the way we feel about ourselves, conduct relationships, handle stress or deal with loss. good mental health and resilience are fundamental to good physical health, relationships, education and work, as well as being key to achieving our potential.

Mental health facts

At least one in four people experience a diagnosable mental health problem in any one year, and one in six experiences this at any one time.

How your GP can help

You should make an appointment to see your GP if you’ve been feeling depressed for a few weeks or your anxiety is having an impact on your daily life, such as stopping you from going to work or shopping. Mind in Bexley deliver NICE recommended psychological interventions for anxiety and depression.

• More than half of those with a common mental health problem have both depression and anxiety

• There are approximately 570,000 people with dementia in England, a figure that could double in the next 30 years

• Nearly 850,000 children and young people aged five to sixteen years have a mental health problem – about 10% of the population. Fewer than one in ten accesses treatment

• Your GP or healthcare professional can refer

• Individuals can also self-refer into the service

There are also community based recovery, peer support and employment services in Bexley which work with people who have mental health issues The service is a partnership between Mind in Bexley, Oxleas Foundation Trust and Reinstate.

Further information is available from the Mind in Bexley website www.mindinbexley.org.uk

Common mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, panic disorders, phobias and obsessive compulsive disorder can cause great emotional distress, and can affect how you cope with day-today life and your ability to work. Less common conditions, such as psychosis, can make you experience changes in thinking and perception severe enough to significantly alter your experience of reality. These conditions include schizophrenia and affective psychosis, such as bipolar disorder, and can have the same lifelong impact as any long-term physical condition.

Many issues can be managed without the help of a GP by using the variety of sources of help now available, whether it’s through books, local organisations such as Mind in Bexley or online.

Mental illness is treatable and, with appropriate support and treatment, people do recover. Many move on with their lives and are able to care for their family, contribute to the local community, and get back into employment or training.

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020 8303 8932

HeALtHY LIVIng The choices we make about how we live can have a significant effect on our health. Eating a healthy diet, doing regular exercise, not smoking and not drinking too much alcohol can help you stay well and enjoy a long life.

Get active, feel fitter, live longer

Whatever your age, there's strong scientific evidence that being physically active can help you lead a healthier and even happier life.

Adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. Young people (5-18) should do 60 minutes every day.

Keeping fit and healthy can be a challenge if you are living with a long-term condition, but it will make a big difference to your wellbeing. If you’ve been thinking about making changes to your lifestyle, such as stopping smoking, losing weight, eating healthily, drinking a little less alcohol, or doing more exercise, there’s plenty of help and support available.

If you do this, it can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by up to 50% and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%.

Rethink your drinking

Drinking too much alcohol could increase your risk of getting 14 major diseases, including mouth and throat cancers, liver cirrhosis, strokes and mental health problems.

Talking to your GP and other healthcare workers, including pharmacists, is the first step. They’ll help you look at your lifestyle and suggest changes that are suitable for your condition and any treatment you’re having. Your health or care worker can also let you know about local services that can help you.

Alcohol is believed to be responsible for as many as 22,000 premature deaths in England and Wales every year. But it’s not just binge drinkers who are at risk: regularly drinking more than the recommended limit can cause significant health problems.

For example, if you want to start exercising but you're unsure how to, your GP can put you on the Exercise on Referral scheme. These schemes are run with local gyms and fitness centres and can include swimming. Ask at your GP practice for more information.

Your GP can also help you if you want to stop smoking, for instance by enrolling you in a clinic where you’ll get support from other people who are also trying to stop. Nicotine replacement therapy and other stop smoking treatments provided by your GP can also help you resist cravings and boost your chances of quitting successfully.

You're never too young or too old to switch to a healthier lifestyle. Children who learn healthy habits at a young age will benefit from them throughout their life. And giving up bad habits can improve your health at any age.

Stop Smoking for good

Giving up smoking is probably the best thing you can do to improve your health. Research shows that smoking is responsible for almost one in five of all deaths in the UK. This means that smoking causes an estimated 110,000 deaths a year.

Smokers are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack as people who have never smoked. Smoking also increases your risk of developing many cancers and lung disease.

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tHe HeARt of tHe MAtteR Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) describes disorders that can affect the heart and the body’s system of blood vessels (vascular). Cardiovascular problems result in chronic conditions that develop or persist over a long period of time. It can also result in heart attacks and strokes when a vessel supplying blood to the heart or brain becomes blocked.

CVD (including stroke) is the second largest cause of death and premature death after cancer. It is estimated that Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) affects more than 20,000 people in Bexley.

How does smoking damage your heart?

Smoking is estimated to cause nearly 10% of cardiovascular disease, which includes coronary heart disease and stroke. Smoking is the leading cause of CVD after high blood pressure.

Fortunately the vast majority of CVD is preventable. Much of the risk can be reduced by making lifestyle changes. These include stopping smoking, increasing physical activity, improving diet and nutrition, and reducing high levels of alcohol consumption.

• Smoking damages the lining of your arteries, leading to a build-up of fatty material (atheroma) which narrows the artery. This can cause angina, a heart attack or a stroke.

Residents aged 40-74 without pre-existing heart or vascular disease conditions such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension or stroke are entitled to a free NHS Health Check once every five years.

• The carbon monoxide produced by tobacco smoke reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood. This means your heart has to pump harder to supply the body with the oxygen it needs.

This puts a strain on the heart and reduces oxygen in the blood supply by up to 15%.

The NHS Health Check will give you a CVD risk score and link you into programmes that support healthy lifestyles such as weight management programmes, stop smoking services and health trainers, where appropriate.

• The nicotine in cigarettes stimulates your body to produce adrenaline, which makes your heart beat faster and raises your blood pressure, making your heart work harder.

• Your blood is more likely to clot, which increases your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.

Bexley has an award winning local Stop Smoking Service just waiting to help you give up!

GP practices in Bexley and a number of Pharmacies offer the service as well as specialists from the core team.

"gP practices in Bexley provide nHS Health Checks, if you are called for your nHS Health Check, please contact your surgery to make an appointment"

Call the Public Health Team Stop Smoking Service now on: 0800 783 2514 or visit: smokefreebexley.co.uk for further details

Find out more about Public Health services and the support available in Bexley at:

www.bexley.gov.uk/health

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fRee nHS HeALtH CHeCK Who is it for?

Everyone is at risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, and some forms of dementia. The good news is that these conditions can often be prevented – even if you have a history of them in your family. Have your free NHS Health Check and you will be better prepared for the future and be able to take steps to maintain or improve your health.

The NHS Health Check scheme is available across Bexley.

If a person is aged between 40 and 74 and hasn’t already been diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, or had a stroke, they may be invited by their GP for the NHS Health Check by letter, text or they may be offered the NHS Health Check when they are at their GP for another reason.

Why do I need an NHS Health Check?

We know that your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and dementia increases with age. There are also certain things that will put you at even greater risk.

These are:

• Being overweight

• Being physically inactive • Not eating healthily • Smoking

• Drinking too much alcohol

• High blood pressure • High cholesterol

Both men and women can develop these conditions, and having one could increase your risk of developing another in the future.

• In the brain a blocked artery or a bleed can cause a stroke

• In the heart a blocked artery can cause a heart attack or angina

Helping you prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and dementia

• The kidneys can be damaged by high blood pressure or diabetes, causing chronic kidney disease and increasing your risk of having a heart attack

• Being overweight and physically inactive can lead to type 2 diabetes

• If unrecognised or unmanaged, type 2 diabetes could increase your risk of further health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease and stroke

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fRee nHS HeALtH CHeCK Even if you’re feeling well, it’s worth having your NHS Health Check now.

We can then work with you to lower your chances of developing these health problems in the future.

Questions you may have

Why do I need this check? I feel fine!

The NHS Health Check helps to identify potential risks early. By having this check and following the advice of your health professional, you improve your chances of living a healthier life.

What happens at the check?

But don’t these conditions run in the family?

This check is to assess your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and stroke.

If you have a history of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, or kidney disease in your family then you may be more at risk. Taking action now can help you to prevent the onset of these conditions.

• The check will take about 20-30 minutes

• You’ll be asked some simple questions.

For example, about your family history and choices which may put your health at risk

I know what I’m doing wrong.

How can the doctor help me?

• We’ll record your height, weight, age, sex and ethnicity

• We’ll take your blood pressure

If you would like help, we will work with you to find ways to eat healthily, reach your healthy weight, be more active, cut down your drinking, or stop smoking.

• We’ll do a simple blood test to check your cholesterol level

What happens after the check?

If I am assessed as being at ‘low risk’, does this mean I won’t develop these conditions?

We will discuss how you can reduce your risk and stay healthy.

• You’ll be taken through your results and told what they mean. Some people may be asked to return at a later date for their results

It is impossible to say that someone will or won’t go on to develop one of these conditions.But taking action now can help you lower your potential risk.

• You’ll be given personalised advice on how to lower your risk and maintain a healthy lifestyle

Will everyone have this check?

This check is part of a national scheme to help prevent the onset of these health problems.

Everyone between the ages of 40 and 74 who has not been diagnosed with the conditions mentioned will be invited for a check once every five years. If you are outside the age range and concerned about your health, you should contact your GP.

• Some people with raised blood pressure will have their kidneys checked through a blood test

• Some people may need to have another blood test to check for type 2 diabetes. Your health professional will be able to tell you more

• Treatment or medication may be prescribed to help you maintain your health

Helping you prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and dementia 10

Don’t JUSt go to A & e...

NHS 111

What to do or where to go when you and your family become unexpectedly injured or unwell

If your GP practice is closed, call the NHS 111 service by dialling 111.

Depending on the severity of your illness or injury, there are a number of places you and your family can go to access treatment or health advice. This guide will help you to receive treatment fast, leaving emergency services to those who need them most. A copy of the leaflet Don't just go to A&E can be downloaded from the NHS Bexley website at www.bexleyccg.nhs.uk.

NHS 111 may: • Give medical advice over the phone, for example, you may be asked to go to a 24-hour chemist, or advised to wait until your doctor's surgery is open in the morning • Direct you to an out-of-hours doctor's service.

Depending on your condition, the doctor will either visit you at home, or ask you to attend the urgent care centre at Queen Mary's Hospital, where a doctor will be expecting you.

• Ask you to attend the urgent care centre at Queen Mary's Hospital, where a team of healthcare professionals will be able to treat you • Direct you to an accident and emergency department – but this will only happen if your illness or injury is life-threatening or very serious

Self Care

A range of common illnesses and injuries can be treated at home, simply by combining a wellstocked medicine cabinet and ensuring you get plenty of rest. Make sure that your medicine cabinet is well stocked with:

• Paracetamol • A thermometer • Antihistamines • Aspirin • Rehydration mixture • Plasters • Indigestion remedies • Anti-diarrhoea medicine

Urgent Care Centres (UCCs)

If you have a minor injury or medical problem that is urgent but not life threatening, visit the UCC at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup or the UCC at Erith Hospital. The types of illnesses and injuries both UCCs can treat includes, but is not limited to: • Broken bones, sprains and strains • Minor head injuries • Burns and scalds • Bites and stings • Minor chest, neck and back injuries or pain • Foreign objects in wounds or other parts of the body • Infections including wounds • Minor eye injuries

Pharmacy

Your pharmacist is a healthcare professional who can provide advice and treatment for common conditions such as diarrhoea, sore throats, painful coughs, upset stomach and skin conditions.

Pharmacists also dispense prescriptions.

If you need advice on how you can treat yourself or have a question about your medication, visit your local pharmacist.

If you have a minor injury or medical problem that is urgent but not life threatening – a broken bone, sprain, burn, infection or minor eye injury, visit the UCC at: Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), or the UCC at Erith Hospital (8am to 10pm, seven days a week).

Free emergency contraception is also available from some local pharmacies in Bexley.

For details of pharmacies open in Bexley and other local boroughs during Christmas and the New Year bank holidays in 2014/2015 see the download section in the left hand menu.

GP practice

Accident and emergency departments

If you have a medical problem that is not lifethreatening – for example back ache, ear pain and high temperature – visit your family doctor.

Your GP provides a range of services by appointment and will be able to assess your immediate needs as well as refer you into a specialist service, such as outpatients, if necessary. They also know your medical history so are best placed to manage your care.

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Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments should only be used in a critical or life-threatening situation. A&E departments provide immediate emergency care for people with very serious or life-threatening illness. For emergency healthcare help, dial 999 or go immediately to your nearest A&E department.

• Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Stadium Road, Woolwich, London SE18 4QH • Darent Valley Hospital, Darenth Wood Road, Dartford, Kent DA2 8DA • Princess Royal University Hospital, Farnborough Common, Kent BR6 8ND

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PAtIent CHoICe of gP PRACtICeS During 2012 and 2013, the Department of Health ran a pilot scheme to explore how patient choice of GP practice could be expanded. The Patient Choice Scheme pilot was available in different parts of England and offered patients new ways of accessing GP services outside their GP practice's boundary area.

What to expect from your GP

GPs look after the health of people in their local community and deal with a whole range of health problems. They also provide health education, offer advice on smoking and diet, run clinics, give vaccinations and carry out simple surgical operations.

GPs usually work in practices as part of a team, which includes nurses, healthcare assistants, practice managers, receptionists and other staff.

Practices also work closely with other healthcare professionals, such as health visitors, midwives, and social services. You would normally see GPs or other healthcare professionals at their premises (surgery). Some operate from more than one building. If your GP cannot deal with a problem then you’ll usually be referred to a hospital for tests, treatment, or to see a consultant with specialist knowledge. GP practices should make information about their services easily available to their patients. Most practices have a practice leaflet available, otherwise please ask your GP or surgery for one.

As a result of this scheme, and following changes to GP contracts, all GP practices in England will be free to register new patients who live outside their practice boundary area from January 2015.

This means that you are able to join practices in more convenient locations, such as a practice near your work.

The idea is to provide you with greater choice and to improve the quality of GP services over time, as GPs providing a good service are naturally more popular.

These new arrangements are voluntary for GP practices. If the practice has no capacity at the time or feels it is not clinically appropriate or practical for you to be registered so far away from home then they can still refuse registration. The practice should explain their reason to you in detail.

What to consider when registering with a GP practice further away

You may wish to join a GP near work or remain registered with your old GP following a move. The new arrangements make this possible; however, there are a few things to consider.

Because of the greater distance to your home, the GP you register with is under no obligation to offer you a home visit. If you are not well enough to go to the practice yourself then other arrangements will have to be made. NHS England (the body responsible for buying GP services) has to ensure that you are able to access a service either near your home or at home. When you register with a practice away from home you will be given information about what you should do in those circumstances.

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gP’S & gP SURgeRIeS Getting a GP appointment If you want to see a doctor, you'll usually need to make an appointment. Most GP surgeries operate independently and have their own booking routines. Your surgery should be able to offer you an appointment to see a GP or other healthcare professional quickly if necessary. However, if it is more convenient, you should also be able to book appointments in advance. Familiarise yourself with your GP surgery’s appointment system, and try to plan in advance if you can. For routine appointments you may be able to book online, so check on the practice website or with the receptionist.

Surgery

Address

Area

Data correct with NHS Choices - December 2014 14

Postcode

Telephone

PHARMACIeS Around 70% of pharmacists work in the community in premises on local high streets all over the country. Community pharmacists prepare and dispense prescription and non-prescription medicines. They are also able to give you advice about how to use your medicines and highlight any possible side effects.

They offer advice on common problems such as coughs, colds, aches and pains, as well as healthy eating and stopping smoking. They can also help you decide whether you need to see a doctor.

This means that your pharmacist may ask you a range of questions before handing over any medicines, especially if you ask for medicines that do not require a prescription.

Make sure you have repeat prescriptions

If you or someone you care for requires medicines regularly, make sure you order and collect repeat prescriptions in good time to ensure you or your family have enough medicine to last i.e. weekends, Bank holidays and breaks away.

Questions your pharmacist may ask include:

• • • • • •

Have you taken the medicine before?

Who is the medicine for?

What are the symptoms?

How long have you had these symptoms?

What action has already been taken?

Are you taking any other medication for this or any other reasons?

Many of the calls to out of hours health services are for emergency repeat prescriptions when people have run out of their medication - a situation that could be avoided with some forethought and planning. By thinking ahead for your regular medication you are helping our busy out of hour’s doctors and nurses.

Talk to your Pharmacist

For opening times and NHS SERVICES available from your Pharmacy Please scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit www.nhs.uk

You can talk to your pharmacist in confidence, even about the most personal symptoms, and you don't need to make an appointment. It is possible to walk into any community pharmacy and ask to speak with the pharmacist. They may be able to spend some time with you or offer you an appointment for a consultation. All the discussions with your pharmacist can take place in person or by phone.

What if I have a complaint or concern about my Pharmacy or Pharmacist?

Any complaint to go through the NHS complaints procedure needs to be made either to the practice directly or to NHS England. Any other concerns about a pharmacist 'fitness to work' should be made via General Pharmaceutical Council.

Around 85% of pharmacies now have a private consultation area where patients can discuss issues with pharmacy staff without being overheard by other members of the public.

You can contact the General Pharmaceutical Council, either by email concerns@pharmacyregulation.org

or by post: Raising a concern General Pharmaceutical Council 129 Lambeth Road, London SE1 7BJ Tel: 020 3365 3603 15

PHARMACIeS Pharmacy / Chemist

Address

Area

Data correct with NHS Choices - December 2014 16

Postcode

Telephone

DentIStS, oPtICIAnS & HeARIng CentReS Dentist

Address

Area

Postcode

Telephone

Optician

Address

Area

Postcode

Telephone

Hearing Centre

Address

Area

Postcode

Telephone

Data correct with NHS Choices - December 2014 17

NHS DENTISTRY

NHS DENTAL CHARGES

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Band 1 course of treatment

£18.50

You're entitled to have all clinically necessary treatment on the NHS. This means that the NHS will provide any treatment that you need to keep your mouth, teeth and gums healthy and free of pain.

This covers an examination, diagnosis (eg X-rays), advice on how to prevent future problems, a scale and polish if needed, and application of fluoride varnish or fissure sealant. If you require urgent care, even if your urgent treatment needs more than one appointment to complete, you will only need to pay one Band 1 charge.

If your dentist says you need a particular type of treatment, you should not be asked to pay for it privately. Your dentist is not allowed to refuse you any treatment available on the NHS but then offer the same treatment privately. Also, any treatment provided on the NHS has to be of the same high quality as treatments provided privately.

Band 2 course of treatment

£50.50

This covers everything listed in Band 1 above, plus any further treatment such as fillings, root canal work or if your dentist needs to take out one or more of your teeth.

Depending on what you need to have done, you should only ever be asked to pay one charge for each complete course of treatment, even if you need to visit your dentist more than once to finish it. You will not be charged for individual items within the course of treatment.

Band 3 course of treatment

£219.00

This covers everything listed in Bands 1 and 2 above, plus crowns, dentures and bridges.

Regular eye tests are important because your eyes don't usually hurt when something is wrong. A sight test is a vital health check for your eyes that can pick up early signs of eye|conditions before you're aware of any symptoms – many of which can be treated if found early enough.

What your eye test will show

A sight test will show if you need to get glasses for the first time or change your current glasses.

A sight test will also include a general health check that can pick up early signs of eye disease before you’re aware of any symptoms. Some health conditions can affect the eyes such as:

Diabetes, Macular Degeneration or Glaucoma

Your Sight Test

It’s recommended that adults have their eyes tested every two years, unless their ophthalmic practitioner advises them to have a sight test more often than that.Your employer may pay for this test for you so ask for advice on this, and if you are over 60 your test is free of charge.

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SoCIAL CARe & InDePenDent LIVIng How do I get Social care?

If you have decided that you need social care support, you may want to think about the type of support you require, be it homecare workers, equipment or respite breaks.

Your first step should be to ask your local authority social services department for an assessment of you needs.

Local authorities have a duty to assess anyone who appears to need the community care services they offer.

Your local authority should:

• assess your needs and give you advice, whatever your financial circumstances • tell you about local services and who to contact locally for advice • be able to provide information about services and support options available to you in your area • give you relevant information if you are an unpaid/family carer

Your rights and entitlements

In most cases, you shouldn’t have to actively exert your rights in regards to the care that you receive.

However, if you feel you are being unjustly treated in breach of your rights, you may want to take action. You can do this by telling someone you trust, seeking help from Healthwatch Bexley or contacting the local authority team in charge of ‘safeguarding’.

The assessment by the local authority is important because it helps them work out what your difficulties are and what services will help you most. Each local authority has its own way of working out who is eligible for social care support and what services it can offer.

If your local authority thinks you are eligible for social care support, you have a specific level of need and meet financial rules, you should be involved in the decision-making process that follows. If appropriate, the next step will be for social services or an independent adviser to work with you to create a care plan.

Under UK law, you should be looked after and treated fairly and with dignity whenever you are given social care services. This applies to everyone, regardless of where they are given care and who does the caring. Other laws may also protect you from discrimination because of who you are, including some protection for carers under the rules designed to protect disabled people. For example, if you are an older person, this should not stop you from having treatment similar to that which a younger person would be given.

If you feel that your needs have changed over time, you will have to be re-assessed. Contact the social care team at your local authority to discuss it with them.

Families with disabled children may be eligible for Family Support to help you look after your child.

This can include day care for children under five, help with parenting such as parenting classes, courses or family support workers, practical home help, and access to a Children’s Centre. Some of these services are available to all families.

Family Support

Often only minor assistance is needed – such as meals on wheels and help with washing or dressing. Yet these services could make a big difference to your life.

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20

SoCIAL CARe & InDePenDent LIVIng What social care support can I get?

Help in your home or in a care home

Many people’s first impression or thoughts of social care might be a residential care home. In fact, there’s a wide variety of social care services available and most who need social care support will be able to have care provided in their home.

The kind of social care support that you can get depends largely on your needs. This means the type of condition you have, or the severity of your disability. For example, if you have a neurological problem that causes you to have trouble walking you may simply require some equipment to help you remain mobile and independent. However, if you have a significant neurological problem that seriously affects your mental capacity or ability to move and look after yourself, you are likely to need a much wider range of social care services.It is worth taking time to think about your specific needs and what you think you might need to help you achieve the best quality of life you can.

You may want to have someone who can come to your home and give you the support you need to live your life. This can include help with tasks such as getting dressed, help with using the toilet, washing, preparing and eating food, cleaning and laundry, getting out and about, and taking part in leisure and social activities.

Healthwatch Bexley or your local authority will be able to provide you with information and advice on what services are available in your local area.

Community support and activities

Some social care services can be provided to help you continue to play an active role in your community and to get out and about and do the things you want to do. For example, you may want to work or to partake in religious or cultural events such as a festival or a sports match. Social care services may be able to support you in a wide range of ways to enable you to continue to do these things, for example a community transport service.

Care and support services might typically include: • equipment • help in your home or in a care home • community support and activities • day centres • home adaptations • residential care • financial support • information and advisory services, and advocacy • support for carers • other support for care

Day centres

Visiting a day centre can be a good alternative to moving into a care home. Day centres provide an opportunity to socialise and do activities that might not be available at home and may provide respite for family carers.

Adaptations to your home

Equipment

A common way that social care can support ill or disabled people to live independently at home is simple adaptations to the home. If you have difficulty living at home because of your condition, it is often a better option to improve your home than to move somewhere new.For example, depending on your condition, you might be able to get lowered kitchen surfaces and storage, wider doorways to accommodate wheelchairs or walking frames, or improved flooring to prevent trips and falls.

Getting the right equipment can revolutionise your life. The ability for you to remain independent sometimes hinges on small factors and tools, such as a jar gripper (to help you remove lids) or ways to raise your seat (so that you can get up more easily), which can make all the difference.

However, equipment can also help with weightier issues, for example, hoists to help people with mobility problems get on and off chairs or toilets, or in and out of the bath or bed. The equipment you may be able to access could include monitoring devices that check whether you have left the house if you have a condition, such as dementia, that causes confusion and wandering.

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SoCIAL CARe & InDePenDent LIVIng Residential care

Who to contact for an assessment for Social Care

If living at home is no longer a realistic or practical option, you may want to consider residential care.

There are many different types of ‘residential care’ – it may mean a permanent move into a care home for older people, or it could be a stay in a home for younger adults with disabilities, or a home for children. Residential care may be privately owned, or run by a charity or the local authority.

The London Borough of Bexley provides a range of social care services to support vulnerable children and adults across the borough. We are here to offer you practical information and advice which will help you to continue to live independently at home. This may include, for example, help with mobility and confidence after an accident, illness, injury or deterioration in a condition.

The main types of residential care are: • residential care homes • residential care homes with nursing care • extra care and sheltered housing • supported living • retirement villages

Contact Care Central Contact Centre Civic Offices 2 Watling Street Bexleyheath DA6 7AT Tel: 020 8303 7777 Email: screeners@bexley.gov.uk

Out-of-hours social service support

Deciding on a long-term stay in residential care is a very significant decision financially, practically and emotionally. You will need to think about your own preferences and decide what services will meet your needs now, as well as being flexible enough to take account of your future care needs. It is not always an easy decision. Independent advice can be important in helping you make the right decision, taking into account all the important factors.

Your local authority will be able to give you details of information services they commission locally.

Bexley operates an out-of-hours emergency service evenings and weekends to ensure help is always available.

Monday to Thursday 6pm to 8am, and from 6pm Friday through to Monday 8am.

To access the service simply telephone: 020 8303 7777

Children and family care services

All families with children below the age of 18 who live in the Bexley borough can receive advice and information from the Children and Families service.

Support for carers

You’re a carer if you’re looking after a person who is disabled, has a long-term health condition or is elderly and frail. Carers can get help with their caring role, and by enabling the person they care for to get the support they need, they can make their own life easier. For example, it’s important that carers have time for themselves, and one of the best ways to arrange breaks from caring is to ensure that you have had a carer’s assessment.

This will help identify how substantial and demanding your caring is and how much support you are likely to need. If you are looking after a child with a learning disability or similar, you should also consider the support that your child will need with their education. Again, talk to your local authority to discuss the types of support you might be able to get.

Tel: 020 8303 7777 Email: childrenssocialcare.admin@bexley.gov.uk

Disabled children's service

The disabled children's service is a specialist team responsible for the assessment of disabled children up to the age of 18 and the provision of information, and the packages of support to meet their assessed needs.

Disabled Children's Service Civic Offices 2 Watling Street Bexleyheath DA6 7AT Tel: 020 3045 3600 Email: disabledchildrenserviceunit@bexley.gov.uk

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UnDeRStAnDIng tHe CARe ACt What is the Care Act?

The number of people in England who have health problems requiring both health and social care is increasing. For example, in the next 20 years, the percentage of people over 85 will double. This means there are likely to be more people with ‘complex health needs’ - more than one health problem - who require a combination of health and social care services.

The Care Act is a new law about care and support for adults in England that will come into force in April 2015, making one new law saying what people can expect and what local authorities will have to do.

Care and support is something that nearly everyone in this country will experience at some point in their lives; even if you don’t need care yourself, you will probably know a family member or friend who does, or you may already care for someone. Until now it’s been almost impossible for people who need care, carers, and even those who manage the care system, to understand how the previous law affecting them worked. The Care Act has created a single, modern law that makes it clear what kind of care people should expect.

The main themes of the Care Act are around promoting:

To help make things clearer the government have introduced a minimum eligibility threshold across the country - a set of rules that makes it clear when local authorities will have to provide support to people. Until now, local authorities have been able to decide this threshold themselves, meaning decisions varied from place to place.

• Wellbeing: giving people greater choice and control to be independent and providing advice and support.

• Carers entitlements and rights: carers will be entitled to their own assessments to see if they are eligible for support.

Most local authorities have had a one size fits all approach to care. The focus has been on what disabilities someone has, or what services the local authority can provide, rather than on the individuals needs. So for the first time the system will be built around each person -what they need, how they can best be cared for, and what they want.

• A lifetime cap on care costs: there will be a limit to the amount you will have to pay for care in your lifetime (this will not come into force until April 2016). The lifetime cap on care costs will be £72,000 for people aged 65+. Local authorities must also help people to benefit from independent financial advice, so that they can get support to plan and prepare for the future costs of care.

For the first time, the Act provides people with a legal entitlement to a personal budget, which is an important part of their care and support plan.

The personal budget must be included in every plan, unless the person is only receiving intermediate care or reablement support to meet their identified needs.

• Advocacy: the local authority must find you an independent advocate who will help you and represent your best interests to get the right services if you are unable to do so.

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• Keeping adults safe: This is the first time there as been a law telling local authorities what to do to help keep adults safe from abuse or neglect.

UnDeRStAnDIng tHe CARe ACt How does the care act benefit carers?

The Rules

Well-being: Local Authorities must have services to meet different people’s needs. They must always think about your wellbeing.

Currently, carers don’t have a legal right to receive support, although local authorities can provide support at their discretion. This means that access to assessment and the range of support on offer can vary considerably.

Information and advice: Local authorities will need to provide comprehensive information and advice about care and support services in their local area. This will help people to understand how care and support services work locally, the care and funding options available, and how people can access care and support services.

The Care Act gives local authorities a responsibility to assess a carer’s needs for support, where the carer appears to have such needs. This replaces the existing law, which says that the carer must be providing “a substantial amount of care on a regular basis” to qualify for an assessment. This will mean more carers are able to have an assessment. The local authority will assess whether the carer has needs and what those needs may be.

This assessment will consider the impact of caring on the carer. It will also consider the things that a carer wants to achieve in their own day-to-day life. It must also consider other important issues, such as whether the carer is able or willing to carry on caring, whether they work or want to work, and whether they want to study or do more socially. If both the carer and the person they care for agree, a combined assessment of both their needs can be undertaken.

The Act clearly sets out what local authorities must provide information on:

• what types of care and support are available – e.g. specialised dementia care, befriending services, reablement, personal assistance, residential care etc…

• the range of care and support services available to local people, i.e. what local providers offer certain types of services • what process local people need to use to get care and support that is available • where local people can find independent financial advice about care and support and help them to access it • how people can raise concerns about the safety or wellbeing of someone who has care and support needs

Adults caring for disabled children

An adult caring for a disabled child can get support through children’s services. This is usually the best way to meet their needs, so they are not covered by this Act.

Prevention: Local authorities must provide or arrange services that help prevent people developing needs for care and support or delay people deteriorating such that they would need ongoing care and support.

However, there is provision in the Act for an adult carer of a disabled child to ask for an assessment of their caring needs before the child reaches 18.

When a local authority carries out such an assessment, it has the power to provide support to the carer, even though they are caring for a child, rather than an adult. This would, for example, enable a local authority to provide support that is available through an adult carers’ centre.

Person-centred care and support: Person-centred care is when people understand what is important to you and give you the right care and support to do the things you want. The Local Authority must involve you in writing and checking your plan.

Work and having a job: Local Authorities must now think about education, training and work when they look at the care and support you need.

The Care Act and young carers

The Care Act does not deal with the assessment of people under the age of 18 who care for others.

However, young carers can be supported under the law relating to children. The Children and Families Act gives young carers (and parent carers) similar rights to assessment as other carers have under the Care Act.

To view The Care Act in further detail please visit:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-2014-part1-factsheets

To view The Children and Families Act in further detail please visit:

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/6/contents/enacted

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PeRSonAL HeALtH BUDgetS Personal Health Budgets

Can I have a personal health budget as well as a personal budget for social care and support?

Personal health budgets are being introduced by the NHS to help people manage their care in a way that suits them.

Yes. If you already have a personal budget for care and support from social services and your NHS team agrees, you can also have a personal health budget and ask for both to be combined.

They have been piloted in a number of places across England and, from April 2014, anyone receiving NHS continuing healthcare will have a right to ask for a personal health budget.

Do I have to have a personal health budget?

What is a Personal Health Budget?

A personal health budget is an amount of money to support your identified health and wellbeing needs, planned and agreed between you and your local NHS team. The aim is to give people with long-term conditions and disabilities greater choice and control over the healthcare and support they receive. Personal health budgets work in a similar way to the personal budgets that many people are already using to manage and pay for their social care. Together with your NHS team (such as a GP) you will develop a care plan. The plan sets out your personal health and wellbeing needs, the health outcomes you want to achieve, the amount of money in the budget and how you are going to spend it.

No. If having a personal health budget does not work for you, your local NHS will provide the care you need as it has always done.

What is the difference between a personal health budget, a personal budget, an individual budget and a direct payment?

A personal health budget is for your NHS healthcare and support needs.

A personal budget is for your social care and support needs.

An individual budget includes your social care and support needs plus other funding, such as independent living.

You can use a personal health budget to pay for a wide range of items and services, including therapies, personal care and equipment. This will allow you more choice and control over the health services and care you receive.

A direct payment is one way of managing these budgets, where you get the cash to buy the agreed care and support you need.

Key Points

You don’t have to change any healthcare or support that is working well for you just because you get a personal health budget, but if something isn’t working, you can change it.

• Personal health budgets should help people get a better service from the NHS. They should not make things worse.

• You do not have to have a personal health budget if you do not want one.

• You should have as much control over decisions as you want.

• NHS and social care organisations should work in partnership with you and with each other.

• If you are not able to have a personal health budget, you can still speak to your NHS team about how your needs can be met in another way that is more personal to you.

Who can have a Personal Health Budget?

The first group to be able to ask for a personal health budget, from April 2014, are people getting NHS continuing healthcare, which is NHS-funded long-term health and personal care provided outside hospital. Local NHS organisations can offer personal health budgets to other people if they think an individual will benefit. It is the Government’s long-term aim to introduce a right to a personal health budget for people who would benefit from it.

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ARe YoU A CAReR? Carers Direct helpline

A carer is anybody who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty or disability. Many carers don't see themselves as carers and it takes carers an average of two years to acknowledge their role as a carer. It can be difficult for carers to see their caring role as separate from the relationship they have with the person they care for, whether they are a parent, son, daughter, sibling or friend. They simply may think of themselves as a friend or family of the person they care for. It is because of this that they often don’t realise there is help available to them as well. Such as how they can get assessments, direct payments, home care, housing adaptations or funding for short breaks and respite.

Call the Carers Direct helpline on 0300 123 1053 if you need help with your caring role and want to talk to someone about what options are available to you.

If you are busy at certain times of day, you can send us a message to ask us to call you back for free at a time that is convenient to you. The helpline is open from 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday, and from 11am to 4pm, at weekends. The helpline is closed on bank holidays. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles within the UK.

Information

The helpline advisers can give you information to help you make decisions about your personal support needs and the needs of the person you're looking after.

Some carers can suffer from poor health because of the demands of their caring role. For example, back pain can result from lifting or moving the person being cared for. It may also be difficult to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine while caring.

This information includes assessments, benefits, direct payments, individual budgets, time off and maintaining, leaving or going back to work or education.

Without the right support, being a carer can be an extremely stressful role.

The helpline staff will tell you how to complain if anything goes wrong with any of the services you use or put you in touch with your local authority or NHS services.

• Ask for help: We all need help from time to time and carers are no exception. Help is out there, you only need to ask!

Local and specialist help

• Know your rights: It sounds simple, but knowing what you’re entitled to and what support is available can help a great deal.

Our helpline advisers can put you in touch with specialist national or local sources of help, including social care, healthcare and self-help networks and resources.

• Tell your GP: Your GP practice can record that you are a carer to ensure you get your annual flu vaccination and additional support as a carer.

The Carers Direct helpline doesn't provide personal financial, medical or legal advice and doesn't provide casework, advocacy, representation, counselling or emotional support. But our advisers can help you get in touch with people who do provide these services.

• Get an assessment: This can sound a little daunting at first, but ensuring that you and the person you care for get a assessment of your needs through the Local Authority can give you access to a whole host of additional practical help and support.

• Be a little selfish! We all need time to ourselves, but it’s particularly important for carers. This could be as simple as setting some me time aside for a relaxing bath or a night out.

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teLeCARe & teLeHeALtH Telecare is a service that enables people, especially older and more vulnerable individuals, to live independently in their own home. 90% of people say that that is their wish and telecare allows it to happen. Equally it gives peace of mind to family, friends and carers, knowing that when they are unable to watch over their loved ones, telecare will.

Telecare & Telehealth can be of benefit to:

• Older, frail or disabled people or those temporarily unwell after perhaps an operation

Telecare is as much about the philosophy of dignity and independence as it is about technology and services. The service package, and choice of technology, is provided to support the individual in their home and is tailored to meet their needs. It can be as simple as the basic social alarm service, able to respond 24/7 in a given situation, it can include sensors and triggers such as motion or fall detectors and fire and gas alarms, that trigger a warning to a response centre staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It can also include location devices that can be used to enable an individual to have security outside of their home.

• People who have been discharged from hospital and need to be able to get help at home if needed

• Vulnerable people of any age living alone

• Reassurance to partners, family and carers of people with dementia, medical conditions or disabilities be that physical, mental or sensory

To benefit from the service all you need is a phone line and modern electric plug socket. This range of technology offers extra independence and peace of mind. Pictured overleaf are some of our most popular devices, however, many more are available.

As well as responding to an immediate need, telecare can work in a preventative mode, with services programmed to monitor an individual's health or well-being. Often known as lifestyle monitoring, this can provide early warning of deterioration, prompting a response from family or professionals.

Telehealth equipment is used to monitor your health in your own home. It can be equipment to measure your blood pressure, blood glucose levels or your weight. This can reduce the number of visits you make to your GP and unplanned visits to the hospital. You’re taught how to do the tests on yourself and the measurements are automatically transmitted to your doctor or nurse, who can then see the information without you having to leave home. They can let you know if they have any concerns.

Telecare and telehealth can be used on their own or in combination in order to best meet the needs of the individual and get the best fit with local services, including those provided by family and friends. The services need to balance technology with other forms of care and support and be reviewed in the same way as all other packages of health and social care.

For more information about telehealth and telecare services, visit www.telecare.org.uk or speak to your GP, social worker or local authority

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teLeCARe & teLeHeALtH Examples of Telecare Equipment: These can be carried with you around the home and in your garden (within 50 metres). In an emergency simply press the alarm button and a message is sent directly to the Lifeline Control Centre.

Falls Detector Will sense if you fall and automatically alert us. We will get help to you quickly.

Flood Detector Will alert you and us when a bath or sink is overflowing.

Smoke Detector Will alert you and us if smoke or fire is detected in your home. Your house is safe even when you are not in it.

Exit Alert Will detect and alert us if a door is opened, and can help should a person be at risk of wandering.

Bed Sensor Will alert you and us if a person does not return to their bed. This could indicate a fall has occurred.

Telecare Panic Button This system offers reassurance to anyone at home alone. The pendant is linked into an on site telecare alarm unit. If you are concerned about any situation, you simply need to press the button. If support is required operators will raise an alarm should the incident be critical.

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CARe In YoUR oWn HoMe Home care isn’t for everyone but frequent visits from carers and a few home modifications can help you retain your home comforts and independence.

Receiving care in your home is an increasingly common alternative to staying in hospital or moving into a care home.

Depending on your needs, you can receive help and support that allows you to stay in your own home as long as possible. Not only do you avoid any upheaval and stay in familiar surroundings, it can also be a more economical alternative to residential care.

What home care services are available?

Direct Payments can be made to:

• Regular visits from home care workers to help with daily tasks and personal care • Meals delivered to your home • Equipment and home modifications to help with mobility and accessibility, such as getting in and out of the bath, and getting up and down stairs • Personal fall and panic alarms that are monitored around the clock • Support for health needs, such as incontinence • Day care and transport to take you there • Gardening and handyman services

• Disabled people aged 16 or over (with short or long-term needs) • Disabled parents for children’s services • Carers aged 16 or over (including people with parental responsibility for a disabled child) • Elderly people who need community care services

Choosing Direct Payments

The choice of direct payments is voluntary. If you decide to have direct payments, you can change your mind about this at any time. If you no longer want direct payments, contact your local social services and ask them to arrange services instead.

Direct Payments

If you are assessed as needing community care services and qualify for social services funding they must offer you direct payments as an option.

It's possible to try direct payments by asking social services for a direct payment for some of your support while you continue to get your other support directly from social services.

If someone isn't able to manage their own direct payments, it's possible for another person to manage the direct payments on their behalf.

Direct payments can only be spent on things that will meet the assessed needs of the person getting them. If you spend a direct payment on something that doesn't meet your needs, social services can recover the money from you.

Direct payments are part of a move towards ‘personalised’ social care so that people have more choice and control over the support they get, letting you choose and buy the services you need yourself, rather than having it arranged for you by social services.

Everyone who gets support from social services should have their needs reassessed at least once a year.

It's important to know that if you receive a direct payment to pay a care worker or personal assistant, you become an employer and have legal responsibilities.

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CARe In YoUR oWn HoMe Care Provider

Address

Area

Data correct with CQC - December 2014

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Postcode Telephone

CHooSIng BetWeen ReSIDentIAL, Choosing between residential care and independent living

Social services normally encourage younger adults who they assess for support to be as independent as their circumstances allow. The care plan for adults with disabilities will consider what independent tasks they can carry out and how they can be helped to achieve more. Even if adults have very severe disabilities their needs are reviewed from time to time to check whether residential care or a very high level of support is still appropriate.Supported living may be an option for younger adults. This allows people to live independently in the community but with basic support. The support offered includes help with setting up a home and managing finances, and assistance with cleaning and shopping.

There are many types of residential care homes available. These include permanent care homes for older people, homes for younger adults with disabilities and homes for children. They may be privately owned or run by the voluntary sector or local authorities. You may want to consider in detail the many options for residential care before you make a decision.

For older people there are various alternatives to residential care. These include sheltered housing and extra care housing schemes, which offer independence with an increased level of care and support.

Older people

For many people there is also the choice of living independently at home with community care support.

Care homes for older people may provide personal care or nursing care. A care home which is registered to provide personal care will offer support, ensuring that basic personal needs, such as meals, bathing, going to the toilet and medication, are taken care of. In some homes more able residents have greater independence and take care of many of their own needs.Some residents may need medical care and some care homes are registered to provide this. These are often referred to as nursing homes. Some homes specialise in certain types of disability, for example, dementia.

Choice of accommodation

The law says that where the local authority is funding accommodation it must allow the person entering residential care to choose which care home they would prefer. Social services must first agree that the home is suitable for the person’s needs and that it would not cost more than they would normally pay for a home that would meet those needs. If the person chooses to go into a more expensive home, a relative or friend may be able to ‘top up’ the difference in cost.

Adults aged 18-65

There are also residential care homes that provide care and support for younger adults with, for example, severe physical disabilities, learning disabilities, acquired brain injury, progressive neurological conditions or mental health problems.

Care can be provided for adults with more than one condition and some homes have expertise in providing care for adults with alcohol or drug dependency.

These homes offer permanent residence or provide care for a temporary period until the adult is able to live independently or move to a different type of accommodation.

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nURSIng & InDePenDent LIVIng Choosing a care home

What your choices are

A list of all nursing and residential care homes within your locality can be found on the following pages. Every care home in England must be registered with the national regulatory body Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Care homes may be arranged through the local authority but many people will want to arrange them independently. It is a good idea to visit several homes before making a choice. Make sure you spend enough time in each home to get a good idea of what it is like.

They inspect each care home on a regular basis and write an inspection report for you to read. It is advisable to read this report before making a final decision.

Respite and short term stays

Residential care home stays don't necessarily have to be permanent. Temporary stays can be arranged for respite care (in which you take a break from caring for somebody else), or as a trial period before a permanent stay.

To check up-to-date information on the Nursing and Residential care homes within your locality visit www.cqc.org.uk or scan the QR CODE WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE

Temporary stays can give you flexibility when covering unexpected events, such as:

• Palliative care (which manages or reduces pain) after a hospital stay or illness • Support for newly disabled people and their carers • Enabling someone to continue living independently if they live alone and suddenly require care • Giving someone a chance to try potential future homes

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ReSIDentIAL CARe CoStS Get personal advice on care funding

In some cases the residential care needed by the person you're looking after may be paid for by the NHS under the NHS continuing care scheme. The care may also be provided free of charge because it is 'intermediate care'. It may be free because the person you're looking after has previously been a mental health inpatient. If this is the case, the services are funded under the Mental Health Act.

The cost of care and support is likely to be a longterm commitment and may be substantial, particularly if you opt for residential care. If you or a member of the family need to pay for care in a care home, it’s important to seek advice tailored to your individual needs.

The cost of your care will vary depending on its type, intensity, specialisation, location and duration. For example, a place in a residential care home will cost hundreds of pounds a week.

Decisions that have such financial implications should be made with advice and only after considering the costs of alternatives.

Residential care is also free if the local authority could charge but decides not to do so. This can occur if the stay in residential care is only temporary (normally less than eight weeks), or if the residential care is for a child. If none of the above applies, the person you're looking after will be given a financial assessment. This is also known as a means-tested assessment. They will be required to give information about their income and capital. There are rules that determine how income and capital are treated. Some types, including benefits, can be disregarded. The financial assessment will work out how much the person you're looking after will be expected to contribute towards the cost of their care home fees.

For example, the cost of a care home needs to be weighed against the cost of care and support that may help you remain in your existing accommodation.

The costs of long-term care can be significant and how you may wish to arrange to pay for it is a big financial decision for most people. Cost can vary across the country and different care homes will charge different amounts based on the level of care needs, the quality of the accommodation, or the area of England it is in.

Owning Property

There are rules that explain how the property of the person you're looking after will be taken into account In some cases it can be disregarded, this is the case if a partner is still living in the property.

Few of us will have the income or ready access to the cash to pay for their ongoing care needs. Often people find that they need to sell or remortgage their home to pay for care or enter into an equity release scheme. Before taking such significant financial steps it is advisable to get proper independent financial advice. For advice on selffunding care, visit the Money Advice Service or the Society of Later Life Advisers. You may also have previously arranged an investment or insurance plan to fund your care. Again, it is worth taking independent advice on these potentially significant financial arrangements.

The capital limit for residential care is ÂŁ23,250.

Local authorities will investigate if they believe that the person you're looking after has deliberately reduced their capital to avoid paying care home fees. There is a scheme called the deferred payment scheme which allows someone who goes into care to keep their property and still get help from the local authority with paying care home fees. The local authority recovers the fees from the proceeds when the property is sold. This scheme can also be used if there is a delay in selling a property.

Find out more about paying for care on the websites of:

Self-funders

After the means-tested assessment, the person you're looking after may receive a decision that they will have to pay their own care home fees.

People paying their own fees are referred to as self-funders. Self-funders will still receive advice about the arrangements for residential care. Once a self-funder's capital reaches ÂŁ23,250 the local authority is responsible for helping out with the care home fees. This will require another assessment.

www.ageuk.org.uk www.carersuk.org

www.findmegoodcare.co.uk www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk 33

www.societyoflaterlifeadvisers.co.uk

ReSIDentIAL & nURSIng CARe Residential Homes

Address

Area

Postcode Telephone

Nursing Homes

Address

Area

Postcode Telephone

Data correct with NHS Choices - December 2014 34

eXPReSSIng CoMPLAIntS & ConCeRnS Ask to see a copy of the complaints procedure for the NHS service you are unhappy about. This will tell you who to contact, how they will handle your complaint and how they will learn from your complaint. Where possible, you should contact the NHS service (hospital, GP practice, dentist etc.) directly. You can do this in person, by telephone, email or letter. This will give the NHS service a chance to sort out any problem you might have and put things right for you.

Complaints about primary care services (including GP, dental, pharmacy and optical) may be referred directly to the service provider or to NHS England on: 0300 311 2233 or email: england.contactus@nhs.net

Although most people have no problems when using Health & Social care services, sometimes things can go wrong. This information explains what to do if you, or a member of your family, want to complain about the care that you have received.

Complaints about hospital, mental health or community trust services may be referred directly to the service provider; for Bexley patients the most common providers, with their contacts are:

• Queen Elizabeth Hospital: pals.qeht@nhs.net or 020 8836 4592 • Queen Mary’s Hospital: qmh-pals@oxleas.nhs.uk or 020 8308 5449 • Princess Royal University Hospital: kch-tr.patientcomplaints@nhs.net or 020 3299 3209 • Darent Valley Hospital: complaints@dvh.nhs.uk or 01322 428735 • Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust for mental health and community services: complaints@oxleas.nhs.uk or 01322 625013

How to complain

Who you contact to complain will depend on:

• Whether you are complaining about health care or social care, and • Whether the care is paid for by public funds or you have paid for it yourself.

It is usually a good idea to keep a record of what you said and who you said it to if the complaint is made verbally. Healthwatch Bexley will be able to tell you if you can get free help, advice and support in making your complaint.

NHS Advocacy Service

Advocacy For All provides advocacy for NHS complaints for people living in Bexley.

Complaints can also be made to NHS Bexley CCG, as the commissioner of the service, via the CCG patient experience team at: contactus@nhs.net or on free phone: 0800 328 9712 www.bexleyccg.nhs.uk

We support people to make a complaint about services commissioned or provided by the NHS. Please call: 020 8269 8692 or email: Bexleynhscomplaints@advocacyforall.org.uk

Advocacy for All 241 Main Road, Sidcup, Kent DA14 6QS www.advocacyforall.org.uk

How to make a complaint about health care

If you are unhappy with the care you have received from the NHS, you have the right to make a complaint.

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eXPReSSIng CoMPLAIntS & ConCeRnS If you are not content with the reply you get

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint or how it was dealt with, you have the right to ask the Health Service Ombudsman to investigate your complaint. This is a free, independent service that will usually only investigate a complaint after the NHS have had a chance to try to deal with your complaint, if they decide the NHS have got things wrong, they can make recommendations to put things right.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP Tel: 0345 015 4033 Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk www.ombudsman.org.uk Text phone: 0300 061 4298 if you are deaf or have problems using a standard telephone request a call by texting ‘call back’ with your name and mobile number to 07624 813 005.

If you are not content with the reply you get

If you are not happy with the final reply from the care service or Bexley Council, you have the right to ask the Local Government Ombudsman to investigate your complaint.

How to make a complaint about Social care

This right applies whether you pay for you privately fund your own care or the Local Authority funds it.

If you are unhappy with the care you have received from a care home, nursing home, home-care agency or other social care service, you have the right to make a complaint. If the service is provided in a social care setting but is funded by the NHS, e.g. dental services, you will need to follow the NHS complaints process, ‘How to complain about health care’ on the opposite page. Ask to see a copy of the complaints procedure for the care service you are unhappy about. This will tell you who to contact, how they will handle your complaint and how they will learn from your complaint.

Where possible, you should contact the care service directly (care or nursing home, etc.).

You can do this in person, by telephone, email or letter. This will give the care service the chance to sort out any problem you may have and put things right for you.

You can contact the Local Government Ombudsman on 0300 061 0614, Local Government Ombudsman, PO Box 4771, Coventry CV4 0EH www.lgo.org.uk

For further help and advice on raising a concern or making a complaint relating to Health or Social Care contact: Healthwatch Bexley Milton House 240a Broadway Bexleyheath, Kent DA6 8AS

If you are not able to do this, or if you feel worried about contacting the service directly, you can contact:

London Borough of Bexley Civic Offices, 2 Watling Street, Bexleyheath Kent DA6 7AT Email: customer.services@bexley.gov.uk Customer Contact Centre on: 020 8303 7777 The Bexley Complaints Procedure can be found at: www.bexley.gov.uk/feedback

Tel: 0208 304 9344

Email us: info@healthwatchbexley.co.uk

Visit our website: www.healthwatchbexley.co.uk Twitter: @HWBexley

Facebook: Healthwatch Bexley 36