HEALTHWATCH HAVERING
An officer from Healthwatch Havering will update the Sub-Committee on aspects of the work of this organisation.
Minutes:
1. Urgent Care Survey
A director of Healthwatch Havering explained that a recent survey conducted by Healthwatch in 10 local GP practices had shown a large majority of respondents had indicated they would be interested in using an alternative out of hours care service, even if this was not based at their own surgery. A slightly smaller number (though still a large majority) were content for their patient notes to be shared with an out of hours GP.
2. Dying Matters Week
It was explained that Dying Matters Week was a national event taking place between 18 and 23 May. End of life care was a priority for Healthwatch Havering who felt that people should be allowed to die at home where possible, if that was what they chose. It was felt that it may not always be necessary to admit a dying person to hospital and Healthwatch Havering wished to see every care home operating a gold standard of end of life care.
The Director of PR and Communications at St Francis Hospice explained that Dying Matters Week aimed to get people to talk more openly about dying and make their wishes known. The week’ events would be run locally by the Dying Matters Coalition which included the hospice, BHRUT, Havering Clinical Commissioning Group, Healthwatch and local funeral directors and solicitors.
Only 36% of adults had written a will and fewer than this had recorded their wishes around their death, should they be unable to communicate these at the time. The theme of Dying Matters Week – Talk-Plan-Live aimed to get people to discuss these issues more with their loved ones.
Advice would be given during the week on starting conversations concerning death and a themed bus would be in Romford Market on two occasions during this period. Appropriate material would also be displayed at Queen’s and King George Hospitals and local solicitors would operate free seminars on will writing and related issues as a lasting power of attorney.
It was noted that 60% of people would prefer to die at home rather than in hospital and that 20% of hospital beds were occupied by patients who were dying. It was agreed that health professionals also needed to be better at talking about death.
Some 85% of St Francis Hospice patients were seen at home rather than in the hospice itself and many of those who were treated in the hospice were able to return to their homes. The hospice also ran a 24-hour palliative care helpline for primary care staff. It was accepted that the methods and reasoning behind methods of end of life care should be explained to people when they were less emotional due to a family member’s death being imminent.
The Sub-Committee NOTED the updates.