Health News October 2008
Making headway in and out of the office
A cycle ride of a lifetime raised £15,000 for charity Headway North London, which supports brain injury survivors.
The eleven cyclists, which included charity staff and their friends, cycled from London to Paris, a total of 300 miles, in four days.
Chris Hickman, one of the riders who took part, had special cause to celebrate.
Eight years ago he suffered a brain injury while cycling in London. The ride was a chance to prove to himself what huge strides he’s taken in his recovery, and to raise money for the charity that helped him rebuild his life.
The team topped their target, raising a total of £15,000. They were brought together by SweetTree Home Care Services, a community based agency dedicated to helping the charity develop its services.
Closer to home, Headway East London’s new day centre in Kingsland Road was officially opened by David Minns of the Bradbury Foundation, which donated £180,000 towards the charity’s relocation from Mildmay hospital in Shoreditch. Headway met the £70,000 balance of the move through grants and events.
The new centre has its own gym, with a neuro physiotherapist and an exercise therapist; an IT suite and art studio where some 100-plus weekly members produce their own newsletter. Counselling, music therapy, cranio sacral therapy, yoga, outreach and family support are also available.
Staying on track
The man in charge of the nation’s health visited Homerton hospital this month to get first hand experience of an innovative system designed to measure patient feedback.
Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, visited a number of wards and spoke to patients who have been using the experience tracker devices, which were introduced by the hospital last year.
The system allows patients to give their views on a wide range of topics including dignity, privacy and staff attitude.
They simply use an electronic keypad to respond to questions which are available in a range of languages. Over 3,500 people have used the trackers and overall satisfaction has risen by over 10 per cent since they were introduced.
The hospital’s Deputy Director of Nursing, Jenny Negus, said: “The trackers enable us to collect up-todate data in key areas such as the attitude of staff and the quality of care.
“The trackers have proved invaluable in providing us with the information we need to get things right for our patients, and empower them with the knowledge that they can tell us what they think whilst still on the ward.”
Voice for disabled people
A New forum for people with disabilities was launched in Hackney with an event that included a quiz testing people’s disability knowledge.
The forum, funded by the Council, will be run by Disability Backup, part of Hackney Family Backup, a local charity with a long track record of working with disabled children. Its aim is to give a voice to those with disabilities and help shape services to improve their quality and accessibility.
Cllr Nargis Khan, Hackney’s Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “The forum will be vital in providing a new link between the Council and disabled people in Hackney, involving them more in what we do.”
Sheila Ramdular, Director of Family Backup, said: “We are very excited about this forum and delighted by the positive reaction it has received.”
For more information, call Catherine Love on: 020 7275 0088; for text phone dial: 18001 020 7275 0088; send a text to: 07593 508 288; or visit: www.dbu.org.uk.
A time to remember
Two memorial services are being held for local people to mourn the loss of a loved one.
The annual candle-lit baby memorial service, to remember children that died before, during or shortly after birth, will be held at Homerton Hospital Education Centre, at 7pm, on 21 October.
A second memorial service for people who have lost a relative or friend will be held at St John at Hackney, Lower Clapton Road, at 6pm, on 7 November.
For more information, call Rev Nadia Pfaff on: 020 8510 7773.
New home for IVF
Homerton hospital’s IVF unit has moved to new premises after 13 years in PortaKabins.
The £1.3million conversion is based in the NHS trust’s former HQ above the hospital’s main entrance and has its own reception area, counselling and treatment rooms, plus laboratory.
The unit originally opened in 1995. Since then thousands of babies have been born following successful IVF treatment there.
Lady Mayoress of London, Theresa Lewis, officially unveiled the department’s new home last week.
Unit Manager, Jenny Clancy, said: “We are delighted to be in our new home which will provide a far more comfortable setting for our staff to work with couples.”
In tune with older exercisers
People over 50 in Hackney are being encouraged to get ‘Fit as a Fiddle’ as part of a national initiative.
The programme, funded by the Big Lottery Fund and launched by Age Concern, will help older people in the borough live more active lives. Research has shown that over 50s often struggle to achieve a guideline of 30 minutes of moderate exercise, at least five days a week.
The Fit as a Fiddle project will offer older people an activity ‘buddy’ for six months to help get them started. A similar programme in Newham last year proved popular – one participant, Lucy, said she now felt ‘100 per cent more confident’.
Those looking to get started under their own steam can join a walk from Town Hall Square at 1.30pm on 8 October that takes in St John-at-Hackney churchyard, Clapton Square, Hackney Downs, Millfields, and Springfield Park. Participants don’t have to walk the entire route.
It’s part of the New Age Games, a scheme to help older people and adults with learning and physical disabilities reap the benefits of regular exercise.
Older residents can also watch this year’s New Age Games finals at Kings Hall Leisure Centre, Lower Clapton Road, from 11am to 2pm on 15 October.
The Games are organised by the Council’s Community Resource Team; Greenwich Leisure Limited; City & Hackney Primary Care Trust; Laburnum Boat Club; Hackney Walking Together Programme; and the Council’s 2012 Unit.
More information
For details of Fit as a Fiddle, or to volunteer, call Juliet Fornby at Age Concern Hackney on: 020 7241 5909.
For New Age Games booking or walk details call: 020 7275 7092.
Advice on mental health rights
An exciting event at Hackney Community College’s Shoreditch campus will mark World Mental Health Day this month .
The ‘Your Voice Counts’ event on 10 October will be launched by Baroness Molly Meacher, chairman of the East London NHS Foundation Trust; Meg Hillier, MP for South Hackney, and Paul Sherman, lead for people participation at the Trust. There will also be a chance to meet Dean Henderson, the new Borough Director for the CHPCT’s mental health services.
There will be a range of attractions including storytelling, interactive theatre workshops and performances, information stalls, employment advice, and art and photography exhibitions. The event will also see the launch of Hackney’s new advocacy guide which gives practical advice and information on the rights of people with mental health problems.
Over 100 countries across the world will celebrate World Mental Health Day, which is co-ordinated by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH). The Hackney event is from 9.30am to 3pm at SPACe, Falkirk Street, N1.
Sharing ideas for good health
Fried chicken was on the agenda, but not the menu, at a workshop looking at how to tackle obesity in the borough.
More than 60 Hackney professionals squeezed into the Lemon Tower at Hackney Community College last month to take part in the heavily-oversubscribed event.
Among the many issues raised were the number of fried chicken outlets in the borough; how to encourage breast feeding and healthier family eating; the importance of cycling and walking; and the links between depression and over-eating.
The workshop, organised by the CHPCT, saw people raising issues they felt most strongly about, and leading their own small discussion groups.
Participants came from the community and voluntary sector, councillors, local council and health service staff, and representatives from the Department of Health and the Audit Commission.
Conclusions will be used to put together a report to a high-level meeting later this month with senior managers including CHPCT chief executive Jacqui Harvey and Council chief executive Tim Shields.
Page updated: 3 Nov 2008