23 May 2022
Fareham & Gosport Voluntary Sector Health Forum – Wednesday 11 May 2022
Making a Difference – Young People’s Support Services
Slides can be viewed here
The Fareham & Gosport Voluntary Sector Health Forum was held online on Wednesday, 11th May 2022. Following on from attendees being welcomed, Community First’s Chief Executive, Tim Houghton, provided a brief Fareham and Gosport area Community & Voluntary Sector (CVS) update, covering: the Integrated Care System and Voluntary Sector Alliance; CVS work with Adults’ Health and Care; Digital Inclusion and Health Advocacy; CF’s new Wellbeing Workers; Mental Health Awareness Week; the Health and Wellbeing Fayre on Saturday, 9th July at Gosport Leisure Centre; GVA’s Wellbeing Walks Project Coordinator role, and GVA’s Volunteer Awards celebration event, to be held on Wednesday, 1st June.
Janie Millerchip, Gosport’s Transformation Project Lead for the Hampshire, Southampton & IoW Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), provided a CCG update. She began with an update about the ‘Surgery Pods’ roll-out. They are looking for volunteers who are prepared to be trained on how to help others to use the Surgery Pods. The oncology unit opened at Fareham Community Hospital last week. The ‘Big Red Chair’ has now opened at Two Saints in Forton Rd, Gosport. This is an initiative supporting homeless people via CCG/Gosport Borough Council funding. The homeless health outreach drop-in service supported three people on Tuesday, 10th May 2022, and it will be available every Tuesday from 2.30 pm to 4.30pm for a range of health conditions and services, such as DentAid (including eight sessions per year, supporting those on a list), chiropody, a range of vaccinations and signposting, as needed. There’s a similar drop-in health service for homeless people in Fareham.
Janie updated attendees on the Willow Community Garden (which is adjacent to Forton Medical Centre). This is being developed in partnership with Gosport Central Primary Care Network / Dr Robin Harlow (and is part-funded by the Queens Nursing Institute). They are looking for an accessible garden designer, and the first priority patients to be involved will be young people, and those at risk of developing cardio-vascular disease.
Kirsty Robertson (Head of Operations, Motiv8south) started by explaining Motiv8south’s vision, mission and values. She showed where Motiv8south works geographically, described the individual and family support offered locally and outlined the range of targeted group provision – including Youth Hubs and their approach to health and wellbeing. Finally, Kirsty concluded by highlighting their three strategic aims.
Next, Dr. Robin Harlow provided a Gosport Central Primary Care Network (PCN) update, highlighting the merger of two Gosport PCNs who are now collaborating much more closely with one another, to the benefit of patients. He described some of the new/additional roles, including a pharmacist; physiotherapists; health connectors; the Willow Community Garden; the Covid vaccination Spring programme for those who are eligible, and mental health transformation (a psychologist is now in place, providing a more holistic approach). Enhanced access provides 30 minutes of additional appointments per week, including both weekend support and support up to 8pm from Monday to Friday).
Dr. Ros Sexton (Clinical Lead, Coastal PCN / GP Partner Brook Lane Surgery) explained the workings of three GP surgeries in Brook Lane Surgery, Stubbington and Lockswood (Fareham West) including the additional roles that offer a more wrapped-around service locally for assessments and advice, such as a health and wellbeing coach for young people linked with Solent Mind, First Contact Physios, Health & Wellbeing Coaches linked with Solent Mind and looking at weight (with some great results) and a psychologist in conjunction with Southern Health, which is part of the local transformation programme while to fill the gap re NHS/CAHMS waiting lists. Regarding vaccinations, – the Fareham area is similar to Gosport, there’s currently little Pfizer left, but Moderna has been improved and is effective. There may be a pause in vaccinations in July/August. In terms of enhanced access, there are 1300 less GPs than needed nationally. The request is to run surgeries from 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, and 9am-5pm on a Saturday (including for appointments for smears/diet needs) which needs planning in, and also requires communications to let patients know that appointments can be made within these hours, but within limitations, due to a shortage of staff.
Tim Davis, Assistant Director for Children’s Mental Health Transformation / Maternity & Child Health, Hampshire, Southampton & IoW, CCG/ICS as held up and so was unable to join the Health Forum, but Tim provided three PowerPoint slides to circulate amongst attendees.
The Fareham & Gosport Voluntary Sector Health Forum ended by confirming the (rescheduled) Health and Wellbeing Fayre, which will be held from 10am to 2pm on Saturday, 9th July 2022 at Gosport Leisure Centre. For more information, please contact Jackie Hartless:- Jackie.hartless@cfirst.org.uk