This April 2025 "Get Involved" newsletter from health organisations in Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham, and Southwark highlights numerous opportunities for local residents to share their experiences and shape future healthcare services. Key initiatives include:
- Improving Surgical Waiting Times: Patients and carers are collaborating with hospitals to develop online information and support resources for those awaiting surgery. Share your experiences in upcoming quarterly meetings.
- Art in Maternity Care: Discover the powerful impact of the "Count Yourself Lucky" project, using art to highlight the challenges faced by migrant women accessing maternity services. A new film amplifies this important message.
- Improving Diabetes Services: Feedback gathered from diverse communities is being used to co-develop solutions for better type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes care, focusing on food, communication, self-management, education, and trust.
- Trust and Health Creation Partnership: A new partnership is empowering grassroots organisations to build trust in health services and promote community-led wellbeing initiatives in areas facing health inequalities.
- Preconception Health Webinar: Learn why preconception health matters and how community groups can support families in this area during a free online session on May 23rd.
- Shaping Children's Cancer Services: Contribute your experiences to help Evelina London Children’s Hospital develop the best possible specialist cancer services for families in south London and the South East.
- Know Your Kidneys Event: Free online sessions in July and October offer information and support for individuals in London and Surrey Heartlands living with early-stage chronic kidney disease.
- Dementia Community Research Network Conference: Join a free event on May 19th to learn about the latest dementia research and connect with others passionate about improving care.
- ARC South London Knowledge Exchange Event: Attend a free event on June 12th to explore collaborative research tackling health inequalities and engaging lived experience.
- Foreign-Language Parent Education Classes: Expectant parents in South East London can access free online classes in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Romanian, and Somali, led by native-speaking healthcare professionals.
- Change NHS Next Steps: While surveys are now closed, the insights gathered will inform the development of the 10-Year Health Plan, with a national summit having taken place to discuss key themes.
In this update you will find out more about:
- Improving information and support for patients and carers, while waiting for surgery
- Showing the power of art helping to improve maternity and neonatal care in south east London - ‘Count yourself lucky’
- Working with local communities to improve diabetes services in south east London
- Developing the Trust and Health Creation Partnership
- Joining an online - Why preconception health matters?
- Helping shape future children’s cancer services
- Know your kidneys - patient information event
- Signing up to the Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London Knowledge exchange event
- Registering to attend the Dementia Community Research Network Conference
- Joining foreign-language parent education classes
- Next steps for Change NHS: Help build a health service fit for the future
This newsletter encourages residents to actively participate in shaping local health services through various engagement opportunities. Share this information with your networks to ensure diverse voices are heard.
Read more here and at SEL.
