News and reports

Current involvement opportunities with the Black Country Integrated Care Board.

Below text from a letter from the BCICB.

We are recruiting a small co-design expert advisory group focused on improving interpretation and translation services, to better meet the language and communication needs of people when accessing NHS primary care services in the Black Country. We are seeking applications from experts with lived and learned experience, to review and shape a new specification as part of a re-procurement of the service, with people and communities at its heart, through their insights, experiences and ideas. Applicants will be local organisations, community groups, or leaders who are trusted voices in the community, who work closely with people experiencing language and communication barriers, or who have good knowledge of the needs and challenges experienced by the community, when accessing primary care.

Successful candidates will be expected to take part in up to 4 x half day advisory group meetings. Successful applicants will be compensated for their involvement at the rate of £75 per half day meeting. We will also explore the scope of other opportunities with advisory group members, to potentially deliver community conversations (in late-May/ early-July) on behalf of the ICB, if the need arises due to gaps in our insight and intelligence. Furthermore, there may be an opportunity to nominate one member of the advisory group to join the procurement panel as a lay representative. You should complete and return the below EOI form by no later than 11.59pm on- Thursday 8 May 2025, though we would encourage you to complete at your earliest convenience as applications could be closed early if there are a high number of responses.

If you want to discuss your EOI during the application process or if you need any support, you can: · Contact kathryn.meredith@nhs.net or · Register to attend our virtual briefing session on 30 April 2025.

Please also get in touch if you would like this form in another language or format.

The AGM is being held on Thursday 19 September, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, and will be hosted online using Microsoft Teams.

The meeting is open to all members of the public and provides an opportunity to learn more about the organisation and the work that has been carried out in the last 12 months.

Mark Axcell, Chief Executive Officer for the NHS Black Country ICB, said: “Our AGM is an opportunity for us to look back on the ICBs work over the last 12 months and review our achievements and challenges, whilst also reflecting on the ever-changing challenges facing the NHS as we look to the future.

“We want the Black Country community to be as involved as possible in these conversations and we extend a warm welcome to local people to join us and take part in this year’s meeting.

“Public questions are an important part of our meetings and provide an opportunity for people to share what matters most to them about the local NHS. So, if you have a question, please do submit it in advance and we can respond."

For those interested in attending, please reserve your spot online here. A virtual meeting link will be sent to you via the email you registered your attendance with on Wednesday 18 September. If you haven’t received a meeting link by 5pm on this date, please email comms.blackcountry@nhs.net.

Members of the public who would like to send in a question should email bcicb.gb@nhs.net by 5pm on Monday 16 September.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to contact us by telephone to confirm your attendance or ask any questions, please contact our Time2Talk team on 0300 0120 281 and select option 1.

Healthwatch Walsall held its public Independent Strategic Advisory Board Meeting on 15 May 2024 at Ryecroft Community Centre. We were delighted to be joined by Professor David Croisdale-Appleby the Chair of Healthwatch England along with Healthwatch Walsall staff, volunteers and members of the public.

The meeting was an opportunity for open discussions to take place about issues relevant to those present and it was a very interesting and informative session with a lot of interaction.

Please see photos from the event and if anyone would be interested in joining us at future public meetings the details for these will be on our website or we can be contacted on our Freephone number 0800 470 1660 and we will be pleased to let you have the information.

The minutes from our open to the public session of our meetings.

The Dementia Needs Assessment is being developed by Walsall Council in partnership with the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB). The aim is to understand the needs of Walsall residents with Dementia and those caring, supporting or working with them.

A community survey is currently live for anyone who has contact with the public as part of their work or volunteering role in the community. Responses will help the Council and the ICB understand resident needs, whether services are meeting these needs, gaps in support, areas for improvement, and information, knowledge, and training needs.

The Council would like to hear from anyone who comes into contact or support people with dementia. For example, libraries, community services, places of worship, carers support and dementia care. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and can be completed by going to the survey page for Dementia Needs Assessment 2023: Community Survey. Alternatively you can scan the barcode in the attached poster.

For more information or to request the survey in an alternative format, please
email MWwalsall@walsall.gov.uk.

A new state-of-the-art £12.3 million medical centre in Walsall has now opened its doors to patients.

Located on Hatherton Street, the new medical centre brings together four existing GP practices into one modern, purpose-built facility.

The Limes Medical Centre, Lichfield Street Surgery and Sycamore House Medical Centre have now merged as one practice, Umbrella Medical, and will be located in the centre alongside Saddlers surgery.

By coming together, the two surgeries will offer a greater variety of services to its 27,000 patients, reduce waiting times for patients and provide access to medical specialists. Designed by Gould Singleton Architects, the centre will provide treatment rooms, consulting rooms and meeting rooms. In addition, there will be an on-site pharmacy, as well as 110 on-site parking spaces.

Dr Martin Stevens, Senior GP Partner at Umbrella Medical, said: “We are delighted to finally open our long awaited medical centre. Over 90% of our patient consultations are face to face and our existing surgeries are full to capacity. Our new surgery gives us more consulting and treatment rooms allowing us to see more patients. We will also be able to provide an improved range of services with access to a bigger choice of clinicians.

“The centre is bright and airy, and provides a pleasant and comfortable environment for patients, visitors and staff. There are significantly improved facilities for patients with disabilities or limited mobility, and for children.

“I would like to thank our Patient Representation Group for all the help and support they have
offered along the way.”

Sarb Basi, Director of Primary Care for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, said: “We’re really pleased to be supporting this long-awaited project at a time when demand for GP appointments is greater than ever.

“The opening of this state-of-the art medical centre is an important development for the local community, providing much-needed extra space and additional modern facilities for both patients and staff.

“It will also allow the practices to meet the growth in patient demand as well as offer additional care to the benefit of patients and help us to integrate with wider health services in the area.”

Midlands-based construction company Speller Metcalfe was responsible for building the state-of-the-art facility to meet the sustainable BREEAM Excellent standards. This means that the medical centre meets a number of sustainable standards including energy, waste, pollution, materials and management.

Rob Lashford, Divisional Director for Speller Metcalfe said: “We are delighted to see the completion of this new medical centre for the residents of Walsall. “As a local contractor, we know the difference these improved facilities will make to the provision of healthcare in the area.”

Walsall is in the middle of a £1.5billion transformation with numerous projects currently underway to improve connectivity, increase jobs and housing and provide new business opportunities. The completion of Hatherton Medical Centre is one of many exciting developments that will improve services and quality of life for Walsall people.

Councillor Gary Flint, Portfolio Holder for Wellbeing, Leisure and Public Spaces, said: “The new state of the art Hatherton Medical Centre will be an asset to the borough, serving the community from a central and well-connected location.

“It’s especially exciting to hear that the facility meets the sustainable BREEAM Excellent standards and helps us to move towards our target of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The facilities available at the centre will make a huge difference to healthcare services for Walsall people and I am delighted to see the completion of the project.

Our Healthwatch Advisory Board - Public Meeting Minutes are now available. 18th April 2023.

A copy of our public meeting/ minutes.

A copy of our public meeting/ minutes. Agenda plus 4 documents enc.

A copy of our public meeting/ minutes

A copy of our public meeting/ minutes

Healthwatch Walsall Advisory Board (HAB) Meeting held on Friday 6 August 2021 02:15 p.m. Virtual online digital platform Zoom