Saltash Gateway Health and Social Care Network - UPDATE

Many thanks to everyone who attended our second Health and Social Care Network consultation event in November.

The main focus of the meeting was a chance to review and comment on a draft Health Strategy for the Saltash area, which is a revision of the existing area Health Strategy.

The Strategy was circulated to the Network in advance of the meeting and is still available for download from our Document Library on this website. Its main focus is the potential for further developing services at St. Barnabas Hospital and this became one of the topics for debate at the Network’s consultation event.

The session was hosted by the Saltash Gateway CIC team of volunteers who are working together to help increase the influence of the public voice in health and social care planning for our locality. The event was greatly enhanced by the attendance of Paula Bland, Associate Director of Commissioning, East Cornwall PCT; Peter Wild, Senior Manager, Adult Social Care, Cornwall Council and Dr. Neville Devonport. It was a friendly, informal session offering the chance for the health and social care professionals to join small topic-led discussion groups and listen to the concerns and experiences of the general public.

The findings from the event were presented back to the PCT convened Saltash Health Strategy Group by Peter Thistlethwaite, CIC Director (volunteer role). A short paper is also available for download.

What’s next?

We hope to keep the momentum of public engagement by working closely with the St. Barnabas League of Friends to better understand the public’s view of the potential for community health and social care in the Saltash area.

We have also urged the Health and Social care sector to think of more effective ways of letting more people know about the range of care and services that is available from both voluntary and public sector agents. One thing that has come out very clearly is that a lot of people are missing out because they simply don’t know where to go for information.

The Saltash Gateway CIC is taking a lead on the development of the community voice and welcomes your views, comments and observations at any time. We will plan another public event in the new year, but until then please feel free to drop a line, via email, to raise any issues that you may have so that we can pass them on to Saltash Health Strategy Group and Social Care providers.

With thanks once again for your interest and involvement in this Network.

Projects such as the Saltash Card demonstrate how we can attract outside funding to the area and deliver a practical idea to benefit both residents and traders alike. Other projects involve more behind the scenes work such as public consultations, researching the potential for new schemes of work, brokering contacts and initiating partnerships. Most recently we have been actively supporting the work relating to the town centre regeneration, researching the potential for a community transport scheme and developing links with local health and social care services in order to put forward the views of local people. The CIC works closely with Saltash Town Council and Cornwall Council. Our aim is to initiate, support and where appropriate deliver projects that meet the long-term vision of making the Saltash Gateway area an even better place to live, work and visit.

If you would like to be involved, or to comment on our work, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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