In May 2020, Combined Healthcare was proud to launch a new online facility as part of its ongoing commitment to openness, transparency and innovation.
Using our unique ‘Ask the Board’ facility anyone can use a webform – available by clicking here – to make a comment or suggestion or ask a question in advance of each Open Trust Board meeting. A response is provided as part of the Chair’s Report to the Board meeting, which are publicly available as videos shortly after the meeting.
The archive of previously asked questions and our responses is provided below, together with a link to the relevant filmed response.
How to search the archive
You can search all responses or filter by the name of the person asking the question or a date range of Board meetings.
You can also do a full word search of any comments, questions or suggestions.
To clear a search and begin again, use the “Reset” button.
How to see the details of an individual response
To read the details of our response, click on the questioner’s name.
To view our Chair’s video response, click on the link below the question.
If you have any questions about “Ask the Board Online”, contact the Communications Team at communications@combined.nhs.uk
Kelly Robinson
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14/01/2021
Please could explain how mental health services are in such local crisis, increased deaths local and suicide rates are continuing to rise . What can you propose to do more support as funds continue to decrease in community services.
Barbara Colclough
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12/11/2020
Why were Combined Health employees who ran the Mental Health support groups at Bethel and other venues transferred to S. ON. TRENT Council who are always pleading poverty. How long can these groups continue with the Council.?
Maureen Roberts
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10/09/2020
I would like to ask about the future of Knivedon
Amjid Wazir
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09/07/2020
What action have you taken to support BAME members of staff and service users during the Covid period and what do you plan to do over the future period to continue that support?
Ian Syme
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09/07/2020
The covid19 pandemic has certainly exposed fractures and challenges in Care Delivery nationally and locally (and of course internationally). A recent article in the HSJ highlighted that NHSE and NHSI have now ordered urgent reviews into deaths of people with Learning Disabilities (LD) and Autism. The CQC had published data in June 2020 which suggests death rates amongst those with LD and/Autism has DOUBLED during the pandemic. NHSE/I has previously refused to publish data from the LeDer programme or its data on LD deaths. Would Combined Healthcare care to comment on the above and is the Trust actively involved in providing data and information to both PHE and NHSE/I review on what certainly appears a significant flaw in Care Delivery to an extremely vulnerable patient cohort?
Thank You
Ian Syme
Andrew Budworth
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14/05/2020
What events, activities and promotions did Combined Healthcare carry out for Stoke-on-Trent Pride this year and what are you doing to ensure that the rights and profile of your LGBT staff and service users are protected and promoted all year round, not simply during the annual Pride period?
Ian Syme
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14/05/2020
NHS and Care Sector employees Well being
The unprecedented pressures NHS and Care Employees are having to cope with now and certainly in the foreseeable future to address all aspects of Covid19 and also having to adapt to very different social interaction do have consequences for individuals. It’s very likely that prior capacity to address Care sector and NHS employee stress and anxiety will be unable to cope with significant increase in demand.
a. How is Combined Healthcare going to ensure that employee stress and anxiety, the Mental Health of its employees, will be swiftly identified individually and swiftly acted upon? The announced national initiative of a telephone ‘Help Line’ certainly won’t suffice!
b. Combined Healthcare will be facing considerable increases in demand for its services from those employed within the NHS perse and the greater Care sector. Has Combined any ‘projections’ or mapping information that gives an indication of the magnitude of such service demand increases? If so would the Trust give a “flavour” of the expected increase in demand for its services