NHS Community Ambassadors

NHS Community Ambassadors Project

Following the success of an earlier partnership project, between the NHS and Leicester Council of Faiths, the NHS once again chose LCOF to work with them to promote several important initiatives, within Leicester and Leicestershire:

Acute and Maternity changes to Leicester Hospitals

The LCOF partnered with the NHS in Leicester to raise awareness of a consultation that was taking place regarding proposed changes taking place in Leicester that would impact all of us. The proposals included a new Maternity Hospital at the Royal infirmary site, as well as a new Children’s Hospital, the transfer of all existing Maternity services to potentially be transferred to the Royal infirmary and the General Hospital site would also see some changes. Also proposed was that all Outpatient patient appointments would move to the Glenfield hospital. The consultation for these changes ended December 2020.

Step up to Great Mental health consultation

The three NHS clinical commissioning groups covering Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland carried out a public consultation into proposals to invest in and improve adult mental health services for people when their need is urgent or they need planned care and treatment.

Mental and emotional health problems represent the largest single cause of disability in the UK.  One in four adults experiences at least one mental health problem in any given year. 

The aim was to give as many people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland the opportunity to share their views, on what is a very important topic.  

The proposals are set to deliver a number of improvements that will better support adults and older people who need mental and emotional support urgently and for community mental health care and treatment planned in advance and would provide joined-up and easier access, for people and their families, to mental health care and provide more mental health care locally, including in people’s homes, meeting the needs of our communities.  This will leave inpatient facilities to care for the most unwell people.  They will also reduce long waits and help people to get the right care, first time, providing a seamless experience with no unnecessary delays or need to continually repeat their story, helping to improve the health and wellbeing of people and to help them to live the best life they can.  This consultation ended August 2021.

Flu Vaccination

Another important initiative is to promote the uptake of the free Flu Vaccinations within our communities. These are available for ALL children up to 11 years of age and for ALL people over 65 years of age. There are other groups that are also entitled to this free vaccination, pregnant women, people with other serious health conditions and key workers to name a few.  If you are not sure if you are entitled to this free vaccination,  please speak to your pharmacist, GP or midwife to find out more.

See website here for more details https://www.leicestercityccg.nhs.uk/news/ccg-news/help-to-protect-yourself-from-infection-and-prevent-the-spread-of-flu-this-winter/

Covid-19 Vaccination and safety

The LCOF NHS Community Ambassadors have also been active in encouraging the uptake of the free Covid-19 Vaccinations within their communities. They have worked hard to promote safety messages direct from the NHS to help with myth busting, as well as promote walk in/pop up centre details.  Everyone over the age of 16 is entitled to a free Covid vaccination  If you have not yet had your Covid jab and want to get this free vaccination,  please speak to your pharmacist, GP, midwife to find out more or go online to www.nhs.uk – Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination  

NHS 111 First

Following on from the impact that Covid cases had on our inpatients another initiative our NHS Ambassadors promote is that patients in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland are being encouraged to contact NHS 111 first for urgent medical care needs.
The call to the local NHS aims to help patients get the care and treatment they need, at the right place, first time, every time.   It will also help manage the flow of patients into hospitals and surgeries, to protect their safety and the safety of NHS staff while we continue the challenge that the COVID-19 pandemic can bring.
Patients contacting NHS 111 will be clinically assessed and depending on their needs be referred to the hospital emergency department, an NHS Urgent Treatment Centre, a Minor Injuries Unit – they will be given an appointment time that they should attend in these cases, or they will be referred to the pharmacy, the GP or advised to self-care where appropriate.

Our NHS Community Ambassadors promote this important work in order to encourage participation within their own communities via open events, social media posts and videos – these can be seen on our social media pages on facebook and twitter.  

If you or a member of your organisation, would like to represent your faith community as a NHS Community Ambassador please contact us

 

NHS Community Ambassadors list

  • Mrs Tajinder Kaur Jagdev – Sikh Community
  • Mrs Harsharan Kaur Mann – Sikh Community
  • Moulana Khalid Hafiz – Urdu speaking Muslim Community
  • Mrs Mumtaz Suleman – Katchi speaking Community
  • Mrs Bharti Acharya – Gujarati speaking Hindu Community
  • Moulana Aminul Hasan – Bengali speaking Community
  • Mr Zacki Mohamed – Tamil Speaking Community
  • Mrs Ushaben Mehta – Jain Community
  • Mrs Barbara Czyznikowska  – Polish Christian community
  • Mr Abdul Qadir – Somali Community
  • Mrs Ashiedu Joel – African Community
  • Imam Mohammed Al Denguir – Arabic Community
  • Mrs Mehrunnisa Lalani – Ismaili Muslim Community
  • Mr Suleman Nagdi – Muslim Community
  • Mrs Zubeda Gangat – Muslim Community
  • Mrs Minou Cortazzi – Bahai Community
  • Fr Paskal Clement – Asian Christian Community

If you or a member of your organisation, would like to represent your faith community as a NHS Community Ambassador please contact us