While we admire and support the Christmas campaigns that we see pop up in December, we also know that help is urgently needed all year round, each and every year. As some people pack away after the festive break, we are still here.
Our support is not limited to a food package, but it leaps beyond - we form connections, we listen and respond to everyone who steps through our doors. We open up a warm, safe, environment which aims to feel like a home away from home.
For us to continue to thrive and grow, and keep supporting as many people as possible, we are asking you to become a Friend of Cooking Champions. Even a donation of just £5-10 per month can make a HUGE impact on the lives of those who come through our doors.
Pop to our People's Fundraising page to donate, and we promise to keep you updated with how your support is making a difference. Thank you, we appreciate you! Team Cooking Champions
Healthwatch Enfield has published a short summary of the findings of a survey of women who gave birth during February 2019, including results for the North Mid and Barnet Hospital (part of the Royal Free group).
In common with all parts of England, the NHS in Enfield is suffering from shortages of GPs and hospital staff, accident and emergency departments at the North Mid and Barnet hospitals are struggling and patients are having to wait longer for planned operations. Enfield's NHS is not alone in being underfunded too, but even compared with neighbouring north London boroughs Enfield suffers from a particularly severe funding problem. And, again like everywhere in England, Enfield's NHS is in the middle of a major reorganisation. You will be able to find out more, and feed in your views, at Healthwatch Enfield's annual general meeting on 4th March at the Lee Valley Sports Complex.
More than a month of almost daily donations of gifts, time and experiences has brought smiles and 'happy tears' to the faces of patients and staff at North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust, prompting Trust senior leaders to send out a community-wide 'Thankyou' for the incredible generosity. From major companies to small community groups, and professional sports stars to individual families and former patients, the donations have ranged from toys and games, to clothes and snacks - and even a mini ride-on electric car!
Local NHS campaigners are warning that the merger of five North London clinical comissioning groups (CCGs), due to occur in April, is linked to moves to ration healthcare services and increase the participation of American healthcare corporations in the management of the NHS.
If you or someone you know has stayed on Charles Coward Ward at the North Middlesex Hospital in the past three months, then please share your experiences with Healthwatch Enfield via their online survey.
As of 1st October it is no longer possible to use the 'walk in service' at Evergreen Primary Care Centre, Eagle House Surgery and Carlton House Surgery to get a GP appointment during the weekends and public holidays. The evening and weekend GP service will continue to operate, but access to the service will be via appointment only.
NHS campaigners in North London are claiming that plans to create a single Clinical Commissioning Group covering five boroughs (Enfield, Barnet, Haringey, Islington and Camden) are in breach of the law.
Healthwatch Enfield has written to Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) asking them to keep the urgent care centre (UCC) at Chase Farm Hospital open until 10pm and not to proceed with the proposal to close an hour earlier. The watchdog body has also uncovered confusion about the last time that patients can arrive and the roles of the UCC
The Urgent Care Centre at Chase Farm Hospital is currently open 8am – 10pm every day but local decision-makers and providers are looking at the possibility of changing this. It is proposed that the Centre closes one hour earlier, at 9pm every day. This would mean that you could arrive up to 9pm to be seen before having to use an alternative service elsewhere.