Happy Christmas! The Healthwatch Portsmouth office will be closed between Christmas and the New Year, reopening on 2 January 2019. Please leave a message on our answer machine and we will get back to you in the New Year.

The National Survivor User Network in its latest bulletin has published a list of resources giving advice on how to cope with mental health problems at Christmas time Coping at Christmas - 5 tips to look after your mental health Christmas Wellbeing tips by Mental Health Matters Coping with mental illness at Christmas by the National Counselling Society How to support someone with mental health problems this Christmas by Time to Change Yoga and mental health this Chistmas by SANE Looking after your mental health at Christmas by Birmigham School of Nursing and Midwifery Wrapping up for Christmas by Mind Santa Run by Rethink Christmas and Mental Health by The Mental Health Foundation

Our latest update has been sent out to members with details of the latest developments in health and care across Portsmouth and information on our activities.Healthwatch Portsmouth - Winter 2018 newsTo receive future editions of the news updates sign up to Healthwatch Portsmouth news

In the new year Healthwatch Portsmouth researchers will be looking at how much people know about the new primary health care services that are available for Portsmouth residents from across the city at the Lake Road hub in Buckland.  The new Lake Road hub opened in June 2018 and offers regular and urgent on the day Doctors appointments 6pm-10pm on weekdays as well as appointments to 10pm on Saturdays and Sundays; all available to book through your regular Doctors surgery. Doctors at the hub are able to access patient medical records from GP practices across the city so there is a continuity of care. The Hub's central [...]

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Social Care Institute for Excellence have produced a quick guide for those diagnosed with dementia and their familes providing information on practical steps to take and sources of help and support. NICE - Dementia – discussing and planning support after diagnosis: A quick guide for people with dementia and their family and carers

National body Healthwatch England has published its annual report summarising the state opf health and care in England, based on the findings of local healthwatches. Healthwatch England - What matters most: annual report 2017-2018

Over Christmas many local pharmacies will be closed or have different opening hours - Portsmouth Clinical Commissioning Group have published a list of pharmacy opening times over the Christmas and New Year 2018 period

In November a new social prescribing service started for Portsmouth residents. Run by the You Trust, the service is one of 23 across the country funded by the Government to enable patients to better access community support. 'Social prescribing’ aims to improve patients’ quality of life, health and wellbeing by recognising that health is affected by a range of social, economic and environmental factors. Through the service patients are linked with  community resources to help with their social, emotional or practical needs. These resources can include social groups, activity groups, housing or benefits advice, befriending services and support groups. For more information on the new service see You Trust [...]

The Good Mental Health Cooperative has compiled a list of Christmas lunches and other support available for homeless and other people in the Portsmouth area who may be alone and vulnerable on Christmas Day 2018. See the list of Christmas meals 2018 Portsmouth City Council have also produced two useful lists  - Help with Food - Resources in Portsmouth - Christmas 2018 opening times Help with Food - Organisations in Portsmouth offering free food for people in need