Quality interpreting services can greatly help reduce people’s barriers to accessing the health services they need. Wessex Voices are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement South East to get people’s feedback about their experiences of and barriers to accessing British Sign Language (BSL) or community language interpreting services when they are at an appointment with a dentist, optician or pharmacist. For people living in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, this also includes GPs. They would like to hear from you about what’s working well and what could be improved so new interpreting services across the South East next year better meet your needs. How can [...]

Today’s theme is Fraud, Scams and Cybercrime You may be contacted with misleading or fraudulent offers designed to con you out of your money. These are received by post, email, social media messages, telephone, text or face to face. Advice is available on how to spot scams and frauds, to prevent yourself or someone you know, becoming the victim of a scam or fraud. More and more people are using computers, smartphones and tablets to go online. It’s a great way to stay connected with family members, shop online, look up information, and even make new friends. The internet has lots of positive aspects, but there are [...]

Today’s theme is Domestic Abuse What is Domestic Abuse Domestic abuse refers to situations where a person is subjected to controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence, in the majority of cases by a partner or ex-partner, but also by a family member or carer. Each year nearly 2 million people in the UK suffer some form of domestic abuse – 1.3 million female victims (8.2% of the population) and 600,000 male victims (4%) and lockdown measures during Covid-19 have increased the risk for people in abusive relationships. Domestic abuse can include, but is not limited to, the following: Coercive Control and ‘gaslighting’ Psychological [...]

Today’s theme is Loneliness and Social Isolation. Over 9 million people in the UK across all adult ages – more than the population of London – are either always or often lonely. Half a million older people go at least five or six days a week without seeing or speaking to anyone at all. If you know someone who is lonely or socially isolated, they may be vulnerable and open to forms of abuse such as scams and financial abuse. As a result of the pandemic more of us may experience loneliness and social isolation due to the impact of social distancing measures and the reduction in [...]

Today’s theme is Prevention and Safeguarding in Local Communities What do we mean by adult safeguarding? Living a life that is free from harm and abuse is a fundamental right of every person. All of us need to sign up to this principle and to follow it in acting as good neighbours and citizens. All agencies and organisations across Southampton, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth must be committed to preventing abuse and neglect, raising safeguarding concerns and putting adults at the centre of our work. Adult safeguarding means protecting and upholding the health, wellbeing and human rights of all adults, with additional duties towards adults with [...]