IA Greater London West

Do you have a pouch or are thinking about having a pouch?  Come along to the pouch social for a nice evening and some friendly support.

The next Pouch Evening will be on Saturday 5th December 7.30pm.

Burgers(and other food) at Maxwells in Covent Garden.

Maxwells

8-9 James St
London, WC2E 8BH

MAP

Hope to see you there. Let us know if you can make it.

Please contact Rachel Hayward on 07906 862664 or email
rachel.hayward@iasupport.org to book your place or more info.

You are invited to

IAGWL AGM AND MEMBERS MEETING

University College Hospital, Euston

Saturday 14 November 2009 : 2.00 – 4.00 pm

Seminar Room PO2 {The P02 Seminar Room is located on the second floor of the Podium (the lower side of the building)}.

The AGM will be held between  (2.00 – 2.45pm) and this will be quickly followed by a members meeting and a few talks. ALL are welcome to both sessions, but it would be really good if you can make it for the member’s meeting.

• Members Meeting – Q & A session with Mr Austin O’Bichere and Elaine Cronin (stoma care nurse)
• Presentation – ‘Our Website’ (Twm Davies)
• Vote of Thanks (Richard Bowden/Eirwen Smith)
• Meeting Closed (4.00)

Aside from being our group’s president, Mr O’Bichere is a consultant colorectal surgeon (which basically means that bowel operations, ostomies and pouches are among his expertise). So this a perfect time for you to ask some of the questions related to surgery and management. We are also pleased to have Elaine Cronin from St Mary’s to help answer you questions about stomas, appliances and diet.

Refreshements will be provided, please let Charu know if you are intending to come so that we can plan, but there is no need to book, please just turn up on the day.

charu39_patel@hotmail.com

Do you have an internal pouch, or are thinking of having one?

Would you like to meet up with others who have and ask questions and share experiences?
Deciding to have a pouch can be a difficult decision to make, and talking to others in a relexed atmosphere can
be helpful.

If you would like to come along for a drink, or some dinner, and a chance to chat to others, then please join
us at

Piccolo Diavolo
8, Old Compton Street, Soho, London. W1D 4TE
12th September 2009 at 7.30pm
Please contact Rachel Hayward on 07906 862664 or email
rachel.hayward@iasupport.org to book your place or more info.
Organised by SE London & W Kent IA

See Flyer for more information:

September pouch social.pdf

On Saturday 1st August – meeting at 1pm.

Sandra Silva, our very own Blue Badge Guide will be leading our Summer Stroll around some of London’s most beautiful landmarks and scenery.

• Meet outside St. Paul’s Tube Station (Central Line) at 1pm.
• We will then stroll along to St. Paul’s Cathedral, which is preparing to celebrate its 300th birthday in 2010.
• We will take a look inside St’ Paul’s, (entrance fee being £10 each – group rate, £9 each for seniors and £3 for children.
• When we leave St Paul’s, we will walk over the Millennium Bridge, taking a look at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Tate Modern and much more.   We will be able to take in all these sights with the added benefit of Sandra’s knowledge of their history and current use.

We will end the tour with tea and cakes

More info to come in the newsletter. But drop us a message here if you wish to attend.

Look forwards to seeing you!

You are all cordially invited to a MiniMeet. This is a new initiative to promote IAGLW and allow members who live in the vicinity of a local event to meet informally in a convivial setting.

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MEETING

The first MiniMeet will be at -

Venue : The Café in Queens Park, Harvist Road, London NW6 6SG

Date : Monday, 3 August 2009

Time  : 6.00- 7.00 pm

If you wish to attend or would like further information contact the convenor –

Mr Mithu Chellaram
81 Torbay Road
London NW6 7DT

or just come along on the day and look out for the IA logo.
FUTURE MEETINGS
Future MiniMeets are planned. The dates and venues are being finalized – more details in the next Newsletter.

The internet has become a valuable source of information and comfort for people coming to terms with stomas and other issues related to their conditions. Not only can people access information and advice about their surgery and talk to other people in similar situations, but facilities such as online shopping and entertainment can help during difficult times when leaving the house is problematic.

When it comes to support, the option of speaking to a person directly via the phone, or for a meet up is always available (contact the IA or anyone on our committee), but there are also times where the anonymity of the internet makes it easier for some to get answers to topics which they would not feel comfortable discussing in person. Read the rest of this entry »

From the IA News posting

Department of Health Consultation:
Arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma
and incontinence appliances and related services to Primary Care.
An overview of the new arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma
and urology appliances – and related services – in primary care has been published on the

Department of Health website at:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Responsestoconsultations/DH_097226

Some of the key points are:

• The new arrangements will be implemented from 1 April 2010 subject to amendment Regulations being laid and amendment Directions being made.
• Dispensing Appliance Contractors (DACs) and Pharmacy Contractors (PCs) who dispense prescriptions can choose to offer either Essential Services or Essential plus either both or one of the Advanced Services.
• Essential services that must be provided include a repeat dispensing service, appropriate advice, a home delivery service and a supply of wipes and disposal bags.
• Advanced services include stoma appliance customisation and appliance use reviews (AURs).
• AURs must be conducted by a specialist nurse working on behalf of the DAC or PC or by pharmacist, either in the home of the user or at the DAC or PC premises, where there must be a specially designated area for confidential consultation. Where possible, these specialists must maintain close contact with the NHS healthcare professional looking after the user.
• The new arrangements have been put in place to ensure that DACs operate within a similar clinical governance framework to PCs and that PCs offer a similar level of service as the DACs. The Department of Health lists the key aims as:
  • Maintain – and where applicable – improve patient care;
  • Ensure equitable payment to DACs and PCs for the provision of equivalent services;
  • Achieve transparency between what is paid for services and what is reimbursed for items.
• The detail is in the remuneration and reimbursement arrangements that apply to the contractors (DAC & PC).

Date: Thursday 28th May 2009
Registration Time: 10.00 – 5.00pm

From Hollister:
We have great pleasure in inviting you and a guest to ‘Your Away Day’ with Hollister in the beautiful surroundings of London Zoo.

In addition to this great opportunity to review the Hollister range of products, you will also receive FREE entry for yourself and one guest to London Zoo. Refreshments will also be available throughout the day.

At the event you will be able to:

• View our extensive range of ostomy products
• Talk with product specialists about your specific requirements
• Take home samples of our products

Please visit the Hollister web site for more information and registration.

We are bombarded every day with headlines claiming scientists have found the cause or cure of various diseases. Although the research is very important, often these headlines are based on very early results performed on animal models (for example rats or rabbits), or on cells growing in a dish.  It’s not always clear how relevant the results are to real people.

If you have had an ileostomy due to bowel cancer, then it can distressing to read headlines such as “pork increases risk of bowel cancer by a fifth” (from the Telegraph). You may wonder if small life style changes may have changed your current outcome.

Thankfully, the NHS Knowledge Service has been running a service called “Behind the headlines”. This web site casts a critical eye on the health related headlines which appear from news sources such as the BBC web site, and the mainstream press and explains exactly what sort of tests were conducted and raises concerns if the article content is misleading.

Here is the service’s report on the “pork/red meat” story.

The site has covered several headlines on Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s. And so provides a useful resource to help you understand the latest developements in health care.

note: It can take a few days for a response to headline to appear.

pouch-group-gathering FlyerThere will be a Pouch social evening on Saturday 16th May for anyone  who can make it to central London.

If you are new to a pouch or a are considering having the surgery, then this is an ideal gathering for informal chats and for making contacts. It’s usually a smallish gathering (less than 10 people) – so please don’t be daunted!

Address:
Palm Court Brasserie
39 King Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8JS

Kick off’s at 7.00 pm.

See Flyer for more information:

Invite.pdf