Friendly Resources Information

Expert Associate - Health Ambitions

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:08:35 GMT

Expert Associate - Healthy Ambitions Inclusion North are looking for Expert Associate Panel Members The panel members main job is to make sure that all the parts of the Healthy Ambitions Big Plan include how to make health services better for people with learning disabilities. There will be 12 Panel Members who will: Meet with experts to find out more about the 10 health priorities Work as a team to think about how these areas can work better with people with a learning disability If you would like to apply please contact Angela Ellis for a application form angela@inclusionnorth.org

Yorkshire and Humber Health Checking Meeting

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:02:40 GMT

Invite to the Yorkshire & Humber Health Checking Meeting Thursday 22nd July 2010 10am - 2pm The Showroom, Sheffield This meeting will give you a way to: Meet other people who also want to make health services better for people with a learning disability Find out about the Expert Associates Hear about Heather Burns new job Who is the meeting for? We would like to invite up to 3 self-advocates from each area to come to this free meeting. How to book? Please contact us to let us know who will be coming and if you will be asking a supporter to come with you by: Emailing info@inclusionnorth.org Or Call us on 0113 262 6409 Inclusion North are organising this meeting for Valuing People

DES Audit

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:01:07 GMT

Speakup Self Advocacy and Sheffield Hallam University have been commissioned by the Healthy Ambitions Programme Board to conduct and Audit of the Directed Enhanced Service for People with Learning Disabilities across the Yorkshire and Humber Region. For more information please contact Sally@speakup.org.uk

19th April 2010 Mental health and criminal justice should come together with caution, says new report

Wed, 05 May 2010 16:36:12 GMT

Health and justice services are working more closely together than ever, but with mixed results for the people who find themselves subject to both of them, according to a report published today by Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health. Blurring the Boundaries, by Max Rutherford, shows that more and more people are in touch with both mental health and criminal justice services and that the laws governing each have brought them closer together during the past 20 years. Measures that have blurred the boundaries between health and justice include the rise of 'forensic' mental health services, the creation of a mental health treatment requirement for people on community sentences and the increasing use of indeterminate prison sentences. The report finds that in many cases convergence between health and justice benefits people with mental health problems. The arrival of in-reach teams in all English prisons, for example, has for the first time brought high standards of mental health care to people who would otherwise have been neglected entirely. But there are also serious concerns about convergence. Imprisonment for Public Protection, for example, has brought a disproportionate number of people with mental health problems into prison on indeterminate sentences without proper support. The Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder (DSPD) programme, meanwhile, costs some �60 million a year to detain just 350 people at a time despite a lack of clear evidence about its effectiveness in either improving health or reducing risk. Report author Max Rutherford said: "Convergence between health and justice can raise the standard of mental health care for some of the most excluded people in our society. The Government's pledge to extend diversion and liaison to all police stations and courts in England, for example, would make a huge difference to the lives of thousands of people, their families and their communities. "But convergence must be handled with care. A prison is no substitute for a hospital for a person in a crisis, and hospitals should not become just like prisons. Health and justice workers have quite different roles and these should not be lost in a drive to come together." Sainsbury Centre joint chief executive Sean Duggan said: "The Bradley Report last year showed how important it is for health and justice services to work together to ensure people with mental health problems who offend get the support and care they need to get their lives back on track. "Blurring the Boundaries shows that there is already a lot of convergence between the two, but it is not always working well. The DSPD programme and the burgeoning cost of medium secure hospitals show that in times of public spending constraints we need to ensure that every pound is spent wisely on services that help offenders with mental health problems to recover and rehabilitate."

Right To Choose

Tue, 04 May 2010 15:17:47 GMT

Speakup have been producing an accessible DVD for people with learning disabilities about parenting. People with learning disabilities miss out on a lot of the information and services which other people take for granted. This can be because they do not understand letters, leaflets and other information about the services available. This accessible DVD will show people what the services are, what people like Social Workers, Health Visitors and Midwives do and how they can help. We hope that an accessible DVD like this will help parents with learning disabilities to make an informed choice about using services and help them work with professionals. The DVD will enable people to ask for help instead of waiting for problems to happen.

Health In Yorkshire & Humber invite to the Health Reference Group Meeting.

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:59:43 GMT

Inclusion North are organising this meeting for Valuing People. This meeting will give you a way to: Find out what people with a learning disability in Yorkshire & Humber think about health services. Hear about what the Strategic Health Authority and other people are doing to make health services better for people. We would like to invite up to 3 self-advocates and family carers from each area to come to this free meeting. Please contact us to let us know who will be coming and if you will be asking a supporter to come with you. Email: danny@inclusionnorth.org or Call on: 0113 262 6409

9th March 2010: Get involved in a Government consultation paper

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:39:36 GMT

The Government's consultation paper on families and relationships, 'Support for All' was published on 20 January and sets out a wide range of measures to support all families as they bring up their children and to help families cope with times of stress and difficulty. The proposals recognise that while all families need some help, there are families in our society with complex needs and others who require additional - and sometimes non-negotiable - support. The Paper's proposals aim to influence factors that can strengthen or weaken family life, such as the choices available about balancing employment with bringing up children; and how welcoming and accessible public services are to families of all kinds. The Paper focuses mostly on supporting family relationships by enabling families to help themselves. It also considers the position of children and other family members when family relationships have broken down. The 'Support for All' consultation runs up until 21 April 2010. The full paper and a shorter summary document can both be accessed from the DCSF website (www.dcsf.gov.uk/supportforall) where you can also watch short video clips about family services. The DCSF is keen for as many families (and people working with families) as possible to give them their views on the six key questions Support for All asked - you can get involved at www.dcsf.gov.uk/supportforall

2nd March 2010: One in three admit to avoiding people with dementia - Over half say they don't know how to help

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:41:33 GMT

One in three (32 per cent) people are uncomfortable around people with dementia according to new research. Care Services Minister Phil Hope (pictured left) said today as he launched a new awareness campaign. The new "Living Well" campaign employs real dementia sufferers who declare 'I have dementia - I also have a life' to educate the public about the condition and demonstrate the simple things everyone can do to help people live well with dementia. The new MORI poll found that: * a third (32 per cent) of those surveyed said 'I would find it difficult to spend much time with someone who has dementia'; * fifty-three per cent said they do not know enough about dementia to help someone who has it; and * 81 per cent agreed that some people with dementia can still take part in normal activities. In Yorkshire and the Humber dementia currently affects 55,947 people. Phil Hope said: "Dementia doesn't discriminate and neither should we. Our research shows that too often people fear dementia and this causes them to avoid people with the condition, making them feel isolated and stigmatised. "We want to start to break down this stigma and show the simple things you can do to help people live well with dementia. "Some people face great difficulties living with dementia - the 'Living Well' campaign is not meant to downplay their experiences. We want to show that, with the right support, people can live well with the condition and continue to do the things they enjoy for a number of years following diagnosis." Veronica Brown, Yorkshire and the Humber Department of Health Regional Dementia Lead said: "This campaign is about helping people to understand dementia and the practical ways we can all help people with dementia to live well. "Dementia is such an important issue for our community and this campaign will encourage us to engage more with people living with dementia and help them to live a fuller life." Nicki Dyson, Alzheimer's Society Area Manager for Yorkshire and the Humber said: "People with dementia tell us that, once diagnosed, others begin to act differently or avoid them altogether. This has a huge impact on their lives, but we know that with the right support people can continue to enjoy a good quality of life. "Alzheimer's Society has been delighted to support this first step to tackling fear and misunderstanding that surrounds dementia. One in three people over 65 will develop dementia so it is vital we all understand how to better support those living with the condition." The campaign will appear on TV, radio, online and in print across England. It asks people to take a moment to find out more about dementia and provides five simple ways to help someone living with the condition. 1. Respect and dignity - focus on what the person can do, not what they can't. 2. Be a good listener and be friendly - Support and accept the person, be patient. 3. Do one little thing - cook a meal or run an errand, it all helps. 4. Make time for everyone - partners, children and grandchildren will be affected. Could you do something to help one of them? 5. Find out more - Understanding dementia makes living with it easier. 6. National Clinical Director for Dementia, Prof Alistair Burns said; "Despite the fact that most people will be touched by dementia at some point in their lives, understanding of the condition, and how it is managed, is poor. We want to start to increase understanding, break down stigma and show some simple things you can do to help people live well." For more information, case studies or spokespeople, please contact COI News and PR on: Paul Butler, paul.butler01@coi.gsi.gov.uk / 0113 346 6088

24th February 2010: Doncaster Personal Health Budgets Pilot

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:35:02 GMT

Doncaster is one of twenty sites across England which has been selected to participate in a Department of Health national study to explore the benefits of Personal Budgets for healthcare. NHS Doncaster is currently piloting Personal Health Budgets (PHBs) within continuing healthcare and mental health. At present, NHS Doncaster is only able to allocate notional Personal Health Budgets which will be managed by the PCT. Within the mental health pilot the Personal Health Budgets will be managed via a third party and has contracted with Rethink. The NHS does not currently have the power to issue direct payments for healthcare to patients; however the Department of Health is currently seeking powers in the Health Bill to allow direct payments. Working closely with their partners they are in the process of setting up systems and processes. So far, they have allocated a Personal Health Budget to four clients within continuing healthcare, while nine clients within the mental health pilot have completed their self assessment questionnaires and are awaiting confirmation of their personal health budget. Feedback from clients so far has been extremely positive. Following the national evaluation of the pilots, if they prove to be successful, the aim is to integrate Personal Health Budgets into appropriate services within NHS Doncaster. The study will be conducted through a partnership between three existing research teams at three institutions including the University of Kent. The full evaluation will last three years, with newsletters, research summaries and interim reports made available online. For any further information regarding the pilot, please contact Claire.Larner@doncasterpct.nhs.uk, Project Manager or Ashy.Shanker@doncasterpct.nhs.uk, Planning & Commissioning Manager.

27 January 2010: Healthcare for people with learning disabilities: recommendations of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:14:41 GMT

The Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman's Report, Six Lives, highlighted failings in health and social care services that led to premature and avoidable deaths of people with learning disabilities. Letters from David Behan and Anne Williams were sent to SHA Chief Executives and Directors of Adult Social Services respectively set out the action needed to respond to the recommendations set out in the Six Lives report. Directors of Adult Social Services are reminded of the need to work in partnership with NHS colleagues when reviewing and reporting progress on implementation of the Ombudsmen's recommendations. SHAs are asked to report on progress by March 2010. You can download these letters from the Department of Health Website.

Health Check Meeting

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:00:11 GMT

The next Health Check Meeting for people with learning disabilities across Yorkshire and Humber is on the 30th of March. If you would like to come to this event then please contact Danny Casper at Inclusion North danny@inclusionnorth.org

Valuing People Now- one year on!

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:03:15 GMT

Valuing People Now was launched on 19th January 2009. In the past year we have seen good progress in a number of areas. Anne Williams, National Director for Learning Disabilities at the Department of Health says: "We are seeing real success as more people are using advocacy services and personal budgets, and having more choice and control in their lives." http://valuingpeople.gov.uk/dynamic/valuingpeople2.jsp

Rotherham Annual Health Check Up Day

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:48:28 GMT

Making Health Services Better For People with Learning Disabilities The Annual Health Check Up Day for people in Rotherham TUESDAY 2nd MARCH 2010, 10.00 am to 2.30 pm at the Wesley Centre, Blyth Road, Maltby, Rotherham S66 8JD Please email julie.abbotts@rotherham.nhs.uk, if you would like to attend the meeting

Yorkshire and Humber Health Reference Group 1st of December 2009 10am -2pm

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:27:22 GMT

Inclusion North are organising this meeting for Valuing People. This meeting will give you a way to: Find out what people with a learning disability in Yorkshire & Humber think about health services Hear about what the Strategic Health Authority and other people are doing to make health services better for people We would like to invite up to 3 self-advocates and family carers from each area to come to this free meeting. Email: Pip@inclusionnorth.org or Call on: 0113 262 6409

Valuing People - commissioning and delivery of specialist learning disability health services.

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:10:46 GMT

This event will see the launch of a 12 month programme of work to support regional progress in this area. The first event will have a focus on assessment and treatment with a particular emphasis on commissioning and provision of secure in services and will be attended by Mick Burns from the Regional Secure Commissioning Team and facilitated by Debra Moore. The event is free and will be held on the 9th November at the St Georges Centre in Leeds between 10.30 and 3.30 If you wish to book a place please email Kirsty@yh-valuingpeople.co.uk

2nd meeting of 'Community of Practice'

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:37:18 GMT

Calling ALL learning disability nurses in the Yorkshire & Humber Region 2nd meeting of our 'community of practice' An opportunity to work together as a group and engage and contribute to the practice of learning disability nurses in supporting people with learning disabilities and their families 10.30 am - 3pm on Thursday 17th December Scarborough North Yorkshire This event is free to learning disability nurses and student nurses . The day will be facilitated by Debra Moore a former Nurse Advisor for Learning Disabilities at the Department of Health and Consultant Nurse and include speakers from around the region. If you would like to book a place for this please contact elaine@debramooreassociates.com There is no charge for this event but places that are booked but not attended on the day will be subject to a �20.00 fee (substitutes will be welcome)

Change Parents Network

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:55:02 GMT

Change have set up a Parents Network. The Parents' Network is here for you! Join the Parents' Network and link with other parents. Have a voice about the things that affect you. Tell the Parents Network what is going on in your area. They take your issues to the National Taskforce. The Taskforce works to make changes that make life better for parents with learning disabilities. You can phone the Parents' Network on 0113 3880011 and they will call you back. or you can use this link to take you to the web page, there is a membership form on this page http://www.changepeople.co.uk/showPage.php?id=17. you need to copy and paste this link.

Keeping Children Happy

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:31:09 GMT

A new partnership has been made to support families in a new and very different way. Speakup, Steps and Maltby's Stepping Stones Childrens Centre (used to be called Sure Start Maltby) are going to make some DVD's about Parenting to support families with clear and good ideas which are friendly and accessible to everyone. They have started by making a DVD called "Keeping Children Happy". This DVD gives Parents of younger children good ideas about encouraging good behaviour, sleep, mealtimes, toilet training and more. The Plain English DVD uses menus which speak to give people the chance to slow down and stop for a while if they need to. If you would like more information you can email: parenting@speakup.org.uk

Right to Choose

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:26:38 GMT

Speakup is producing an accessible DVD for people with learning disabilities about parenting. People with learning disabilities miss out on a lot of the information and services which other people take for granted. This can be because they do not understand letters, leaflets and other information about the services available. This accessible DVD will show people what the services are, what people like Social Workers, Health Visitors and Midwives do and how they can help. We hope that an accessible DVD like this will help parents with learning disabilities to make an informed choice about using services and help them work with professionals. The DVD will enable people to ask for help instead of waiting for problems to happen. We are looking for people to help us with the DVD. If you know anyone with a learning disability who might like to help, has experience of these services, then please can you get in touch. Email: geoff@speakup.org.uk or Phone 0303 123 7013

Belly Ache - we need your help

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:41:06 GMT

Speakup is producing an accessible DVD for people with learning disabilities about Gastrointestinal Cancer called "Belly Ache". This is a kind of Cancer which can happen in your stomach, throat or in your bottom. There are a lot more people with learning disabilities than anyone else affected by this type of Cancer. A lot of them don't get the right help straight away. This can be because they don't know what the signs are or that they don't know who to ask for help. This DVD will help people get the right help if they are worried about Cancer or are having pain in their stomach which might mean going for tests. We are looking for people to help us with the DVD. If you know anyone with a learning disability who might like to help, has experience of Cancer services, then please can you get in touch. Email: geoff@speakup.org.uk or Phone 0303 123 7013

Health Action Planning and Health Facilitation Workshops

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:58:26 GMT

Making it Happen 14th September St Georges Conference Centre Leeds 10.00 - 16.30 Learn more about:- The Directed Enhanced Scheme Training mainstream NHS professionals in primary and acute care The strategic role of the health facilitator Health Action Plans as tools for change Places cost �175 + vat. Group discounts available To book a place contact Elaine: elaine@debramooreassociates.com

Yorkshire and Humber Health Reference Group Meeting

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:43:47 GMT

Inclusion North are organising another Health Reference Group Meeting. This will take place at: The Showroom Cinema On: Tuesday 15th September 2009 From: 10am to 2pm If you would like any more information about attending this meeting you can contact: Email: Pip@inclusionnorth.org or Call on: 0113 262 6409

'My Health' Training

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:16:21 GMT

Speakup are training health care workers as part of the 'My Health' training along with Sheffield Hallam University. Health care workers could be your GP, doctor, nurses, receptionists. This training is led by people who have a learning disability. It uses real life stories to show how people with a learning disability have been treated. This training shows health care workers what small changes they can make so they can work and communicate better with people with a learning disability. Speakup have also produced a 'My Health' D.V.D which tells you all about health action plans and your annual health checks. You can watch this at www.myhealthDVD.org.uk, to order a copy contact Speakup on 01709 720162

Swine Flu

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:09:02 GMT

The Department of Health has produced an easy read booklet telling you about 'swine flu'. The booklet tells you how you can tell if you have got 'swine flu' and what you can do to help you get better. You can download this booklet from http://www.northoftyne.nhs.uk/your-health/your-health-file/Swine%20flu%20easy%20read%20leaflet.pdf/view (please copy and paste the link)