E-BULLETIN 1 DECEMBER 2011
NEWS
New Government Strategy on Disability
The Government’s new disability strategy document was launched last week. Fulfilling Potential – Working together to enable disabled People to fulfil their potential and have opportunities to play a full role in society was published by the Office for Disability Issues and is a new cross-government disability strategy. The Government’s ambition is to enable disabled people to fulfil their potential and have opportunities to play a full role in society. To realise this ambition, they want to tackle barriers to realising aspirations and individual control, as well as change attitudes and behaviour towards disabled people.
New Centres Target Hate Crime
The Safer Solihull Partnership is helping residents speak out against hate crime by opening 22 new independent reporting centres across the borough. The centres have been introduced so anyone can report instances of hate crime – where someone is targeted because of their race, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation or because of a disability – to a range of organisations they may be familiar with.
These organisations include Enable-Solihull, Citizens Advice Solihull Bureau, You+ Health Centre, Solihull Community Housing, Age UK Solihull and Children's Centres across the borough. The 22 new centres allow both victims and witnesses to report incidents in a safe and comfortable environment.
All cases are treated with complete confidence, and people can report an incident without having to speak to the police. A trained member of staff will be able to provide confidential advice and guidance, and refer victims to appropriate support services if required.
To find your local reporting centre and for more information please visit:
www.solihull.gov.uk/hatecrime
Policy Nutshell
Changes UK have just launched 'Policy Nutshell' at www.policynutshell.com This highlights national policies to do with health and social care and presents them in easy to read, digestible chunks. The intention is to help those who have a passion for ensuring that community influence, rights and empowerment can keep up to date on the changing world of health & social care.
Disabled People's Experiences of Education
The Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE) is working together with the British Library to record the educational experiences of disabled people over the last 100 years. They want to interview at least 50 disabled people and record a wide range of experiences of education so that they can reflect these experiences with the changes in society over this time.
The interviews will be carried out over the next 18 months beginning in late November 2011. The interviews will be carried out by disabled people and they will aim to meet the access needs of all interviewees. Most interviews will be carried out at the home of the interviewee, however an alternative venue can be arranged if necessary.
Anyone interested should contact Tara Flood,
Chief Executive Officer on 07932 750 667 or
Email: tara.flood@allfie.org.uk
PERSONALISATION
Stay Connected Network Launched
Stay Connected is a low-cost way for organisations to keep in touch with the latest developments in personalisation.
Personal Health Budgets
People receiving continuing healthcare support from the NHS will have the right to ask for a personal health budget by April 2014.
Read more
For further information on Personal Health Budgets, please also see the latest Department of Health Personal Budgets newsletter:
http://www.personalhealthbudgets.dh.gov.uk/library/
NewsDocuments/PBUnewsletterNov2011.pdf
CONSULTATIONS
Caring for Our Future - White Paper Engagement
The Government has identified six areas where they feel there is the biggest potential to make improvements to the care and support system. Between now and December, they will be discussing these areas with a range of people and organisations involved with care and support. They want to hear about what people's priorities are, and feed this information directly into a White Paper that will be published in April 2012. To have your say visit:
http://www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/News/PersonalisationNewsItem/?cid=9107
Solihull Council Budget Consultation
Solihull Council has just launched its budget consultation. This year they are asking people to be creative and share their ideas on how they can save £10million.
The consultation is aimed at residents, businesses, organisations and people who work in the borough.
Go to www.solihull.gov.uk/consultation to take part.
Department of Health Consultations on Prescribing
There are currently two open consultations on prescribing being run by the Department of Health (DOH):
· Consultation on Proposals to Introduce Independent Prescribing by Physiotherapists
· Consultation on Proposals to Introduce Independent Prescribing by Podiatrists
Both can be found through Department of Health website via this link:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2011/09/independent-prescribing/
The closing date for both consultations is 30th December 2011.
Young Adult Carers
Did you know that there are almost six million carers in the UK - that is one in 10 people? Over the next 30 years, the number of carers will increase by 3.4 million (around 60%)?.
Young adults have many challenges thrown their way, and there are many important decisions that need to be made about future directions, including education, employment, leaving home and future relationships. Young adults who are looking after for a loved one may feel that they have less choice when it comes to making these decisions, and may also have less opportunity to take part in social activities or relationships.
Below is a link to a survey that will take no longer that 2 minutes to complete, and is anonymous. You do not have to be looking after someone to take part. Through completing this survey, you will be helping Solihull Carers Centre in identifying Young Adult Carers and you may be in with a chance to win an Amazon gift voucher:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YoungAdultCarer
LOCAL SERVICES NEWS
Winter Warmth Campaign
The Solihull Partnership has launched the 2011/2012 Winter Warmth Campaign. A special Solihull Winter Warmth helpline will once again be available on 0121 704 8080 for people who need urgent help this winter.
More information on the campaign can be found here.
As part of the Winter Warmth campaign, The Solihull Partnership has teamed up with a national energy company to provide replacement white goods for low income, vulnerable families.
Click here for more information.
YOU+ Rolled out to South Solihull
Recently the YOU+ service has expanded to cover additional wards in the South. It now covers the whole of North Solihull and the following additional wards :
· Lyndon
· Olton
· Bickenhill
· Shirley East and West
They can assist anybody age 18+ living, working or registered with a GP practice in the whole of the North and the additional wards in the South mentioned above. YOU+ health trainers provide support and advice on a range of health issues such as weight loss and giving up smoking. Home visits are offered to housebound clients.
Click here to download the referrers guide for full details of the service
Or contact Harpreet Sohal, Health Trainer Service Manager on 0121 712 7787 or
Email harpreets@solihull-sustain.org.uk
Spina bifida • Hydrocephalus • Information • Networking • Equality – SHINE
The Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (ASBAH) has relaunched as Spina bifida • Hydrocephalus • Information • Networking • Equality – SHINE.
Shine is a registered charity, which was formed in 1966, initially to help families and individuals affected by spina bifida and hydrocephalus. Today, Shine is a community of 75,000 individuals, families, friends, and professionals, sharing achievements, challenges and information on living with hydrocephalus, or spina bifida, and related issues. Working together throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland, they strive to overcome challenges and achieve the best for you and your family.
Support and development worker for Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull Elaine Adams can be contacted on 02476 683120 or
Email: elaine.adams@shinecharity.org.uk
Website: www.shinecharity.org.uk/
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ShineUKCharity
TWITTER: twitter.com/#!/SHINEUKCharity