Published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), this guide gives ideas and suggestions on how to successfully change services to put people at the centre of their own care and support.
It begins with a brief overview of policy and then moves on to a series of ‘how to’ sections. It looks at the importance of good leadership, and the involvement of both the workforce and stakeholders in achieving change.
It also explores how the service users can positively drive and influence change.
Click here for details
Friday, 9 October 2009
Conference - World Class Mental Health Commissioning 2009
Organised by Skills for Care West Midlands, the conference focuses on the experiences of people who use services and how successful commissioning can be achieved through collaboration and sharing good practice.
Click here for details
Click here for details
National forum of people with learning disabilities
The forum is a campaigning and advocacy body representing people with learning disabilities in England.
It is currently focusing on four key areas of campaigning: advocacy, health, transport and community life. There are nine regional forums.
The next meeting of the West Midlands forum is on 12 November 2009.
Click here for details
It is currently focusing on four key areas of campaigning: advocacy, health, transport and community life. There are nine regional forums.
The next meeting of the West Midlands forum is on 12 November 2009.
Click here for details
Safeguarding adults: report on the consultation on the review of No Secrets
A report on the consultation on the review of No Secrets, the guidance for developing and implementing multi agency policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse has been published.
Some 12,000 people participated. The Government’s response will be published once the report has been fully analysed and considered.
Click here for details
Some 12,000 people participated. The Government’s response will be published once the report has been fully analysed and considered.
Click here for details
New Horizons: Towards a shared vision for mental health
This document sets out ideas for developing better quality and more personalised mental health services.
New Horizons focuses on how government, public services and communities can work together and play their part in:
· improving mental well-being
· making it easier for people to get the right help
· promoting equality
· making society fairer
· reducing the stigma that people with poor mental health experience.
Closing date for responses: 15 October 2009
Click here for details
New Horizons focuses on how government, public services and communities can work together and play their part in:
· improving mental well-being
· making it easier for people to get the right help
· promoting equality
· making society fairer
· reducing the stigma that people with poor mental health experience.
Closing date for responses: 15 October 2009
Click here for details
Prevention and Control of infections
The Department of Health is consulting on two related documents:
• a draft 'Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice for health and adult social care on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance'
• a draft supporting document 'Prevention and control of infection in care homes'
The consultation is being held due to changes involving establishment of the Care Quality Commission and the introduction of a new registration framework for all providers of regulated activities in health care and adults social care in England.
Closing date for responses: 6 November 2009
Click here for details
• a draft 'Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice for health and adult social care on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance'
• a draft supporting document 'Prevention and control of infection in care homes'
The consultation is being held due to changes involving establishment of the Care Quality Commission and the introduction of a new registration framework for all providers of regulated activities in health care and adults social care in England.
Closing date for responses: 6 November 2009
Click here for details
Integrating health and social care
Warwickshire County Council and the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust have started formal consultation on integration of mental health services for older people.
Adult mental health services have been jointly provided by staff in the council and the trust for some years. Now mental health services for older people are to become more integrated.
The proposal is for social care staff who work in adult and older peoples mental health services to be seconded to specialist mental health teams managed by the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust.
The consultation is on how this should be done.
Deadline for responses: before 18 December 2009
Contact Jackie Price, telephone: 01926 406743,
email: jackieprice@warwickshire.gov.uk
Click here for details
Adult mental health services have been jointly provided by staff in the council and the trust for some years. Now mental health services for older people are to become more integrated.
The proposal is for social care staff who work in adult and older peoples mental health services to be seconded to specialist mental health teams managed by the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust.
The consultation is on how this should be done.
Deadline for responses: before 18 December 2009
Contact Jackie Price, telephone: 01926 406743,
email: jackieprice@warwickshire.gov.uk
Click here for details
Learning disability DVD wins award
Recognition of the highest order has been given to Warwickshire County Council at this year’s Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership for Care Awards.
The Council won the award for its DVD featuring five people with learning disabilities talking intimately about their hopes and dreams for the future.
The film is used to help parents and carers understand personalisation and how it affects them; and will be used as a learning tool for social care professionals.
Click here for details
The Council won the award for its DVD featuring five people with learning disabilities talking intimately about their hopes and dreams for the future.
The film is used to help parents and carers understand personalisation and how it affects them; and will be used as a learning tool for social care professionals.
Click here for details
Moving on in Telford & Wrekin
People with learning disabilities, parents and carers attended a special conference organised by Telford & Wrekin Council last week, to give their opinions and learn about future housing options available to adults with learning disabilities.
Their views form part of the council’s consultation on developing a new housing strategy.
For details contact Kit Roberts, Joint Commissioner - Adults with Learning Disabilities on 01952 388890, or email kit.roberts@telfordpct.nhs.uk
Their views form part of the council’s consultation on developing a new housing strategy.
For details contact Kit Roberts, Joint Commissioner - Adults with Learning Disabilities on 01952 388890, or email kit.roberts@telfordpct.nhs.uk
Review of assistive technology
A review of assistive technology used to support people with learning disabilities in Coventry, has found it significantly increases the independence of service users and saves money.
The charity, Life Path Trust, and Coventry City Council started a programme of installing wireless sensors in homes in 2007.
The sensors were linked to a control panel connected to the mains power supply and a telephone landline.
When triggered, a signal is sent to the control panel which automatically dials a phone number for a call centre, relative or carer.
Sensors included:
· personal alarms worn on the wrist or around the neck
· bogus caller alarms that can be triggered if unwelcome callers try to gain entry
· bed occupancy mats placed under mattresses, raising the alarm if an individual is out of bed for longer than a predetermined time
· epilepsy mats placed under mattresses activating the alarm when a seizure occurs
· flood detectors placed in kitchens and bathrooms, setting off a signal if water overflows on to the floor.
Wireless sensors were installed in the homes of people needing help and support.
The review found assistive technology has considerable benefits saving up to £3,800 a year on individual support packages. For people with personalised budgets this frees up money to spend on other support they need.
Assistive technology has also increased the independence of individuals in their homes allowing them to live with minimum intrusion from carers, supporters or relatives. It also lets others who would not have been able to spend time on their own to do so.
Telephone Contact Life Path Trust, 024 7665 0530
web: www.life-path.org.uk
Mental health survey findings
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published findings from a survey of people’s experiences of acute mental health inpatient services.
The first of its kind, the survey collected responses from over 7,500 recent inpatients and found:
- only a third felt as involved in decisions about their care and treatment as much as they wanted to be
- less than half (45%) ‘always’ felt safe on the ward, and 16% did not feel safe at all
- less than half of the 52% who wanted talking therapies (such as counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy and anxiety management) received any
- almost half (48%) of patients said the potential side effects of medicines that were prescribed to them while in hospital were not clearly explained to them
Click here for details
Registration for health and adult social care providers
All health and adult social care providers who provide regulated activities, will be required by law to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in 2010.
The NHS, including Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), will have to register from
1 April next year. Adult social care and independent providers will register from 1 October 2009.
To register, providers must demonstrate they are meeting new essential standards of quality and safety across all of the regulated activities they provide such as:
· personal care
· surgical procedures
· treatment of disease, disorder of injury
CQC will:
· monitor whether providers continue to comply with regulations
· use its new enforcement powers to make sure swift action is taken if providers
are not compliant
Click here for details
The NHS, including Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), will have to register from
1 April next year. Adult social care and independent providers will register from 1 October 2009.
To register, providers must demonstrate they are meeting new essential standards of quality and safety across all of the regulated activities they provide such as:
· personal care
· surgical procedures
· treatment of disease, disorder of injury
CQC will:
· monitor whether providers continue to comply with regulations
· use its new enforcement powers to make sure swift action is taken if providers
are not compliant
Click here for details
Aim 4 employment service
Over two thirds of people with learning disabilities, who use Warwickshire County Council’s Aim 4 employment service, are in paid work, work experience or voluntary work.
Aim 4 is a specialist recruitment service offering employment or work experience to adults with learning disabilities.
Its services include:
· matching adults with learning disabilities to work placements
· providing initial job training
· monitoring placements until all involved are confident
· providing ongoing support where required
· facilitating courses on work options and skills required
· providing independent travel training
· helping services users to make and maintain friendships
Current employers include care homes, local hospitals, retail outlets, hotels and catering establishments; and Warwickshire Adult, Health and Community Services.
Click here for details
Aim 4 is a specialist recruitment service offering employment or work experience to adults with learning disabilities.
Its services include:
· matching adults with learning disabilities to work placements
· providing initial job training
· monitoring placements until all involved are confident
· providing ongoing support where required
· facilitating courses on work options and skills required
· providing independent travel training
· helping services users to make and maintain friendships
Current employers include care homes, local hospitals, retail outlets, hotels and catering establishments; and Warwickshire Adult, Health and Community Services.
Click here for details
Sandwell leads by example
Sandwell MBC has been chosen as the demonstrator site for the Social Inclusion and Housing Project run by the National Development Team for Inclusion.
As part of the three year project funded by the Department of Health, the council will work with groups and individuals on developing supported living schemes for people with learning disabilities.
The Social Inclusion Project provides support to local authorities moving away from residential care models to ordinary housing and support, in a way that promotes social inclusion.
Click here for details
Other initiatives in Sandwell include:
Safe Places Scheme – designed to help people with learning disabilities if they become victims of hate crime, harassment or bullying. Individuals are provided with a card that identifies them as having a learning disability and as a member of the Safe Places Scheme. Printed on it are the words ‘I need help’, the persons name and contact numbers.
Agencies, businesses and public buildings are asked to display the Safe Places Symbol to show they are part of the scheme. This indicates the staff inside are willing and able to help when called upon.
Click here for details
Partnership with Changing Our Lives – The council is making sure people with learning disabilities are at the forefront of making Valuing People Now happen. Members of the council supported the People’s Parliament, made up of people with learning disabilities, and will join with the self advocacy group Changing Our Lives to write Sandwell’s mission statement for learning disability services.
Changing Our Lives is part funded by Sandwell and acts as a critical friend to statutory bodies. Their work to date includes:
· Ongoing inspection and regulation work with the Care Quality Commission and Sandwell’s contracts unit
· Campaigning against violence in care
· Audit work with Sandwells NHS trusts to ensure services are responsive to the needs of people with learning disabilities.
As part of the three year project funded by the Department of Health, the council will work with groups and individuals on developing supported living schemes for people with learning disabilities.
The Social Inclusion Project provides support to local authorities moving away from residential care models to ordinary housing and support, in a way that promotes social inclusion.
Click here for details
Other initiatives in Sandwell include:
Safe Places Scheme – designed to help people with learning disabilities if they become victims of hate crime, harassment or bullying. Individuals are provided with a card that identifies them as having a learning disability and as a member of the Safe Places Scheme. Printed on it are the words ‘I need help’, the persons name and contact numbers.
Agencies, businesses and public buildings are asked to display the Safe Places Symbol to show they are part of the scheme. This indicates the staff inside are willing and able to help when called upon.
Click here for details
Partnership with Changing Our Lives – The council is making sure people with learning disabilities are at the forefront of making Valuing People Now happen. Members of the council supported the People’s Parliament, made up of people with learning disabilities, and will join with the self advocacy group Changing Our Lives to write Sandwell’s mission statement for learning disability services.
Changing Our Lives is part funded by Sandwell and acts as a critical friend to statutory bodies. Their work to date includes:
· Ongoing inspection and regulation work with the Care Quality Commission and Sandwell’s contracts unit
· Campaigning against violence in care
· Audit work with Sandwells NHS trusts to ensure services are responsive to the needs of people with learning disabilities.
Delivering inclusion
The Department of Health West Midlands will offer help and advice to local authorities on how to go about meeting the Public Service Agreement (PSA) 16 requirement to increase the proportion of socially excluded adults in settled accommodation and employment, education or training.
Current PSAs set out government’s key priorities and the results it wants to achieve for the period 2008-011. They are used to set standards for delivering and improving services.
All PSAs are designed to achieve:
· Fairness and opportunity for all
· A better quality of life
· Stronger communities
· A more secure, fair and environmentally sustainable world
PSA16 supports adults at risk of social exclusion, specifically:
· Care leavers
· Adult offenders under probation supervision
· Adults in contact with secondary mental health services
· Adults with moderate to severe learning disabilities
The agreement will be delivered by a range of government and non- government organisations working together; such as social housing groups, social care providers, colleges, and user led organisations.
Local strategic partnerships (LSPs) are responsible for setting targets for improving services.
DOH West Midlands will work with local authorities and their partners to ensure appropriate targets have been identified and embedded in the work of LSPs.
Click here for details
Current PSAs set out government’s key priorities and the results it wants to achieve for the period 2008-011. They are used to set standards for delivering and improving services.
All PSAs are designed to achieve:
· Fairness and opportunity for all
· A better quality of life
· Stronger communities
· A more secure, fair and environmentally sustainable world
PSA16 supports adults at risk of social exclusion, specifically:
· Care leavers
· Adult offenders under probation supervision
· Adults in contact with secondary mental health services
· Adults with moderate to severe learning disabilities
The agreement will be delivered by a range of government and non- government organisations working together; such as social housing groups, social care providers, colleges, and user led organisations.
Local strategic partnerships (LSPs) are responsible for setting targets for improving services.
DOH West Midlands will work with local authorities and their partners to ensure appropriate targets have been identified and embedded in the work of LSPs.
Click here for details
DOH and JIP support for Valuing People
The Department of Health West Midlands is working closely with the JIP to ensure implementation of Valuing People Now and Valuing Employment Now across the region.
DH regional lead for the Valuing People programme, Chris Sholl, is in contact with a range of organisations to ensure Valuing People Now and Valuing Employment Now are embedded in their work and to provide help where needed.
VPN is being managed locally, regionally and nationally. The regional learning disability programme board has devised an action plan to make sure it is delivered.
Click here for the West Midland’s plan.
Director of Adult Services and Health for Sandwell MBC and JIP member, Andrea Pope-Smith, co-chairs the board with Neil Davies, who is a representative of the regional and national forums.
Regional lead, Chris Sholl says: “Its evident there is a lot of enthusiasm, hard work and partnership activity going into changing the shape of services. We are working closely with the JIP and are planning some joint projects.”
The first regional Valuing People News letter will be published this month and can be found on the West Midlands regional page of the VPN website click here.
For Chris Sholl’s contact details click here.
DH regional lead for the Valuing People programme, Chris Sholl, is in contact with a range of organisations to ensure Valuing People Now and Valuing Employment Now are embedded in their work and to provide help where needed.
VPN is being managed locally, regionally and nationally. The regional learning disability programme board has devised an action plan to make sure it is delivered.
Click here for the West Midland’s plan.
Director of Adult Services and Health for Sandwell MBC and JIP member, Andrea Pope-Smith, co-chairs the board with Neil Davies, who is a representative of the regional and national forums.
Regional lead, Chris Sholl says: “Its evident there is a lot of enthusiasm, hard work and partnership activity going into changing the shape of services. We are working closely with the JIP and are planning some joint projects.”
The first regional Valuing People News letter will be published this month and can be found on the West Midlands regional page of the VPN website click here.
For Chris Sholl’s contact details click here.
Valuing employment now - real jobs for people with learning disabilities
The government is aiming to substantially increase the number of people with learning disabilities employed for at least 16 hours a week, by 2025.
Published in June this year the strategy ‘Valuing employment now’ includes actions to raise expectations across services, that all people with learning disabilities can and should have the chance to work.
Successful implementation will require:
• close partnership working between statutory, voluntary and private agencies
• good career and skills preparation at school and college
• campaigns to change attitudes and culture
• moves towards personal budgets
• high quality job coaching
• building a business case for employers
• making travel and transport less problematic
Click here for details
Published in June this year the strategy ‘Valuing employment now’ includes actions to raise expectations across services, that all people with learning disabilities can and should have the chance to work.
Successful implementation will require:
• close partnership working between statutory, voluntary and private agencies
• good career and skills preparation at school and college
• campaigns to change attitudes and culture
• moves towards personal budgets
• high quality job coaching
• building a business case for employers
• making travel and transport less problematic
Click here for details
Valuing People Now: a new three-year strategy for people with learning disabilities
Valuing People Now, the government strategy for improving support services for people with learning disabilities to help them live normal lives, is available on the Department of Health website.
The three year strategy, published in January this year, outlines what needs to be done to promote equality for people with learning disabilities and give them more choice and control over their lives.
It builds on the Valuing People policy introduced in 2001.
Valuing People Now sets out the next stage for adapting services to help people with learning disabilities live in the community alongside their fellow citizens,and falls within the wider transforming social care agenda.
Priorities for action are:
· Inclusion – for individuals with more complex needs, black and minority ethnic groups and people with autistic spectrum conditions
· Personalisation – achieving significant increases in direct payments and the number of people able to commission their own services
· Healthcare – recommendations for improvement are published in Healthcare for All
· Housing – ensuring all mainstream housing policies are inclusive
· Employment – the Government has published
Valuing Employment Now, its strategy for getting people with learning disabilities into paid employment of at least 16 hours a week
· Living in the community – ensuring sufficient support and provision across areas including advice, advocacy, transport; sport, leisure, safety; justice and redress.
Click here for details
The three year strategy, published in January this year, outlines what needs to be done to promote equality for people with learning disabilities and give them more choice and control over their lives.
It builds on the Valuing People policy introduced in 2001.
Valuing People Now sets out the next stage for adapting services to help people with learning disabilities live in the community alongside their fellow citizens,and falls within the wider transforming social care agenda.
Priorities for action are:
· Inclusion – for individuals with more complex needs, black and minority ethnic groups and people with autistic spectrum conditions
· Personalisation – achieving significant increases in direct payments and the number of people able to commission their own services
· Healthcare – recommendations for improvement are published in Healthcare for All
· Housing – ensuring all mainstream housing policies are inclusive
· Employment – the Government has published
Valuing Employment Now, its strategy for getting people with learning disabilities into paid employment of at least 16 hours a week
· Living in the community – ensuring sufficient support and provision across areas including advice, advocacy, transport; sport, leisure, safety; justice and redress.
Click here for details
Foreword
In this issue we feature some of the innovative work councils are doing to support people with learning disabilities in the region.
We also give you a quick guide to the government’s three year strategy
– Valuing People Now – and its supporting strategy Valuing Employment Now, for helping people with learning disabilities to live normally alongside fellow citizens in the community.
At the heart of the strategies is the premise that people with learning disabilities have the right to live like others, with the same opportunities and responsibilities, and to be treated with the same dignity and respect.
Expectations are high, with the need for real change to be delivered in a relatively short time.
To achieve this we have to accept and understand that Valuing People Now is part the wider social care transformation agenda, as with personalisation where the government expects a substantial increase in the number of people commissioning their own services, including people with learning disabilities.
The JIP’s role is to support improvement of social care. We are planning with the Department of Health West Midlands a number of projects to help local authorities deliver Valuing People Now.
In the meantime, we invite you to share with us and colleagues across the region information and examples of good practice that we can all learn from.
Andrea Pope-Smith
Director, Adult Services & Health, Sandwell MBC
ADASS lead for Learning Disabilities
Co Chair of Valuing People Now Regional Project Board
We also give you a quick guide to the government’s three year strategy
– Valuing People Now – and its supporting strategy Valuing Employment Now, for helping people with learning disabilities to live normally alongside fellow citizens in the community.At the heart of the strategies is the premise that people with learning disabilities have the right to live like others, with the same opportunities and responsibilities, and to be treated with the same dignity and respect.
Expectations are high, with the need for real change to be delivered in a relatively short time.
To achieve this we have to accept and understand that Valuing People Now is part the wider social care transformation agenda, as with personalisation where the government expects a substantial increase in the number of people commissioning their own services, including people with learning disabilities.
The JIP’s role is to support improvement of social care. We are planning with the Department of Health West Midlands a number of projects to help local authorities deliver Valuing People Now.
In the meantime, we invite you to share with us and colleagues across the region information and examples of good practice that we can all learn from.
Andrea Pope-Smith
Director, Adult Services & Health, Sandwell MBC
ADASS lead for Learning Disabilities
Co Chair of Valuing People Now Regional Project Board
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