Events

Free follow up event - Assistive technology and falls, a user led approach
Organised by IEWM, this half day event adds to last year’s successful conference, held to disseminate findings from a regional project on telecare and falls detectors.

The programme includes a project update and information on opportunities to get involved in the next phase, a review of your own goals, and examples of good practice around the region.

Date:            Thursday 28 June 2012

Time:            9.00am to 1.30pm

Venue:          The Studio, Birmingham

Bookings:      Email with your name, organisation, address and contact telephone                       number hdti.info@coventry.ac.uk.  Lunch will be provided.

Becoming the change we want to see – new designs for local government

IEWM is holding its fringe event alongside the LGA’s annual conference, on Wednesday 27 June 2012, 6pm to 8pm, at the Hyatt Regency in Birmingham; to showcase the West Midlands approaches to transforming local government.

Date:            Wednesday 27 June 2012

Time:            6.00pm to 8.00pm

Venue:          Hyatt Regency, Birmingham, B1 2JZ

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International Telecare and Telehealth Conference 2012 

This year’s event will take place from 12 to 14 November at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel. Health and social care issues to be addressed include:

• the DH programme 3millionlives, the number of people who could benefit from telehealth/care service
• transforming services to meet the demands or an ageing population
• coping with major budget cuts
• making a business case using evidenced based research

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Free masterclass - Health and wellbeing, a new agenda for an ageing society

With an eye on forthcoming changes to the NHS, this masterclass looks at the role local authorities can play in improving results for older people.

Organised by Local Government Improvement and Development (LGID), the free masterclass takes place on 8 December 2010, at the Midland Hotel in Manchester.

It covers:

• role of public health and health and wellbeing board
• joint commissioning between GP consortia and local authorities
• improving efficiency while protecting outcomes
• engagement of older citizens in identifying needs and planning local services.

For reservations contact Jane Pattullo, telephone: 020 8660 1769, email: lgid@event- x.com .
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Telecare and Telehealth Conference

The National Telecare and Telehealth Conference 2010 will take place at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel, from 15 to 17 November.

Hosted by the Telecare Services Association, organisers promise to give you facts, information and ideas to take home and put into action.

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ADASS National Children and Adult Services Conference 2010

This year’s gathering to discuss the latest issues affecting social care will take place from 3 to 5 November in Manchester. Confirmed speakers include Secretary of State for Education, The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP; and Secretary of State for Health, The Rt Hon Andrew Lansley MP.

Click here for details

Showcasing housing support services

Walsall’s Supporting People Provider Forum will be showcasing the benefits of housing related support services on 22 October 2010.

The event takes place between 10am and 12pm at the Town Hall, Lichfield Street, Walsall, WS1 1TP. Service users will talk about their experiences.

Admission is free.

Contact Alicia Wood, email: woodalicia@walsall.gov.uk

Ageing masterclass

A free master class on planning for an ageing population will be held in The Thistle, Birmingham, on 17 November 2101.

Organised by Local Government Improvement and Development, the master class will cover:

• understanding the age structure of local populations, the distribution of health and wealth and likely trends
• capturing older people’s priorities now and in the future
• costs associated with an ageing population
• methodologies and opportunities for scenario planning
• developing a strategic plan to improve older people’s quality of life and to provide sustainable public services.

For information contact:Tasleem Sadiq, email: tasleem.sadiq@local.gov.uk

To book a place contact: Jane Pattullo, email: lgid@event-x.com

Web based tool for planning and commissioning care

Planning4care is a web based tool provided by the Audit Commission to help councils, primary care trusts and care providers make informed decisions about future commissioning plans.


It helps authorities build a picture of the care needs of local populations, identifies areas of high and unmet need, links needs to service requirements and costs, and explores the impact of different scenarios.


The tool saves time and resources needed for data analysis and forecasting.
It also provides:

• local estimates of social care need and service requirements to 2030


• a strategic needs assessment summary report


• information on the potential impact of different decisions and changing demographic trends.

It builds on national models for long term care projections for older people, and learning disability and mental health groups.

Planning4care (Older People) for local authorities and PCTs starts from £5,000 for a strategic needs assessment report, scenario mapping, access to the website and a half-day introductory briefing.

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Free training in Dudley

Dudley Council’s half day training course, Safeguarding Raising Awareness, is available to all PAs free of charge.

Mandatory half day child protection training is also free, and must be taken up by PAs working in households where there are children under 16.

All other courses incur a charge for service users.

PAs and people receiving direct payments took part in consultation on barriers to recruitment in February this year. One issue to arise is the lack of support, and isolation faced by PAs. The idea of setting up a PA network is now being explored.

Contact: Judith Round, Direct Payments Co-ordinator, telephone: 01384 813465

PA training targets BMEs in Staffordshire

People from black and minority ethnic communities in East Staffordshire have signed up for work as personal assistants following a targeted training course set up by the borough’s social care and health service.

The sign up follows a five day training course organised by
BME Community Development Officer, Nighat Younas, and paid for by Care Match.

Participants were introduced to the role of PAs and provided with essential information about personal hygiene, diet and nutrition, and common health conditions.

The initiative started last November, when people claiming Job Seekers Allowance were invited to a jobs fair promoting careers in the care sector.



Thirteen people from Polish, Pakistani, Dutch, Caribbean, Malaysian, Indian, German and Arabic backgrounds attended, and expressed interest in working as PAs.

Training was provided in response, and all 13 of the participants have now registered as assistants.

Staffordshire care and health is helping to develop a PA workforce that reflects the diversity of the borough’s population.

Nighat is currently involved in setting up a direct payment for a Polish resident who wants to buy the services of one of the recently trained PAs.

Contact: Kay Hickinbottom, District Procurement Manager, Social Care and Health (East Staffordshire), telephone: 01283 239667.

Tools for commissioning

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) is holding an event to demonstrate to commissioners its toolkit for working with User Led Organisations (ULOs).

The event will take place on 17 May 2010 at Aston Villa Football Club, from 10.00hrs to 15.30hrs. The programme consists of:

• raising awareness and understanding of the toolkit
  sharing knowledge of best practice in commissioning and ULO development
• enhancing awareness of the regional support available to promote and develop ULOs
• contribute towards the development of an action plan for commissioning ULOs
• The event will be of interest to Commissioners from a range of organisations and those looking to get a better understanding of.ULOs.

Contact Anthony Walters, email: anthonygwalters@yahoo.co.uk .

Looking to the future in Herefordshire

Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire will be holding their first conference to examine the latest workforce issues and priorities arising from personalisation of social care, and to contribute to shaping local action for change.

‘A Workforce Fit for the Future: Making it Happen in Herefordshire’ takes place on Thursday 1 July 2010, at Hereford Race Course, from 9.00hrs to 14.00hrs.

The event is for people working in health and social care, who have responsibility for workforce planning, human resources, service redesign, business development or change management.

It will provide an opportunity to:

• hear speakers from the Department of Health, West Midlands Strategic Health Authority, Herefordshire Council & NHS Herefordshire set the context for the future of health and social care.
• contribute to discussion and debate about how best to address the future workforce challenges, and identify options and solutions for Herefordshire
• gather information and ideas from a wide range of market stalls, including Skills for Health and Skills for Care, along with exemplars of best practice from across the region
• learn about and try out some of the many tools available to support workforce planning and development
• join a local Workforce Improvement Network to stay ahead of the game, share tips, ideas and concerns, and focus on future opportunities and challenges.
  
  Contact Clair Rogers, email : clair@actforfunding.org, telephone : 01432 261816.

Legal Guidance Training - Using Direct Payments for Employing a PA

This free event takes place in Digbeth, Birminghan on 11 May 2010, from 9.30hrs to 16.00hrs.

Training will cover:

• pros and Cons of employing a PA
• the scope of Direct Payments – what personal budgets can be spent on
• paying the full amount for services, including the social care charge
• liability risks for the service user and the local authority
• managing the risks
• tax and NI and benefits implications
• necessary paperwork
• channelling the Direct Payment through a suitable person
• the CRB and ISA regime – what service users should be told
• alternatives to employing a PA – purchasing services, or using a self-employed person

Training is suitable for personalisation and personalisation finance leads, direct payments leads, legal staff in adult social care, adult safeguarding leads and commissioners in adult social care.

Contact Paul Johnston, email: paul.johnston@impactchange.co.uk, telephone: 01670 528 438.

Mainstreaming personalisation in Staffordshire

A mandatory six and a half day staff training programme has been devised in Staffordshire, to ensure personalisation of adult care becomes part of mainstream social services’ culture.

The Personalisation Training Programme has been designed to promote independence, choice and control for service users, and equips staff with the skills and knowledge needed to secure innovative options for care and support.

Front line social care staff, including colleagues from the health sector, are required to attend the training course, which covers:

• person centred thinking
• the Resource Allocation System (RAS)
• outcome based support planning
• person centred reviews
• direct payments
• support broker awareness
• key worker role awareness

A half day briefing session on the programme is delivered to all senior managers who are either directly or indirectly involved in the delivery of the personalisation agenda, or the assessment and care management of service users.

The briefing looks at the purpose and necessity of the training programme, the content of the workshops, the learning outcomes for staff, the expected outcomes for service users, and how it will inform personalisation.

Contact: Nichola Glover-Edge, Personalisation Development Manager, telephone: 01785 854377, email: nichola.glover-edge@staffordshire.gov.uk .

Search for hidden carers

Wolverhampton City Council has set up a carers' awareness training course for frontline staff to help identify hidden carers.

The course was developed when it became clear, during the council’s consultation on its carer strategy, that local authority reception staff and workers in the PCT did not understand the needs and responsibilities of carers, or recognise who might be one.

The courses are designed to raise awareness among GP surgery staff, council receptionists, employees working in the community or anyone who might be able to identify carers who may benefit from council support.

Focus on carers in Stoke-on-Trent

Plans are in place to develop a carers’ centre of excellence in Stoke-on-Trent.

The council aims to provide support and services to carers under one roof, including short breaks, bed space, day relief and home based help. The development includes potential for working with the health sector, voluntary and other statutory organisations.

In separate initiatives, the authority has trained over 40 carers in managing challenging behaviour. The courses, funded by the Carers' Grant, are available to individuals caring for older people with dementia related illnesses.

Training gives carers greater understanding of the disease. It includes recognising early signs of dementia and the potential effects on family and friends.

The council also provides short term cover for carers who are facing an emergency and are unable to look after the person they care for.

Temporary cover is provided by a response team who will maintain telephone contact with the person cared for or supply a temporary sitter.

Emergency care is available for a maximum of 48 hours on weekdays, and up to 72 hours at weekends. Currently 150 carers are registered to use the service.

Symposium for staff employed in adult and children’s services

Skills for Care West Midlands has organised the symposium to explore and discuss the implications of The Social Work Task Force recommendations for the profession.

Information will be provided on national and regional projects that will assist in delivering the recommendations. Delegates will also have the opportunity to debate the role of the proposed National College of Social Work.

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Action for dignity

This year’s Dignity Action Day will be held on 25 February 2010.

Supported by the Dignity Care Campaign and its stakeholders, the day is an opportunity for people to ensure individuals in care are treated with respect, and given choice, control and a sense of purpose in their daily lives by providing them with stimulating activities.

Ideas and online resource packs are available from the Department of Health Carenetworks sites.

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Festival of ideas fosters innovation

Video presentations and photos from the Festival of Ideas staged in Birmingham last month can be seen on line.

The one day event organised by the JIP and the consultancy Innovation Exchange, put third sector adult social care projects in touch with council commissioners and investors looking to buy or develop personalised services.
In a letter thanking participants for their contribution to the event, Director of Innovation Exchange, John Craig, said: “The majority of participants met at least three people they would like to contact again …… Most commissioners thought that the event had put them in touch with people who could help them to meet their work objectives.”

Visit http://www.innovation-exchange.org/ for details.

ULOs - What’s in it for us?

A conference will be held for would be ULOs on 14 January 2010.

Organised by the JIP and the NCIL, conference speakers will brief third sector organisations' representatives about the ULO project, its implications for voluntary sector organisations, what they need to do if they want to become ULOs, and how the project fits in with the government programme to transform social care.

Focus will be on:
· sustainability
· personalisation
· consortium working

Organisations currently commissioned by councils to deliver services may fail to secure future contracts if they are not compliant with ULO standards.

For details contact Anthony Walters; telephone: 07972 704163 email:anthonygwalters@yahoo.co.uk.

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