Health and Care Together

BUSI NESS NAME

Health and Care Together

Wigan Borough Local Involvement Network Summer 2009
January 2012 Newsletter 17

Wigan Borough Local Involvement Network (LINk)

Dignity Action Day 1st February 2012

You have a right to receive a good standard of care and to be treated with dignity

Tell us your story...see article on page 2

The latest news on Healthwatch is that it will st be formally established on 1 April 2013 rather than on st 1 October 2012!

February 1st: Dignity Action Day - You have a right to receive a

good standard of care and to be treated with dignity

What does good care mean to you?

Do you know of anyone receiving excellent care what does that care look like? Have you had an assessment made of your care needs recently (carers assessment)? Has the care package met you needs? Tell us your thoughts by sending a quick e-mail or writing us a note, phoning or texting us and we will ring you back (contact details on the back page). We will use the information you send about what is working well , what is not so good and what you think good care is to inform services so care in Wigan can be improved or celebrated. "It might well be that the difference people make individually is a mere ripple on the surface of our care system, but each of those ripples added together create a wave, a social movement, and if this makes life better for some then it has to be worthwhile." Sir Michael Parkinson, Dignity Champion

David Camerons Patient Care Improvements the local story

Prime Minister David Cameron plans to introduce patient led inspections of hospitals and a new friends and family test to ask whether patients, carers and staff would recommend their hospital. Chris Arkwright, the lead person for Health and Care Together, gives an assurance to local patients, I want everyone in Wigan to know that these arrangements already exist in the Borough. Health and Care Together has an independent team of lay visitors who have the right to go anywhere where public money is spent on health and social care and find out what people think about services they receive. They have visited and reported on two local care homes looking into the care given to some of our most vulnerable people. We need more people to speak up about local services especially in these current times of cuts in public spending. This newly trained team is planning more visits which will include local hospitals and will be interested in patient dignity, hospital cleanliness and food and drink for patients. If you are interested in telling us about your own or a relatives stay in hospital or would like to know more about training to be a lay visitor please contact the office on 01942 705522.

Chairs Letter
Hello again, Happy New Year to you all. I hope that you have all enjoyed Christmas and the New Year. My New Years resolution is to complain more when people are rude to me, sell me something that isnt fit for purpose, when someone doesnt do what they say they will do or they dont do what they are supposed to do. To be truthful, I began this campaign before Christmas. I currently have a health problem that is being investigated. My first appointment took several months to arrive, tests arranged and appointments made. Eventually everything was completed then I received an appointment for the results . . . next July! I didn't just accept it -I did something about it and not only had it moved forward but alerted commissioners to the length of waiting times for some appointments. So my message is this, health and social care services wont know things are not working as well as they think they are unless someone tells them. This is where LINks can help, by highlighting good and bad practice so that things can change for the better for patients and the public. If you have something to say about yours or someone elses experience of health and social care services then we would love to hear from you. If you know about it, shout about it!

Chris Arkwright
Chair of Health and Care Together.

Future Steering Group meeting dates

The dates for the forthcoming steering group meetings are: 27th February 2012, 19th March 2012, and 23rd April 2012, 1 pm start at The Carers Centre Hindley. If you wish to attend please Tel 01942 705522

New Dementia Caf to Open in Ashton

Following the success of the Dementia Caf in Leigh (Kingsleigh Methodist Church), I am pleased to tell you that we are opening another Dementia Caf in Ashton in Makerfield. It is open for any person with a dementia type illness and their carers. The caf will be held at: The Diamond Club, Grey Road, (Off Old Road), Ashton-In-Makerfield, WN4 9QW On: Tuesday February 7th 2012 from 10.30am to 12.30pm, and thereafter on the 1st Tuesday of every month at the same times. (Except 5th June as this is a Bank Holiday for Queens Diamond Jubilee) Please ring 01942 247837 to let us know if you will be attending.

Patient Participation Group Network News

Our Pathfinder Work taking us to HealthWatch Group Work Patient and Public Engagement in the New Commissioning System
There is a useful NHS Confederation discussion paper available which quite nicely summarises engagement suggestions for Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). CCGs need to get their heads around this stuff because, as this paper reminds us CCGs will be expected to have put an approach to engagement in place in order to achieve authorisation by the NHS Commissioning Board. http://www.nhsconfed.org/Publications/discussionpaper/Pages/PPE.aspx It doesnt do exactly what it says on the tin, as it really focuses on Clinical Commissioning Groups, and doesnt focus on the new commissioning system in its entirety (i.e. it doesnt mention Health and Wellbeing Boards). But its a good discussion paper and gives an honest view about some of the problems and difficulties of engagement. It includes a handy one-page summary of Common techniques used in engagement work which lists engagement techniques, their advantages and disadvantages, and when they might be used. Health & Care Together, Wigan Borough LINk is beginning to work with both CCGs in this Borough, i.e. Wigan Borough CCG and United League CCG as they develop their engagement work, because, again to quote from this paper: CCGs will achieve most benefit by undertaking a thorough evaluation of existing patient and public engagement mechanisms before embarking on new approaches and obviously, being an active LINk we already have drawers stuffed full of this sort of information and mapping that weve been using for the last three years at leastso nows the time to get it out and share. As the paper states, CCGs will be able to build on existing and developing arrangements to engage patients through Patient Participation Groups (PPGs).

However, GPs new responsibilities for commissioning services will mean they need to consider additional issues and as the Directed Enhanced Services (DES) only relates to patient engagement at practice level, the Health & Care Together development of a PPG Network will allow CCGs locally to hold different kinds of conversations with their patients in relation to the provision of services. Health & Care Together will continue to support the PPG Network, using the powers of the LINk and the additional powers as LINks evolve into HealthWatch.

@ NETWORKING
Health & Care Together (Wigan Borough LINk) has just carried out a stock take of Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) around the Borough. There are 69 GP practices across the Borough and as far as we are aware the number of PPGs has increased to 41, but please do tell us if you know more! Of the 41, 29 groups have joined the Health & Care Together PPG Network. If you are a new PPG, or an existing group which has not yet joined, would your PPG be interested in becoming part of the Wigan Borough PPG Network, to share information and ideas and to become a participant of Health & Care Together, learning more about the future of NHS Services and the transition of Local Involvement Networks (LINks) into HealthWatch? Member PPGs send along one or two representatives of their group to the quarterly Network meetings who then receive updates from local organisations such as the Clinical Commissioning Groups on their activity, updates from Health & Care Together on the development of Healthwatch and to have the opportunity to share their ideas and information and future work. All PPGs are also given the opportunity to submit articles to the dedicated Patient Participation News pages of the Health & Care Together newsletter, which is circulated around the Borough. The next PPG Network meeting will be held on Thursday, 17th April 2012 at The Carers Centre, Frederick Street, Hindley, Wigan, WN2 3BD. If you would like a copy of the agenda for the next meeting or more information on how to get involved please contact Karen Wilson by email to karenw@thebha.org.uk or telephone 01942 705839. The next newsletter will be published in March 2012 so if you would like your PPG to feature in this edition please, send an article and if possible a photograph, to Karen Wilson.

Mental Health SupportRichmond Fellowship

Richmond Fellowship is a specialist mental health provider. Our services are available to any resident of Wigan borough who is experiencing mental health problems. We believe that recovery is a journey, and is different for each person. Our Community Link Workers support people to identify their personal goals and aspirations via a support plan. We aim to achieve the best possible quality of life for every individual. We also offer service user led friendship groups; service user led activity groups and are currently developing a peer support service. If you feel we can help you and for further information please contact Maggie Langhorn, Service Manager on 01942 255 394 or email: maggie.langhorn@richmondfellowship.org.uk Office address: Hyndelle Lodge, King Street, Hindley, Wigan. WN4 9JW

Safer In TownMaking Wigan Safer for People with Learning Disabilities

Wigan & Leigh People First are setting up a Safer in Town scheme to help people with a learning disability feel safe when they go about their everyday life in Wigan. Every person joining the scheme will get a Safer in Town fold-out card. Shops pubs, banks, cafes, libraries and any other public buildings, are being asked to display a Safer in Town logo in their window. If the person gets into any difficulty, they can go into one of these premises. There they will be helped to contact someone from the contact list on their fold-out card. Get in touch if you are either a shop or business who wants to help, or you have a learning disability and would like a contact cardplease contact: Wigan & Leigh People First, The Song Room, Bishopgate, Wigan, WN1 1NL, telephone: 01942 233353, email: info@wiganandleighpeoplefirst.co.uk https://twitter.com/WLPeople1st www.facebook.com/wiganandleighpeoplefirst

Office for Disability Issues seeks to fulfill potential

The Governments Office for Disability Issues (ODI) is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities are able to realise their potential and aspirations regarding education, work, and independent living. As part of their work, the ODI is currently undertaking an involvement programme asking disabled people about the barriers they face. To take part or for further information visit http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/odi-projects/fulfilling-potential.php Submissions to be made by 5pm, Friday 9th March 2012.

Wigans new public services hub is open for business

Wigan Boroughs new multi-million pound public services hub the Wigan Life Centre, is officially open for business. The Information, Learning and Neighbourhood Zone offers residents of the borough a new gateway to all public services in the borough through a state-ofthe-art customer contact centre. The centre also boasts a new public library, including childrens and reference sections along with community space and offices for voluntary sector organisations. Early reports from the opening day on Monday 9th January suggest that business is good! The Wigan Life Centre is situated between Hewlett Street and The Wiend in the heart of Wigan Town Centre, the 6500 sq ft building is the culmination of the councils 217M Life Centre project.

Benefits Bus will be coming to Wigan and Leigh in February & March!

Do you know about the changes to Housing Benefit? Will you be affected by the new changes to Housing Benefit? Not sure? Then visit the bus and find out if the changes affect you? The bus will be at the following locations in February: 2nd February Standishgate, Wigan Town Centre (opposite WHSmith) 3rd February Bradshawgate, Leigh Town Centre (opposite McDonalds) 24th February Standishgate, Wigan Town Centre (opposite WHSmith) 16th March Bradshawgate, Leigh Town Centre (opposite McDonalds)

Health and Care Together is . . . a Local Involvement Network (LINk),

(every Borough in the country has a LINk). These have been set up to give all individuals the opportunity to comment on the health and social care services they receive. Here at Health and Care Together we listen to your views and pass them on to the people who plan and run services with the intention of making them better. We are the network that can give you your voice to make a positive change to the care you receive. Anyone can get involved with Health and Care Together. If you would like to contribute to our newsletter please contact the office.

Do you want to LINk up?

So many ways to get involvedcome along and have some fun whilst making a difference! If you would like to be kept informed about Health and Care Togethers events, would like to participate, or require any further information, write to us at: Freepost RRZR-ACRS-BAJT, Wigan Borough Local Involvement Network, 1st Floor Office CT3, Wigan Investment Centre, Waterside Drive, Wigan, WN3 5BA. Tel: 01942 705522, 01942 705839, or e-mail info@healthandcaretogether.co.uk Alternatively you can text your views on 07525 237731. Name Address ................................................................................ ................................................................................

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