Young Carers Voice (YCV) members presented their mental health poster designs to Bristol City Mayor Marvin Rees.
Continue reading “Young carers design mental health posters”
Latest News
News for carers and health & social care professionals in Bristol & South Gloucestershire
GP award scheme launched
We have recently launched a new award scheme for GP practices in South Gloucestershire to show how ‘carer and dementia friendly’ they are.
Consultation: Deadline for responding to Talking Therapies extended
As some of you will be aware, BNSSG (Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire) Clinical Commissioning Groups are re-designing and re-commissioning talking therapies services. This includes counselling, CBT and group therapy.
Have you accessed talking therapies? Has the person that you care for accessed them? Do you have any views that you would like to feed in?
The deadline for filling out the online survey has now been extended until 15th February.
You can fill this out by clicking here!
Consultation: Blue Badge Scheme
Government is proposing changing the eligibility criteria for the Blue Badge scheme to include people with non-physical conditions and to allow a range of healthcare professionals with specific expertise (other than the applicant’s GP) to undertake the assessments and to offer an automatic badge eligibility for people with non-physical disabilities who score 12 points under the PIP Activity – ‘Planning and Following Journeys’.
The deadline is 18 March. View more information including the online survey by clicking here.
Consultation: Over the Counter Items (NHS England)
NHS England is consulting on reducing prescribing of over-the-counter medicines. Feedback so far from patients and patient organisations has highlighted that considerations must be made for people with long-term conditions who require a large supply of over the counter medicine.
If you would like to respond to this consultation you can do so by Wednesday 14 March.
Training on representing other carers and carers rights
Carers Support Centre has some exciting forthcoming training on involvement and representing other carers which are being led by Gill Deacon.
The aim of the training is to build up skills to be a representative at meetings for other carers, but you are very welcome to attend anyway even if you’re not currently able to be a carer representative as the skills are useful for any carer.
Continue reading “Training on representing other carers and carers rights”
Consultation: South Gloucestershire Special Educational Needs Strategy
South Gloucestershire Council would like to hear carer views on the new draft SEND strategy for 2018-2023. Click here to read and learn more about strategy, feedback can also be submitted by clicking here.
The deadline for comments is Monday, March 12th.
Consultation: South Gloucestershire HomeChoice
The South Gloucestershire Council HomeChoice Rehousing policy sets out how the Council assesses applications for housing and the process for letting to social housing that the Council has nomination rights to.
The current policy contains three bandings. These bands are broad based and applicants within each banding have the same level of priority although their housing circumstances can be very different.
The deadline to feed into this consultation is the 26th March.
To give your feedback click here!
Consultation: Short Breaks for Parent Carers
Bristol City Council has a statutory responsibility to provide a range of short breaks (previously known as respite) to parent carers. This is set out in their Short Breaks Statement jointly developed with Bristol Parent Carers (BPC). The Targeted Short Breaks services contracts for children and young people up to age 18 all end on 31 March 2019. Targeted services are services that you don’t need a social worker assessment to access.
This survey will ask you about short breaks services and also about:
- Personal Assistants Service a service to help people find a personal assistant.
- Exploring widening eligibility for short breaks for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD and children with Social, Emotional & Mental Health (SEMH). There is a section at the end where you can get further information on short breaks.
The deadline to respond is 17th January.
For more information, click here.
Focus Groups for Carers on Talking Therapies
Talking therapies services (otherwise known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies – IAPT) are being recommissioned and redesigned in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. IAPT services provide support for adults who are experiencing low mood, anxiety and depression, stress, excessive worry or difficulties controlling emotions. These therapies are sometimes known as ‘talking therapies’. Typical treatments include cognitive behavioural therapies, mindfulness, counselling, couples therapies, psychodynamic therapy, psychosexual therapy, and group-based support.
We’d like to invite you to attend a focus group so that we can make sure that your views on how these services could be improved, what should be included in the redesign and also, any positive experiences that you or the person you care for have experienced (if any) around talking therapies.
Continue reading “Focus Groups for Carers on Talking Therapies”
Have your say on Healthy Lifestyle and Wellbeing Services in South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire Council’s Public Health and Wellbeing Division are working with other partners to develop more integrated and accessible healthy lifestyle and wellbeing services and support. They want to hear your views on what a new service model should look like.
They are hosting three stakeholder workshops in January for anyone interested in helping to shape services for the future. If you are interested please register via the link below:
Wednesday 17th January, 1.30-3.30pm, The Batch, Warmley
Register here!
Thursday 18th January, 10am-12.00pm, Coniston Community Centre, Patchway
Register here!
Wednesday 24th January, 6.30-8.30pm, South Gloucestershire Council Offices, Badminton Road, Yate
Register here!
You only need to attend one of these events. Three have been put on in order that as many people as possible can be involved.
For further information please contact:
Tel: 01454 864005
Email: healthylifestyles@southglos.gov.uk
New discounts in Bedminster
In addition to the existing discounts in cafes, shops & restaurants on North St, there are now 14 more discounts available for Carers Emergency Card holders on East St & Bedminster Parade.
BDA (Bedminster Domestic Appliances)
Bedminster Flowers
Bizoe Toys
Bubble Play Café
Cut Above
East St Fruit Market
Eddies Coffee Lounge Ltd
Goldminster Jewellers
Hairspray
Refresh Bedminster
Shoe Tappers
Smart Phones
Strongman Moustache
Taunton Leisure
See all available discounts.
Lancaster University Dementia Care Survey
Lancaster University is looking for people with previous or current experiences of caring for a person living with dementia. If this is the case for you, your perspectives could help them to identify outcomes that are important for people with dementia who live at home and establish which outcomes should be a priority.
In earlier phases of this study, Lancaster University identified 54 outcomes that are important to key stakeholders (including people living with dementia) and that are used in existing research.
Participation in this survey involves completing two surveys.
- In the first survey you will be asked to rate how important each outcome is (from the perspective of a person living with dementia). The first survey will close on 8th January 2018.
- In the second survey, you will be shown how others have scored each outcome and then asked to reconsider your initial rating. It is important to complete both surveys. The second survey will open in the mid to late January 2018.
As a token of appreciation you will be eligible to claim a £10 Amazon voucher from Lancaster University upon completion of both surveys.
Full details are available this information sheet.
If having read this, you are interested in taking part in this study please click on the survey link (now removed).
Lancaster University would like you to initially register using your full name and email address to help track completion of each round, and so they can send you a link to the second survey. Your responses will be anonymous. Upon registration, you will be allocated a unique identifier so that Lancaster University can process all data anonymously.
If you have any questions/ comments about the study /or what is involved, please contact:
Andrew Harding, Research Associate
Tel: 01524 592847
Email: a.harding5@lancaster.ac.uk
Marie Crane, Research Coordinator
Tel: 01524 592976
Email: m.crane@lancaster.ac.uk
Have your say on the re-design and re-commissioning of Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Services
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) is a programme to support people of all ages who are experiencing low mood, anxiety and depression, stress, excessive worry or difficulties controlling emotions. These therapies are sometimes known as ‘talking therapies’. Typical treatments include cognitive behavioural therapies, mindfulness, counselling, couples therapies, psychodynamic therapy, psychosexual therapy, and group-based support.
The current contracts for IAPT jointly commissioned between Bristol and South Gloucestershire are delivered through 16 separate contracts as part of the model. Services are commissioned for all ages. Services are commissioned for adults only, with an additional 16-18 year old pathway to adult services.
Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups plan to re-design and re-procure a new IAPT service for people in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Have you say about this process via the following survey here. It is open until 12th January.
Carers Support Centre is planning to organise a focus group for mental health carers. If you are interested in taking part in this, contact Caroline McAleese.
Gift a Massage
This December, Hamilton House Wellbeing in partnership with Rethink Mental Illness and Carers Support Centre has launched the ‘Gift a Massage’ campaign to bring free massage treatments to up to 80 carers in Bristol.
Chronically over-worked and under-acknowledged, Carers UK estimates 1 in 8 adults (around 6.5million people) offer long-term unpaid support to a loved one or friend. While this saves the economy £132 billion per year, a significant proportion of carers suffer mental and physical ill health as a direct consequence of the stress and physical demands of their caring role.
How you can help…
This Christmas and New Year we are inviting you to do something special and contribute whatever you like towards a much needed massage for a carer. Massage can bring greater ease to tired muscles and calm the mind but most importantly, going for a treatment provides an opportunity for carers to take time out from their potentially stressful daily schedules and do something for themselves.
• Every £20 raised funds a 30min treatment
• Every £40 raised funds a full hour treatment
• Reaching our £1600 target will fund 40-80 carers to receive a treatment
Gifts can be made via the just-giving page or the Hamilton House shop and as a thank you for your donation you’ll get a complimentary Christmas card designed by resident Hamilton House artist Patrick Atkins.
This campaign runs from 1st December 2017 until 31st January 2018. Treat someone who needs it this Winter!
Consultation: South Gloucestershire Better Care Stronger Communities Funding Review
South Gloucestershire Council is reviewing the impact of the services delivered by: Shopmobility, The Armadillo Senior Cinema, MS Therapy Centre Exercise Groups and WE Care and Repair to decide whether to continue or cease funding these organisations. If you have used or benefited from any of these services or know carers that have, please respond to the survey by 5pm, Wednesday 20 December 2017. Click here to learn more.
Consultation: South Gloucestershire Council Budget and Savings Programme – 2018/19
South Gloucestershire Council is consulting on its capital and revenue budgets, council tax levels for next year (2018/19), and its overall savings plan. It is proposed that 28% of this budget will go towards children, adults and health. The deadline for responses is 12 January 2018. Click here to learn more.
Carers wellbeing event 14th December
Bristol Wellbeing College are holding a free wellbeing event for carers.
Consultation: Bristol ‘Tough Times, High Hopes’
Take part in vital consultation on Bristol City Council’s budget and Corporate Strategy.
Continue reading “Consultation: Bristol ‘Tough Times, High Hopes’”
Carers Campaigning Workshop 16th January
Do you want to get your voice heard on the issues that matter to you?
Carers Trust, Carers Support Centre and BANES Carers’ Centre are hosting a campaigning workshop which will aim to help carers campaign on issues that matter to you on Tuesday 16 January 2018, 10am-2pm, Stirling Way Community Room in Keynsham, BS31 1DF.
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