ACTION FOR HEALTH – SENIOR CITIZENS IN NEWCASTLE (AFH-SCIN)
Summary of Activities to Support User Involvement in Services March 2007 – March 2008
Meetings
Meetings are held approximately monthly (10 per year) and at each meeting an invited speaker attends to discuss issues of policy and practice, so there is an exchange of views between providers and users of services. The range of topics discussed can be seen on the attached list. Members value up-to-date information about developments. Representatives of health and social services state that they value the opportunity to consult with an experienced group of service users. The discussion sometimes leads to further action – this is noted on the attached list. For instance, the ‘Caring Choices’ discussion with a JRF representative, resulted in AFH-SCIN becoming a partner in the programme, sending five representatives to an event in Leeds, one representative to the final event in London, 100 questionnaires being distributed on Tyneside, a contribution to the Caring Choices website. The final report is imminent.
The meeting scheduled for November 2007 became part of a Listening Event on Rehabilitation and Intermediate Care; co-hosted by AFH-SCIN.
Discussion of the Regional Public Health consultation document ‘Better Health, Fairer Health’ resulted in written comments being forwarded in response, inclusive of the views of older peoples’ groups
Minutes are available for each meeting.
Participation with other groups, networking, etc
When AFH-SCIN first came into existence the Joint Advisory Group (JAGOP) was the main agency we related to. Subsequently Newcastle Health Partnership provided links between the statutory and voluntary sector. At present there are several organisations involved in health and social care.
Older People’s Local Implementation Team(OPLIT)
OPLIT has a work programme and we aim to link our work to this programme e.g. many of the presentations at our meetings are on their way to or from discussions at OPLIT.
PCT Public Engagement Events
Representatives attend each event in Newcastle and report back to a subsequent meeting. We also receive reports of each event outlining the discussion on the selected topics which is shared with members (usually 3 per annum).
Community Action on Health Network Events. Representatives attend the events and report back to the next meeting. We aim to attend the meetings in central Newcastle rather than localities, as we cover the whole city. (Currently 4 meetings per year).
LINKs
We were involved in the discussion about proposals for a LINKs organisation and as AFH-SCIN is a sub-group of Newcastle Healthy City Project we are in support of this bid to become a ‘network of networks’.
Health and Adult Services Scrutiny Panel
Occasional attendance as a member of the public is possible and can be important when decisions are made.
Communication and Outreach
It is important for AFH-SCIN to be in touch with a wider network of service users. Involvement with the Elders council gives that opportunity. The Elders Council Newsletter is published 4 and possibly 5 times a year and each issue includes an update on AFH-SCIN discussions and an invitation to contribute to them. There is also space for items of information, such as the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme and other items that we might wish to publicise.
Old Spice Drama Group is an off-shoot of AFH-SCIN. Drama is a useful tool for stimulating debate and provoking people to express their views. The first programmes were on health and safety issues for older people, and this material is still available for performances with older peoples’ groups, and at information days, etc. Early in 2007, with the help of a drama tutor, a new programme was developed on the theme of 5-a-day and 5-a-week, to promote healthy eating and exercise. This programme was performed on 18 April at a Healthy Communities Collaborative event in Sunderland, and at a Search AGM on 20 June. It is available as a contribution to any future Active Ageing events.
A programme on ‘Having Your Say’ to stimulate discussion about ‘that bit of help’ is also available and was used effectively in a session with Heaton Helps Youth Group on 31 January to encourage their programme of work to help older people.
The group participated in a series of 3 workshops in July and August to encourage more people to become involved in drama. On the same theme a discussion and demonstration performance was arranged for a group of carers at Dementia Care Partnership on 14 December, who are interested in the use of drama to highlight issues for carers.
Service user involvement in training programmes:
Nurses: AFH-SCIN / Old Spice have provided 2-hour teaching sessions for nurses in the MOLO programme at Northumbria University. In 2007, sessions were:
Spring Term: 27 February; 2 March; 30 March; 3 April. Average attendance at each session was 20 students.
Autumn Term: 31 August; 7 September, 5 October and 12 October.
Average attendance at each session 30 students.
Social Work Students: 18 October, 4-hours sessions with 100 3rd year students, including 2-hour teaching session on assessment of risk, followed by participation in seminars, at Northumbria University.
6 November, 2-hour session with 40 students in 1st year of social work degree course at Durham University.
Nursing students complete evaluation forms which show appreciation of the interactive discussion with service users and effective use of drama to illustrate attitudes.
Social work tutors give feedback on each session which shows AFH-SCIN’s work is highly valued. (Reports available for scrutiny if required).
Through these programmes around 350 students, future workers with older people, have raised awareness of user’s perspectives on services.
Currently a representative of AFH-SCIN is involved in a group at Northumbria University reviewing service user and carer involvement in the social work degree course.
Dignity in Care is the current theme of the National Service Framework. As a contribution to the implementation of the NSF for Older People on Elimination of Discrimination, AFH SCIN and Old Spice led a workshop session with health and social care staff on this topic. During the current year we have been working on the dignity in care theme. Three creative writing sessions were held in 2007 and have provided material which will be used in a performance at the Dignity for All event on 2 April. We shall be able to contribute to any future training programmes on Dignity in Care, and may also produce a booklet of writing on this theme.
Summary of topics discussed at meetings and actions taken
March 2007 – March 2008
March 2007 Adult Nutrition Needs:
Discussion with Jacqui Moon, Clinical Governance Manager, PCT.
(2 representatives invited to present their concerns to subsequent meeting of Steering Group.
April 2007 DH Paper on Commissioning Framework for Health and Wellbeing:
Discussion update report on ‘That Bit of Help’.
May 2007 Eligibility Criteria for Community Care Services:
Discussion with Caroline Thomas, Social Services Directorate. (Written comments subsequently forwarded).
Mental Health Services:
Discussion with Brenda Rickleton, Social Services Directorate.
June 2007 ‘Caring Choices’ Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) national consultation on paying for care: Discussion with Sue Collins, JRF (resulting in AFH-SCIN becoming a partner in the programme).
July 2007 Long Term Conditions:
Discussion of report from Community Action on Health, with Cal Boal.
Sept 2007 Northumberland Tyne & Wear NHS Trust – Application to become Foundation Trust:
Discussion with Gary O’Hare and Christine Lothian.
Dementia Care:
Presentation by Ben Hudson, Social Enterprise Initiative.
October 2007 Everyone’s Tomorrow, Strategy for an Ageing Population:
Discussion of Aim 3 on health and wellbeing and AFH-SCIN’s work plan.
Nov 2007 Listening Event on Rehabilitation and Intermediate Care Services, Disability North.
Co-hosted with Quality of Life Partnership programme (report available).
Dec 2007 Chiropody Services:
Discussion with Mary Lund, Newcastle Chiropody Service.
Consultation Paper, Better Health, Fairer Health, regional public health strategy. (Written comments forwarded).
January 2008 Health Action Networks:
Discussion with representatives of Community Action on Health.
February 2008 Healthy Communities Collaborative, Cancer Project:
Discussion with Sara Wells (information on bowel cancer screening programme sent to Elders Council Newsletter).
March 2008 Carers Emergency Support and Information Pack:
Discussion with Alex Dunlop, Carers Lead Officer, Newcastle City Council.
