Transcript Slide 1

National Forum Minutes
8th and 9th December 2010
Holiday Inn, Telford
1
Day 1
f
Welcome and Introduction
Michael and Amanda welcomed everyone.
New member:
 Paul Uttley from the West Midlands.
Apologies
•
Alex.
Minutes of last meeting
The minutes were agreed as a true record.
There were no matters arising.
2
National Programme Board
Report from Michael and Amanda of the meetings
on 16th September and 8th November 2010.
16th September 2010 Meeting
Michael and Amanda told the Board why it was
important that the Forum should continue.
They have sent a letter to Paul Burstow. This had
been written by Siraaj Nadat from the West
Midlands.
David Behan asked the Forum for a plan as to how
the work could continue but on less money.
The Valuing People Now Annual Report is due out
on 8th December. This will be available on the
3
Valuing People website.
National Programme Board
8th November 2010
At this meeting the NHS White Paper was
discussed.
Michael and Amanda told the Board that the
Forum would have liked to set up a group to
comment on the proposals, but they had not been
given enough time to do this.
Hannah Rutter gave an update on the Department
of Health’s response to the Ombudsman report on
“Six Lives”.
She said that the Department had learnt important
lessons.
Hannah said there have been some improvements
but there is still lots to do.
4
Forum’s Discussion on
Health
We heard that today there will be an
announcement by Andrew Lamsley, the Minister of
Health.
He will say that the Government are going to run GP
consortia in pilot areas.
The Forum has had a reply from Paul Burstow.
He thanked the Forum for all its work.
He said how important it was that the Government
listens to the views of people with learning
disabilities.
It is too early to say what will happen to the Forum
5
after April 2011.
Health Discussion
- Regional Feedback
South East
Dawn said that in the South East they had been told
that it was really important that people with learning
disabilities should be on Health and Wellbeing
Boards.
They are making sure they are in contact with their
Primary Care Trust (PCT).
North West
In the Region the Health and Equality Group links
with Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). They are hoping to
include GPs. They have a specialist trainer on the
group.
6
Health Discussion
Regional Feedback
South West
They held a meeting about health in July.
There is a new website about easy read health care
information: www.apictureofhealth.southwest.nhs.uk
It is for doctors and other medical staff across the
South West of England.
It provides Easy Read information to people with
learning disabilities.
In hospitals they use a traffic light system to alert
staff to the needs of people with learning disabilities.
In Devon their “parliament” is talking about health.
7
Health Discussion
-Regional Feedback
North East
They have been doing training in each GP surgery
in Rotherham. It is called “I’m a person too.”
Health facilitators work closely with GPs. But
they don’t know if their jobs will be staying.
Eastern Region
They are not involved in training.
They also have been given little information
about the Consortia.
8
Health discussion
-regional feedback
London
Pat said their forum had no information about the
new Consortia.
West Midlands
In Worcestershire there are 3 draft GP Consortia.
They hope to meet them early next year.
East Midlands
They are involved with training.
Ian felt all new GP groups should include someone
with learning disability.
9
Personalisation
Dave Norman and Phil Parkin gave a
presentation about personalisation.
This is about people having control over their
own support.
There are lots of stories from people on the
National Forum website.
We then played a board game about
personalisation. This involved a discussion
about people’s problems with support.
- Group Feedback
• Your life should not be in someone else’s hands.
• We are in charge of our own life and should
have good support.
10
Personalisation
- Group Feedback
• We need the right advocacy support.
• Families should be aware of personal budgets
and have the right attitude.
• We need more information.
• We need to make sure we are listened too.
• You need a good support plan to make personal
budgets work.
• You need time to write a good support plan.
• There are agencies other than care managers
that can help you, e.g. Brokers.
• Some people stopped using their individual
budgets to go to their advocacy group as this is
not a public service.
11
Personalisation
- Flick Pennal – National Valuing
Families Forum
The National Valuing Families Forum is
organised like the National Forum.
The Families Forum works with:
• Carers UK
• Princess Royal Trust for Carers
• Standing Commission for Carers
Flick explained what a family carer is.
It can be a wife, husband, brother, sister
or even a neighbour that provides
unpaid support.
It is often thought family carers are
women, but they are just be as likely to
be men.
12
Personalisation
- Flick Pennal
• The National Valuing Family Forum think that
personal budgets are a very good thing if
managed well.
• It takes a lot of people to make a personal
budget work.
• We hear of people lives changing for the better
when they use their personal budget well.
• We hear of people doing inspirational things
with their lives.
• We hear of people getting support from new
friends.
• We hear of people willing to share their
knowledge and information.
13
Personalisation
- Flick Pennal
What will make a difference?
• People need to focus on what changes
people want to make and not just think
about money issues.
• Making sure that everyone hears the right
messages.
• Everyone knowing what is important to
people with learning disabilities.
• People having the right support to develop
their own natural circle of support .
• Strengthening family advocacy by making
sure it is effective at every stage.
14
Transport
Nigel Dochen, Equality and Accessibility Officer and
Denise Appleton, Project Lead for travel training
from Department of Transport introduced Karen Flynn
and Lila Bennett from Transform CIC.
They have worked with Mersey Travel.
Mersey Travel did some research to find out what
stops people with learning disabilities from using
public transport.
It is important that people with learning
disabilities learn to use public transport on their
own.
This leads to greater independence for people.
15
Transport
They have given training to parents, support
workers, education staff etc.
This training leads to a Level 2 qualification in
Travel Training.
We then played a quiz about transport using
interactive handsets.
They use this quiz in lots of places including
schools.
It really allows people to gain independence.
16
Transport – questions
• How are the cuts going to affect transport?
Changes to transport may be subject to an Equality
Impact Assessment. This shows what effect any
changes will have for disabled people.
• Will new franchises for rail travel consider
the needs of people with disabilities in the
design of stations?
Yes they will do.
• How many bikes can go on the train in
wheel chair space?
Nigel said wheelchairs have priority.
17
Transport
– questions
• Will there still be disabled train passes for
disabled people?
Yes there will. There will also still be national bus
passes.
• Have you employed anyone with learning
disability in the Department?
There is a diversity policy in place and people with
learning disabilities have been employed.
•Is their a law about rural bus services?
There is an Act around community transport. The
Department is looking at alternative forms of
transport.
18
Government Cuts to Social
Care
-Gavin Harding reported:
•
£1 billion will be given to the Department of
Health. But this will not be until 2014 to 2018. It
will be introduced over 4 years.
• In the first 2 years there will be cuts to social
care of about 28%. But this will vary between
councils.
• Supporting People gives help to people in their
own homes. They will be given £6.5 billion over
the next 4 years.
But, each local authority will have to make cuts of
12% to their budgets.
19
Government Cuts to Social
Care
-Learning Disability Programme after
March 2011
• Valuing People leads have been given notice their
jobs will end.
• Their budgets will go to places like Inclusion
North and North West Development and Training.
• There will be a priority on housing, health and
employment.
• Personalisation will be the biggest priority.
20
Government Cuts to Social
Care
-National Forum needs to campaign
about:
• People with learning disabilities are being left
• without care.
• People will be left to rely on Telecare.
• People with learning disabilities will be left
• isolated and open to “mate crime”.
• Private healthcare organisations are opening up
residential homes across the country.
21
Announcements:
Gavin has been nominated for an award for his
advocacy work.
Richard Blake received an award today for all his
work. He received £1000 and got £10,000 for a
charity of his choice.
22
Day 2
Feedback from 4 sub-groups
Advocacy
• The group have been working on a Staying
Strong Guide.
• Today they have been working on the final
sections of the booklet.
• After the weekend it will be going to Inclusion
North and Liz Brooks for final checking.
• It should be ready to go out to advocacy groups
early in the new year.
23
Feedback from 4 Sub-groups
Community Lives Group
• They talked about personal budget packs and
how to make the most of your personal budget.
• The group are going to ask TASC (Transforming
social care) to look at their work.
• They are going to share good stories.
• The group want to take forward the idea of the
information pack nationally. They are aware
there are local ones but they want a picture of
what is happening in the regions.
• This could be a task for the co-ordinators.
24
Feedback from 4 Sub-groups
Transport
• They have written a draft letter to Nigel and
Denise.
• They thanked them for their work and also raised
some points to make transport better for people
with learning disabilities.
• Amanda and Michael have signed the letter on
behalf of the team.
25
Feedback from 4 sub-groups
Health
The group talked about the GP consortia and
health watch.
They want the National Forum to be involved
with Health Watch England.
Following the letter from Siraaj they want the
groups to find out about local consortia.
They would like members to speak to Learning
Disability Partnership Boards to make sure they
are prioritising health changes.
26
Feedback from 4 sub-groups
-Health
Actions
• Contact Health Watch
• Write to Paul Burstow
• The group want regions to make links with GPs
and offer to do training on the awareness of
needs of people with learning disabilities.
• They want details of training going on.
• They asked of the Planning Group would
consider making health the main topic for the
next Forum?
27
Learning disability Coalition
Barbara has been to 2 meetings of the Coalition.
The meetings were about cuts.
The Vision for Adult Social Care was published on
16th November.
The Coalition has a campaign called “Protect the Front
Line”.
The Coalition has written to the Government and had
a demonstration.
The removal of Disability living allowance will effect
58000 people.
The Learning Disability and Health Reform Grant is a
£1.3 billion grant that is not being ring fenced.
Learning disability Coalition
- CSR
There will be a review of the money the
Government has spent.
Settlement to councils is going down 7.1%
There was a presentation at the Coalition from Jeff
Jerome. He said Personalisation will continue.
By 2013, 1 in 5 people with learning disabilities
will have a direct payment.
29
ARC
Gavin gave us a presentation on ARC.
He attended local ARC meeting about “Mate
Crime”.
This fits in with the hate crime work.
Mate Crime is where someone pretends to be
someone’s friend but is actually taking advantage
of the person financially.
Gavin is worried that at this time of cuts, people
are even more vulnerable to this type of abuse.
He had a questionnaire for the members.
30
TASC (Transforming Adult
Social Care)
Janet has been member of TASC for 2 months.
There are 15 members of the group and Janet is
the only member with a learning disability.
The group are talking about Health Watch. This is
going cover social care and health.
They are going to make information more
accessible.
They are also working on the Personal Budget
Strategy.
The group are looking for groups to help with the
easy read work.
.
31
Mencap Report
Berg gave us an update on Mecap. He told us
about the work they are doing.
Housing
• Most people with a learning disability do not
chose where they live.
• Many people with learning disabilities do not rent
or own their own home.
Health
• Mencap are campaigning for people with learning
disabilities to have equal healthcare.
Hate Crime
• Mencap are working with Valuing People Now to
stop hate crime.
Berg’s presentation is on the website.
32
Future Plans for the National
Forum
- Amanda and Michael reported:
• We realise that funding cuts will be made so we
have to work out how the forum will work in the
future.
• It was suggested to reduce the size of the forum
to:
- 9 representatives.
- 9 coordinators
- 2 elected co-chairs
• The meeting may also change from 2 days to 1 day.
33
Future Plans for the National
Forum
- Amanda and Michael reported:
• It is was also proposed that we strengthen the
regions.
• This would be done by having the Planning group,
coordinator and the reps running regions.
• The planning groups will set the rules for the forum.
• The Program boards will go. This will make the
Regional Forums more important.
34
Future Plans for the National
Forum
- Costs
• In 2010/ 2011 the budget was reduced by 20%.
• We may have to have a further 10% reduction .
Feedback from the Meeting 22nd
November
• There are worries that the Forum has too much
work for just 1 day.
• Gavin suggested we have a North and a South
forum.
In our regions we talked about these ideas and how
we could work with less money.
35
Future Plans
-Regional Feedback
North West
• There should be one to one support at the National
Forum.
• All government departments should pay, not just
Health and Social Care.
South West
• They did not like the idea of having a North and
South Forum.
• They thought that one forum meeting for one day
was a good idea.
• They didn’t like the idea of one rep as this will be
too much work for one person.
36
Future Plans
-Regional Feedback
North East
• They thought only two reps should go to the
National Forum.
Eastern Region
• They thought this would be lots of work for one
rep.
• We could meet at lunchtime, not in the evening.
London
• This would mean too much responsibility for one
person.
• How would we choose who comes to the
meeting?
• Will a supporter be able to support 2 people?
37
Future Plans
-Regional Feedback
South East
• They agreed with Amanda and Michaels
proposals.
West Midlands
• They are happy with one rep going to the
National Forum.
• The structure works well at the moment but
we need to be realistic about what we can do
in half the time.
• There will be more pressure and costs on the
Regional Coordinators.
• They didn't like the idea of a North and South
Forum as it will stop the sharing of Good
38
Practice.
Future Plans
-Regional
Feedback
East Midlands
• They agreed with the proposals but there should
be a reserve rep as well as the elected person.
• People need to be very prepared.
• Video conferencing with web cams could be
used.
39
Scott Walkin Presentation
Scott told us that about Valuing People Now’s 3
top priorities.
He told us about the Partnership Annual Report.
Scott reported some of the successes in
2009/2010 and told us what challengers were
identified.
The reports from all of the regions showed
improvements in healthcare.
They also identified what is important to people
and families.
40
Scott Walkin Presentation
Scott gave us a progress report on “Six Lives”.
He said that lots of work has been done, but there
are still some big problems.
He also gave us an update on housing.
All regions have a housing plan.
Scott told us that some Partnership Boards have
Employment Strategies and person centred
reviews which focus on paid employment as an
outcome.
All the regions reported good local work on issues
such as hate crime and people with complex
needs.
41
Scott Walkin Presentation
- The Spending Review
• Scott told us that the councils are cutting their
spending.
• Social care is really important so the Government
are spending an extra £1 billion by 2014/15.
• There will be changes to benefits including
changes to income support and housing benefits.
• Councils and other services will have to spend
less and be more efficient.
• We have to be strong as advocates and work
together.
Scott’s presentation is on the website.
42
Washing Line Questions
When are we going on a demonstration to
London over Disability Learning Allowance
changes?
• We are part of the Learning Disability Coalition so
we are involved in their campaign.
What will you do with the numbers collected
on GP training, health sub-group and GP
Consortia?
• This information will go to the Planning Group.
People who work less than 16 hours a week
cant get access to work. They have to pay for
their own transport.
Any Other Business
There was no time for Gavin’s presentation but this
43
will be sent out to people.