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Local Engagement Round Up
Safeguarding Community Reference Group –
The group is currently under review with the Partnership Board, it will decide how to take engagement forward, and understand engagement of lived experience and service users is important, it will undertake series of quality check type work, with people who have been through the safeguarding process, phone conversations and broader engagement will be part of that work which will be more Co–productive.
Other Living Options Engagement –
Living Options Devon attended the JEF where they gave an update on the In-House Day Centre Consultation, they shared the report which was the result of several focus groups across areas: Honiton, Tiverton, Oakhampton, Kingsbridge and Barnstable.
The report gave several recommendations such as: supporting everyone’s needs, enabling peer interaction and improving the transition from the childcare services to adults focusing on key areas such as healthcare.
Oliver McGowan Training –
The roll out of the Oliver McGowan Training is in progress and currently being delivered in Torbay. Due to future and ongoing funding being unclear, the training is currently being prioritised to NHS staff first.
Feedback on the current status of the project has been very positive, JEF member highlighted the praise from the autistic community by those who have been involved and the support in delivering the training.
Carer Ambassadors –
A Carer Ambassador attended the meeting and shared a presentation with JEF members about key areas of of concern including: shingles vaccine, feedback on direct payments on surplus claim, paid cares frustrations challenges for carers and housing difficulties.
Hikmat and BAME involvement –
A representative of Hikmat attended the JEF giving a presentation that was focused on the celebration of 20 years work that they have done and reflected on how far the organisation has come, JEF members praised Hikmat and the amazing contribution they have made the community with the work they have done.
Learning Disability Partnership Board –
Update from the concessionary bus pass team in response from meeting the friendship group. New format being sent in for the LDPB, plans for the March’s LDPB AGM and the health and social care group, helping RDUHFT new communication patient policy and Easy Read training delivered to DCC staff during 2023.
Healthwatch –
Dental recovery plan feedback was given to Healthwatch England. The Chief executive has made announcement that a long-term solution is required. Healthwatch will keep feeding into that.
Pharmacy report was shared with JEF members as this is a big issue in Devon. Some Pharmacies are closing or opening for shorter hours, with staff being asked to do more. This issue has been raised at national level and with local with NHS devon, who are looking at the pharmacy provision strategy. The Assist Network will host an event on 20th March all JEF members are invited.
Learning Disability Friendship Groups –
The Friendship Groups are continuing to meet 6 times a month and are very well received by users. The Health and Social Care Group has done lots of work, including work designing Easy Read websites. When the group first started it was to help with isolation, over the Christmas the group have had 3 plus people become members of the group.
Autism Involvement Group –
NHS delivered a presentation to AIG members about New inpatient Mental Health Unit, Dawlish where the group discussed concerns about accessibility of the unit for those part of the autistic community.
Dimensions for Autism (DFA) –
The group have been focusing around the health and hospital passport, they have been comparing and collecting the best parts of other versions which will be shared on the DFA website which will then be used a standard example across the South West.
The group will be attending Respect Festival, the group are in need of a gazebo and asked JEF members if they have one they could lend for this occasion.
Older People/Age UK Devon –
Ongoing difficulties contacting adult social care through phone, as the voicemail option has now been removed which has been an barrier in able to contact professionals. A meeting is taking place in a few weeks where this will be addressed and feedback shared on how to improve this process.
Co-production –
The team are continuing to deliver awareness session, there have been 3 awareness sessions since the last JEF including a bespoke session for the Devon County Council (DCC) Management Information Team.
The Co-production Advisory Group (COAG) is a group of people who are passionate Adult Social Care (ASC) and to encourage people to apply co-production to their work but also giving advise on where they can start.
Quality Standards Co-production Group was set up to find out what is important to people in ASC and annual reviews, surveys and focus groups were used to do this. The 3 key issues that remain important are communications, choice and help being person centred.
Jargon Busters is a Learning Disability Co-production project, this group was set up to remove barriers to ASC and how to communicate clearly. The first activity was to develop a film which will be used as to show Commissioners and Managers that people with LD can do Co-production.
Healthwatch Urgent Care Work –
A presentation was shared with JEF members that covered –
- Patient Experiences of Emergency Departments (ED) in Devon
- Why we produced this report
- What we did
- What we found
- What we found continued
- What people told us
- Our observations from RDUH
- Our observations from NDDH
- Response from the NHS
NHS Devon wanted to know why people attended emergency departments. To speak to patients about why they chose to go there. A report was produced two years ago but was survey based.
NHS Equality Report Living Options Devon –
Presentation was shown to JEF members about the Devon Quality Equality Impact Assessments Review Summary report and covered topics such as:
- Consultation process
- Key questions
- Contacting Health Services
- Communication
- Information and Signposting
- Flexible, accessible health services
- Patient centred care
- Holistic care
- Joined up collaboration between agencies
- Access to support, care and treatment
- Primary care
Devon Quality, Equality Impact Review for NHS is to change services for Devon’s most vulnerable.
Many recommendations can only be done on national level but things such as reasonable adjustments in GP surgeries will be done on a local level. Report recommendations will cover all.