Joint Engagement Forum(JEF) – May 2022
JEF meeting held on 24th May 2022
This quarter the JEF discussions included:
NHS Devon Commissioned Options for Living Vaccination Promotion and Engagement project update – Living Options Devon
The project had been introduced to JEF in March and were given an update which included:
• Questions and discussion
• Project Overview – Working in small groups with repeated contact is the only way to create trust between people, this is required with migrants and ethnic groups.
• Project Objectives – Issues; people with complex lives mistrust authority and media, migrant groups and refugee groups continue to grow.
• Beneficiaries and partners
• Vaccination Champions
Introducing new NHS Devon Joint Engagement Manager
The new NHS Devon Joint Engagement Manager introduced themselves and gave some of their background. Then shared a presentation with JEF which included:
• Plans for the future –
o New organisation (NHS Devon) 1 July 2022
o Collaboration with both NHS and DCC
o Opportunities through communications, involvement and inclusion
o Develop partnerships with voluntary sector
o People and communities’ strategy
o Governance structure for feedback
Local Engagement Round-up
LDPB updates and discussion groups
The full Devon Learning Disability Partnership Board met on 30th March.
Devon County Council and NHS updates were introduced by a DCC representative, Devon Partnership Trust Clinical Commissioning Group and the Project Manager of Project Change Team Devon County Council. LDPB heard about Liberty Protection Safeguards and Supported Housing. The Reasonable Adjustments project and the spring covid booster programme for over 75s and about the Lovecare programme.
Big Community Catch Up, Carers Discussion Group, and Friendship Group which are the Boards Sub-Groups:
If anyone who does not come to the Learning Disability Partnership Board Meeting and would like further information, please see the Website.
LD Friendship groups – Devon People First
Good news, the friendship groups have received funding to continue this year.
Groups meet virtually 6 times per month, but we have now begun meeting once a month face to face in Devon’s towns.
The group members also continue to meet for the LDPB “Big Community Catch Up”
A good news story this month has been those two members of the groups, one from Crediton and one from Barnstaple who did not know each other prior to joining the friendship groups booked and went on holiday together this week. They are staying in a caravan park in mid-Devon which has a swimming pool and other activities, both suffer from trauma due to being victims of crime. I popped out to see them this week for an hour and they were feeding the lambs, I have never seen them so happy, this is what the friendship groups are about.
The update was heart-warming and well received.
The value of peer support is good.
Autism Involvement Group (AIG) and Dimensions for Autism
At AIG The poster for Devon Autism Card was shared, members heard about how to apply for a card, a DFA member is in charge of the process and responds to requests.
I will be doing a reminder for Devon and Cornwall Police; Matt Grimsey has been involved in the production of the card. We have been responsible for this card since August, 2,000 cards were sponsored by DCC. You can add your contact details to the back of the card. Devon and Cornwall Police will be funding a more generic card.
DFA update
Dates for groups taking place in June were shared after the meeting.
Starting soon – a younger adult’s group 18 -35-year-olds.
Older People people/ Age UK Devon
We have an Older People project and as part of this have developed a model for engaging with Older People. Age UK is involved in the Lovecare Exmouth pilot and will be attending the steering group.
Black & Minority Ethnic engagement/Hikmat
JEF heard about Hikmat work on:
The Vaccination championship; face to face activity.
Settling scheme; 5 families have been rehomed so far and we hope to help more people this way next year, a bike collection scheme is also part of this. JEF members were invited to make contact about bikes.
Hospital discharge work: Hikmat are looking at the new discharge lounge and how it can be accessed.
Equality Reference Group – Living Options Devon
JEF saw a presentation which explained how recently DCC have undertaken race equality work last year, there is a significant need for improvement in supporting staff in minority groups.
Safeguarding Community Reference Group – Living Options Devon
At the last reference group – Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) was discussed which are changes to DoLS, making sure people who need to be moved into care or homes have as much support as possible and that decisions made are for them. The Government want to consult on this.
Commissioning Involvement Group
The group met on 31st May 2022 where we had a presentation, discussion and feedback on the new adult care management system being developed for assessment, review and advice and signposting.
DCC were seeking the groups views about their experiences in looking for care and support in Devon and what would people like to see introduced in the future. It is a 3-year project to improve information, advice and signposting.
Interview for new DCC Director of Integrated Adult Social Care; CIG members took part in the interview panel representing service users.
Co-Production Group
The Co-production working group have met several times since the beginning of March.
We held a general Co-production awareness session yesterday with 13 attendees from DCC, Plymouth University and the NHS.
Feedback on the course was good, it sparked a long debate on empowerment and degree of challenge occurring by people attending the sessions and therefore shows the importance of commissioners putting things in front of groups that they can meaningfully influence.
Other Living Options Engagement
Key work; sitting on health inequalities board, local emergency public health board and other big groups of people, we are able to share our information on vaccine work, we have direct access to the CCG, public health and have been sharing feedback with them such as vaccination feedback.
Easy Read documents for organisations across the county, accessibility audits, asked to develop best practice guidelines for accessible videos, working with Welcome Trust and will help to do funded work a different approach to engagement.
Carers Update
JEF heard updates that included:
(A year in Review), although a very challenging year for everyone it hasn’t stopped Devon Carers in their mission to continue to help Carers across Devon feel safe, supported, and have access to information and advice and practical support when eligible.
27,000 have been contacted in the last 12 months
50,000 phone calls by the hard-working staff and volunteers
5,350 new Carers have been registered
24,700 Carers have been issued with the Carers Passport
Carer’s week is coming up and takes place across the UK from Monday 6th June to the 12th. Devon Carers are running a series of sessions.
The evolution of the DCC Carer Ambassador scheme has seen it grow from 19 to over 70 and is going from strength to strength recognised both locally and nationally for the contribution made in highlighting issues affecting Carers but also contributing to improving life chances.
The ‘Time For you Sitting Service’, which is greatly valued, in some areas is struggling to find volunteers to meet need.
One of our Carer Ambassadors is still heavily involved in the Last Years of Life/palliative Care/the Bereavement journey for Carers both Nationally and Locally.