URGENT – consultation on carer breaks

Just heard about this (no comment about lack of communications) – would be good if mental health carers went along –

The Carers Centre and members of the St Helens Integrated Commissioning Team, are facilitating a number of drop in sessions on 1st June 2016 (10-11am, 2-3pm and 6-7pm) for Adult Carers, regarding Carers Assessments and to discuss the future approach regarding Carer Personal Budgets (formerly known as Carer Breaks). The sessions will be held at Fishwick House, 18 Cotham Street, St Helens, WA10 1SJ (opposite the town hall).
Please confirm if you wish to attend one of the sessions by contacting the Carers Centre on 01744 675615 or email info@sthelenscarers.org.uk

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5 boroughs consultation – november

5 Borough’s Acute Care Pathway consultation: Carers emphasised that they were concerned that it looked like all services will be provided from one central location. Transport across the Borough can be expensive and people have to get more than one bus to get to Peasley Cross.

Carers defined a ‘good’ service as one with prompt service within time limits. People should get help when they need it. Carers highlighted the weekly drop in with a psychiatrist which was provided at Vista Road. People had their 3 monthly appointments, but if they needed to see someone sooner they could attend the drop in without an appointment. Carers hope this best practice will be in the new model.

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Carers meeting – november – pharmacy

Our discussion was to feed into a consultation on pharmacy services within the Borough. We had looked at the document, but it is very large and refers to a very wide range of services – not just mental health.

Carers concluded that we want:

More information:

• about side effects and dosages
• information in formats we understand and we want it explained to us

Reviews of medication:

• more open to a range of ideas – including alternative treatments
• to consider everything not just medication – including what people have been doing as well as the carers’ views
• more information about timing – including how long people need to be on medication, how long medication will take to have an effect and how long it will be before another review.

Carers wanted more flexible services particularly around injections. They suggested:

• some families may want the option for carers to give injections
• a range of times including early in the morning so that the whole day isn’t taken up on injections
• more flexible and easier to get – a drop in service
• to be considered the same as other illnesses – mental health challenges and injections shouldn’t be treated differently to other illnesses – stigma and discrimination.

Carers are also concerned about:

• changing medication for cheaper versions – they do act differently
• how to reduce medications  – this never gets discussed
• the aggressive large doses which are used initially. Carers want alternative treatments.
• service provision – carers want a community pharmacy service to provide ongoing specialist support, especially now that people are discharged from secondary services once they are stable. This would help with reducing medication.

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Opportunities to influence pharmacy services

There is a consultation document out at the moment which needs a response by 13^th December. This is your opportunity to let the PCT know what services you need around medication.

We will discuss carers concerns about medication and pharmacy provision at our carers’ meeting on Wednesday 1oth November. (6.30pm at the United Reformed Church)

There will also be a speaker at the LINk/Listen event on 10th November. The day is free to attend and lunch is provided. Millennium Centre, St Helens. To book your place, phone 01744 457119

For more information about the consultation, contact Alison Brook at the Patient Public Involvement Team.

 

 

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Consultations

There are several consultations out at the moment – these are your chance to influence the future development of services.

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Carers assessments

Did you know that:

All individuals who provide regular and substantial care for a person on CPA should:

•  have an assessment of their caring, physical and mental health needs, repeated on at least an annual basis
• have their own written care plan which is given to them and implemented in discussion with them.

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Self assessment exercise

It’s the time for the annual self assessment exercise for the PCT. This is the section on carers. We want to hear your views. Do you feel involved in the planning, monitoring and evaluation of services – are they red, amber or green?

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Ambitions for health – carers perspective

There was a good turnout at the consultation day for Ambitions for Health on Friday. It was good to see the number of carers amongst the range of people all discussing what they’d want from local health services.

One period was set aside for discussions of how they could improve early detection of depression. The table I was on highlighted how caring can affect someone’s mental health. When you’re supporting someone who is experiencing mental distress, it can be difficult to notice the effect its having on your own health. 

For more information about Ambitions for health, do contact the Patient and Public Involvement Team for NHS Halton & St Helens on 0800 849 7088

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