Wellbeing and Health
Open Forum
Notes of the Wellbeing and Health Open Forum, Part 2
held on 10 February 2015 @ Central Square
Speakers and participants
Sally
David
Katie
Claire
Barbara
Martin
Young
Forster
Dodd
Nixon
Douglas
Gollan
Newcastle CVS
Newcastle City Council
Newcastle Carers
Newcastle City Council
Quality of Life Partnership
Newcastle CVS
Paula
Claire
Liz
Lesley
Carol
Ruth
Vera
Violet
Julie
Kieron
Carol
Karen
Angela
Pam
Bill
Charlotte
Neil
Ann
Lauren
Clare
Kathy
Trevor
Barbra
Kate
Jenny
Barney
Batey
Oakley
Wingfield
Brown
Abrahams
Bolter
Rook
Marshall
Conaty
Egdell
Inglis
Walls
Jobbins
Norman
Dodson
Shashoua
Dymd
Hoy
Levi
Steele
Moon
Robson
Mukungu
Harrison
Action Befriending
Alzheimer's Society
Barnardo’s
Changing Lives
Dementia Care
Disability North
Elders Council of Newcastle
Healthwatch champion
Healthwatch Newcastle
Involve North East
Newcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council
Newcastle CVS
Newcastle CVS
Newcastle Society for Blind People
Newcastle United Foundation
Newcastle Voluntary Sector Consortium
NIWE
Quality of Life Partnership
Search
Skills for People
The Welcome Club
Them Wifies
Tyneside Women's Health
Under the Bridge
Welcome
Sally Young, Chief Executive, Newcastle CVS welcomed everyone to the
Wellbeing and Health Open Forum, Part 2. This meeting followed Part 1
which was about Deciding Together, the consultation on specialist mental
health services.
The presentations are on Newcastle CVS website, visit
www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk/networkinginvolving/adult-wellbeing-and-socialcare/adult-wellbeing-forum
The Care Act 2014
David Forster, Service Development Lead in the Wellbeing Care and
Learning Directorate Newcastle City Council, spoke about the approach of
the Council to the Care Act.
 The Care Act 2014 Part 1 comes into effect from 1 April 2015, and
repeals all other adult social services legislation apart from the Mental
health Act and Mental capacity Act.
 There is national publicity including radio adverts and a leaflet drop in
the NE5 area of Newcastle; David had concerns that expectations
might be raised when there is no new provision for care and support.
 Newcastle has an allocation of £2.2 million in year one for
implementation; their modelling suggest it could costs £7.7 million
 Newcastle already works to the national eligibility criteria and there will
be no change for people getting care and support.
 There is a new duty to prevent, delay and reduce needs; examples of
Newcastle services include the re-ablement service, providing
equipment, adaptations, Care Alarm
 A lot of work around information and advice will take place, including an
internet offer. The city Council is working with partners and a directory
of services will be developed.
 There are new duties especially about information advice in relation to
carers and the City will work closely with the voluntary sector for
targeted referrals.
 There will be services for eligible carers.
 There are new duties about advocacy and additional support will be
commissioned
 From April 2016 the cap on care costs paid by individuals comes into
effect. To comply with this assessments for self funders will begin form
November 2015.
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A VCS event on 4 March has been arranged by the City Council and
Newcastle CVS.
Participants’ comments:
 Concerns raised about carer assessment – currently most are tagged
onto the community care
 The model suggests an additional 2,400 carers will be assessed
 Concern about access to information for those who are not using the
internet
 The city will target information to be available to people through
voluntary organisations, hospitals and the NHS
 The voluntary sector has a key role in advocacy and information. Will
the funds recognise the voluntary sector contribution. Does the Dept. of
Health assume the sector will be there for advice and information?
Katie Dodd, Chief Executive, Newcastle Carers, spoke about carers’
perspectives.
 Newcastle Carers provides dedicated carers support for adults in
Newcastle.
 Investment to support carers is important for the carer and for the cared
for person
 it is cheaper than a residential home
 At the recent carers event the lead for carers said that the challenge for
the local authority is carers need to realised that if money is spent on
carers there is not enough for service users. It is not up to eh local
authority it is now enshrined in legislation – cares are on an equal
footing
 The new premised at Shields Road has seen an increase in carers
coming to the centre
 Concerns that the Care Act is legislation without the finance to back it
up
 Currently carers can only be supported if they provide a regular and
substantial amount of care; from April it will be any carer who appears
to have need for support
 What questions will the assessment ask?
 Fears that the current situation where the Carers support Allocation is
often added to the care package will continue
 Until there is a commitment to shift away from acute funds to
community funds there will be no change. This is an opportunity to shift
things to prevention but it needs to be funded.
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Safeguarding adults and the Care Act
Claire Nixon, Safeguarding Adults, NCC, shared updated information on
multi-agency policy and procedures.
 The Care Act applies to adults aged 18 and over, including those who
have children’s services until they are 19 or 25 years old.
 ‘Adult at risk’ is the new terminology replacing ‘vulnerable adult’.
 There is a legal duty for the local authority to make enquiries about
adult abuse and neglect from 1 April
 Safeguarding adult Boards become statutory
 the Care Act replaces the No Secrets guidance
 The personal desired outcomes of the adult at risk are key
 There is a change of definitions:
 Voluntary organisations should have a Designated Adult Safeguarding
Manager (DASM)
 The stages of a safeguarding adult enquiry have different names from
April. There is a decision making check list for a referrer
 Claire gave out a pack including an advance draft of the policy and
procedures template for voluntary organisations updated to incorporate
the Care Act changes coming in from 1 April 2015.
 Contact Pam Jobbins at Newcastle CVS for a copy.
Growing older in my home and neighbourhood
Continuing the independence theme of the Wellbeing and Health Open
Forum, Barbara Douglas, Quality of Life Partnership, and Mary Nicholls,
Elders Council of Newcastle, spoke about the research project between
Elders Council of Newcastle, Northumbria University, Newcastle University
and Skimstone Arts.
The public engagement project asked
 How do older people support themselves and others to remain in their
homes and neighbourhoods?
 What do older people think they need from formal organizations,
services and supports to age well at home and in neighbourhoods?
 Can older people’s own solutions to their challenges fit and work well
with existing models of design, commissioning and delivery of services
and supports?
Conversations were held in Fenham and Wingrove. There were four main
themes:
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Ready for ageing?
Staying involved
Staying connected
Multigenerational neighbourhoods
Recommendations were developed and an action plan is being formulated to
initiate a wider conversation.
The project included a week’s arts residency, half day workshops, and a
performance Doorbells of Delight followed by discussion. The work was
supported through a visual artist, a blog, and a final report of the work is
being published on the Elders Council website. The report will join other
material from the project. Visit
www.elderscouncil.org.uk/growing-older-in-my-home-and-neighbourhood
VCS Manifesto 2015
Martin Gollan, Policy and Development Manager, Newcastle CVS, spoke
about the Newcastle voluntary sector manifesto and a General Election
Hustings being arranged for Newcastle CVS members on 23 April.
To book a place visit https://election2015hustings.eventbrite.co.uk
Evaluation
21 participants completed evaluation forms.
1 Would you recommend the Wellbeing and Health Open Forum to your
colleagues?
 100% said yes
2
What is the key thing you will take away with you from today?
 Lots of good information on (DT) deciding together clear explanation
and outline of process
 2 things really – looking at changes in Care Act etc – the future looks
gloomy –but hearing about work at neighbourhood level – there is some
hope that communities are resilient and there are many assets
 1) More detailed info re Care Act
2) Specific info re Safeguarding Adult changes
 Overview of changes due to Care Act
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 Very useful information and hand outs
 Info about Care Act
 The challenges the Care Act will bring to Newcastle City Council and
Carers. There is no budget to support the implementation – and
something has to give! But what! –
 There is a vibrant VCS in the City even in austerity times
 Broader picture of issues surrounding mental health
 Information about Safeguarding Adults – clear summary and outline to
take back to the organisation
Concerns raised by Katie Dodd about issues potentially arising from the
Care Act (shame David Forster wasn’t around to respond to issues
raised!)
 The clear presentation on Deciding Together – finally!
 A sense of what we need to do because ready for the Care Act
 Safeguarding information; excellent really interesting session
 Reminded again about how useful and valued these forums are
 Useful detail re Care Act
 Information around Care Act implementation – safeguarding and from
carers perspective
 Key message and ideas and questions about interpretation issue
related to the Care Act e.g. ‘At what point do you become a carer’ ‘who
makes this decision in relation to the act!
Risks needed if we are going to change structure of ‘help’ out there and
make more cohesive
Importance of partnership work and local infrastructure
General consensus of opinion that money is needed for voluntary
/community sector to deal with changes
 Let’s try and take on the challenge Barbara Douglas proposed
 Uncertainty about NCC strategy on Care Bill
 Inclusive neighbourhoods – and ??
 That the voluntary sector seems to be coping with financial constraints
better than the local authority. It seems that some parts of the local
authority are coping with changes under the Care Act better than others
3
What would you have changed about today?
 Proper A/U please
 Nothing x 4
 Quite a good sequence of presentations – with interesting and relevant
content
 A lot of info to take in one session!
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Needed more time from Local Authority delivering of Care Act
Turn the heat down earlier!
Nothing, format and structure works well
Nothing springs to mind
Need mic for the quieter speakers
Nothing it was perfectly timed
Break for discussion between presentations
The chairs – very uncomfortable!
It would have been helpful if the microphone had been working as it
was difficult to hear some of the speakers
Is there anything that Newcastle CVS can do to help and develop your
organisation in the coming year?
 No thank you
 Funding advice guidance and information on NCC funding and compact
 Help with developing partners links to develop infrastructure of
community support – and to factor compacts between statutory and
voluntary sector – there is scope for volunteering but we don’t want to
be monitoring services that compensate for reductions to statutory
services – but because providing support differently may improve
quality of life – not just save money
 Do an excellent job – keeping us informed and involved
 Continue to provide CHYP information
 Only to keep on keeping on
 Stay around! Keeping us well informed
 Keep up the good work
 Don’t know
Any other comments?
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Interesting presentations – useful event
Well balanced sessions
Excellent afternoon focus
Thank you for this
Very useful and full meeting
Really enjoyed all sessions
I found the whole afternoon very interesting and simulating. I thought
all the speakers were very good with the exception of the person from
Social Services that spoke first.
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