Disability Partnership Calderdale
Representing physically disabled and sensory impaired people in Calderdale
The Accessible Calderdale Disability Access Forum (ACDAF) is a group aimed at improving access in Calderdale for people with a wide range of disabilities. They hold monthly meetings at an accessible venue. The group is run by Visits Unlimited, with who were are partners on the Accessible Calderdale Project.
For more info, visit their website, follow them on twitter, or to join them contact lorraine@visitsunlimited.org.uk
The party is free to attend, but please confirm your place beforehand by phone or email:
– Call 07716122897
– Email: info@disabilitypartnershipcalderdale.org
Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are independent membership organisations that are made up of local GP practices.
They are led by an elected Governing Body which includes GPs, other clinicians including a nurse and a secondary care (hospital) consultant, and other lay (outside) members who bring additional skills and experience to the Governing Body.
CCGs are responsible for commissioning (buying) healthcare for their local community including; mental health services, urgent and emergency care, elective hospital services, and community care.
Calderdale CCG is in charge of buying health services for more than 220,000 people registered with its 25 member GP practices in Calderdale. We work together with partners (like Calderdale Council and voluntary organisations) and health care providers to:
The NHS belongs to us all and so listening to what people say about local NHS services is really important to us. It helps us to understand what patients need and want. We are always looking at new ways to help people have their say about health services and we will work with you to find out the best way for you to do this. If you have any questions about how you can get involved you can contact our Patient and Public Involvement team on 01422 307400.
Date: Tuesday 24th September
Time: 5pm – 7.45pm
Venue: The King’s Centre (see below for details)
Our AGM also doubles as one of our Open Meetings and will include the usual free buffet and travel expenses for all disabled people who attend..
The AGM segment of the meeting will be at the end of the evening, with a presentation of our annual report, plus elections of key trustee positions.
The nominations received to date are:
Marion Spruce – Chair
Malcolm Kielty – Secretary
Geraldine Rushton – Treasurer
Peter Melling – Trustee
David Ashton – Trustee
Mark Wardell – Trustee
Teresa Shaw – Trustee
Shabir Hussain – Trustee
Michelle Kinsey – Trustee
All our members with a disability can vote.
DPCTrustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2018-19 )pdf file)
During the earlier part of the meeting, there will be a fire safety presentation by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, plus, as always, a great opportunity to meet and socialise with other disabled people and share your concerns with us.
To ensure that our meetings are inclusive and accessible to all, we always use an accessible venue. The King’s Centre, which we use for most meetings (please check meeting details before travelling, as we do occasionally use other venues) is spacious and very clean. It has ramped access to wide double doors (not automatic) into the large foyer area leading to the main hall. There are spacious and very clean accessible toilet and kitchen facilities. The King’s Centre is excellently managed by people who really understand what accessibility and inclusion is all about.
The Kings Church
3 Park Rd,
Halifax
HX1 2TS
Parking is available on Park Road. There are two disabled bays outside the King’s Centre. Also blue badge holders can park for unlimited time on the street. Drivers who are not blue badge holders are limited to two hours before six pm and unlimited time after six. More info on finding the King’s Centre can be found on their own website.
Accessibility At Our Open meetings
To enable everyone to be included and to be able to participate at our meetings, we have the following access arrangements:
People with hidden disabilities like autism, dementia or anxiety can apply for a blue badge parking permit in England from August 30 2019.
A blue badge permit means the user can park in designated disabled bays. This usually means that they can park closer to their destination.
The guidance was issued by the Department for Transport (DfT). Around 2.35 million blue badges have been issued in the UK to people who have physical mobility difficulties or are registered blind.
Below is a link to the guidance provided to Local Authorities to help with the decision making, when deciding if someone is eligible for a blue badge.
The disability charity Scope said that the changes “could make a real difference for many disabled people with invisible impairments”.
They also said that more needs to be done to make sure there are more blue badge spaces to meet the increase in demand.
The government said it would provide an extra £1.7 million to help councils cope with the bigger demand for spaces.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said he hoped the change would make “a real difference to people’s lives”.
How To Apply For A Blue Badge – link to government website
Other http://www.gov.uk links:
Disability Partnership Calderdale has a brand new leaflet that you’ll be seeing at events we attend. It’s also available as a Download (3mb pdf file).
We hope you’ll agree with us that it reflects both the diversity of our membership and the increasing benefits of being part of our organisation.
Calderdale Council’s Workforce Development team is planning to host two events during National Inclusion Week that include an opportunity for individuals to share their “living diversity stories” – with groups: the first event is – Monday 23rd September, 9.30-12.30 and the second – Friday 27th September, 9.30-12.30. Venue for both: Heath Calderdale Adult Learning Campus. You can take part in one or both.
Workforce Development want representatives from diverse backgrounds to share their story with small groups of participants in a style similar to reverse mentoring. So for example…
The representative would share their story for 5-10 mins with a group of 6-8 participants, who then have opportunity to ask respectful questions around the aspect of culture/characteristic that is being represented. Groups then move onto the next table and another story is shared. This means the representative would have to share their story five times with the different groups as they move around the tables.
Objectives of session:
If you would like to take part and would be happy to share your story around one of the aspects around faith/belief, disability/hidden disability, gender reassignment, race or sexual orientation, please contact nicky.everett@calderdale.gov.uk/01422 288357 for more information.
This new report from Care & Repair England concludes that handyperson services offer a high rate of return on investment, as well as wider social benefits, and are highly prized by older people, particularly ‘older old’ single women living alone.
It shows these low cost schemes, which carry out small repairs and minor adaptations for older people (primarily delivered by not for profit Care and Repair and other home improvement agencies) result in fiscal and social gains to the NHS and Social Care.
Relevant to policy makers, service planners, commissioners and providers, Small but Significant shows how handyperson services can play a critical role in the integration and prevention agendas,
The report includes a detailed evaluation of the Preston Care and Repair Handyperson Service. A short summary brochure is also available here (opens new window).
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists has published a new guide, Adaptations without Delay: A guide to planning and delivering home adaptations differently.
The benefits of adapting the home are recognised as an effective way to improve the health and wellbeing of older people, and disabled adults and children.
A more accessible home environment can improve independence, reduce risk and reduce reliance on assistance. As the body of evidence demonstrating the benefits of home adaptations grows, so does the recognition that the sooner they are installed, the greater will be the preventative benefits.
The primary purpose of this guide is to address delays in the delivery of all types of adaptations (minor and major) across all tenures that occur when people receive a disproportionate response to their need for an adaptation. Delays in installing adaptations can increase the risk of health and social care needs developing or increasing. A person waiting for an occupational therapy assessment where the situation and need for an adaptation is relatively simple and straightforward should therefore be avoided
This is an interesting report by a local authority, which has relevance to anyone with a disability whose home requires adaptations. The report is on the website of the Housing Learning and Improvement Network (LIN), a network that brings together housing, health and social care professionals in England, Wales, and Scotland to exemplify innovative housing solutions.
A strengths based approach to delivering the Disabled Facilities Grant
An accessible and well-adapted home can enable an adult or child with a disability to remain in their home for longer, with dignity and with pride, and the earlier this is achieved, the sooner the benefits can be realised. Such benefits have long been recognised in Thurrock, and with the Care Act 2014 shifting the focus to a more preventative approach to supporting people, the preventative benefits of accessible home adaptations were also anticipated.
This case study outlines how Thurrock Council have adopted a strength based approach (i.e. utilising a person’s strengths) to delivering Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) to enhance individual’s independence and provide overall improvements to their health and wellbeing. This approach shares the virtues set out in the Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ recent guide, Adaptations without delay: A guide to planning and delivering home adaptations differently.
