Gwent Community Health Council Awareness Week

If you can get to one of these locations you may like to take the chance to talk 

with CHC representatives about the primary and secondary health services that

you receive.  The CHC will value your comments.   If you cannot get to the locations

you can always give comments to Debbi when she calls at the drop-ins and she

will pass them on for you. 

Gwent Community Health Council (CHC) are holding their awareness week on 11 – 15 June this year. This is an opportunity for CHC members to talk to people about their experiences of the NHS and the service the CHC provides. They would also be happy to see LHB staff and board members.  

They will be at the following places:

• Monday 11 June – Somerfield, Monmouth
• Tuesday 12 June – Sainsburys,
  Newport
• Wednesday 13 June – Asda, Caerphilly
• Thursday 14 June – Asda, Cwmbran
• Friday 15 June – Morrisons, Ebbw Vale

Try to go along with a friend if you can.

Work and Families Act – Flexible Working.

 This extract is taken from the BBC online page on mental health.   The definition of nearest relative, paragraph 2, is interesting and broad – and may be helpful to those of  you who are working and caring.   The link to Directgov is included – para 4.

Your rights

Under the Work & Families Act, if you work and you’re the carer for an adult, you have the right to request flexible working patterns. This applies if you’re caring for an adult partner, spouse or civil partner, or near relative.

The definition for near relative includes parents, parents-in-law, adult children, adopted adult children, siblings, uncles, aunts, grandparents and step-relatives.

You also have the right to request flexible working if you have a disabled child aged under 18.

Directgov has advice about how to apply for flexible working, which can include flexi-time, compressed hours and working at home.

How NOT to interview…

International Day Against Homophobia

Sorry that I missed this day, which took place on 17th May, but some of you may like to have a look at the UK website for IDAHO – it’s important to maintain a strong and united  ’front’ against ALL stigma and discrimination.

http://www.idaho.org.uk/

Don’t Disabled People Go Out After 6pm?

Since starting work  I now have to do the family shop either after work or
on the weekend.  Seeing as I hate shops and loads of people in them I find
it better to go straight after work.  By the time I get to my local
supermarket it is often around 6pm.  The good thing is the shop itself is
relatively quiet and yet I find trying to find a disabled parking space an
absolute struggle.  Why is this? Well obviously SOME of the general public
must have the perception that disabled people do not go out in the evenings
because they take up all the disabled bays!!

Before I was working I would shop during the day and only had problems
parking because the shop was busy.  Each bay would have a car displaying the
blue badge.  Good I have no problem with this at all (except it may be
suggesting that there are not enough parking bays for the disabled). So why
is it that as soon as the evening comes, the bays are jam-packed and on many
ocassions none display the blue badge?  This drives me crazy.  Many disabled
people lead a normal life which means that they do go out in the evenings
and I believe there is no law stating that we cannot go out after dark so
could people please please refrain from parking in disabled parking bays,
even if you are just “popping in” quickly.

 

Opening of Resource Room at Usk

Hi all

A very big thank you to everyone who attended yesterday. It was great to see so many people and both Tony and I appreciate your time and effort in attending. Jen was very pleased with the comments and suggestions people made during the forum meeting on the Big Lottery Bid and if you have had time to think of anymore please let us know. It is important that as many people as possible have their viewpoints taken into consideration.

The opening of the resource room was fantastic and I hope everyone agrees it is a great asset for service users and carers within Monmouthshire. We hope to see many people up here using this great facility. If you are interested all you have to do is phone either Tony or myself to arrange a time and date. Also, if you were unable to attend yesterday but would like to see the room, again give us a ring and we will be happy to show you around.

Lastly, I would like to thank Tony. He has worked tirelessly on this project for a good few months now. Without his vision and hard work the resource room would never have happened. He has managed to create a room full of great resources and references for service users and carers alike whilst keeping the atmosphere of the room a welcoming and calm oasis. A hard job indeed!!    Debbi

Network and Forum at Usk 23.5.07

Most know it already, but some may not.  This Wednesday, 23rd May, there will be an all day event at The Sessions House, Usk.   Timetable as follows:

1030 – 11    Arrive and tea/coffee

11 – 12         Forum: Consultation re Big Lottery Bid – we need your ideas, and comments.   Please try to take part.      

1215            Opening of MH Resource room by the Mayor of Usk

1230            Buffet

1.30 – 3       Network meeting – Carers and Service Users only. 

                     Time to go home.

This is an important event for Carers and Service Users in Monmouthshire, giving the opportunity to hear the ideas for the Big Lottery Bid, and provide your own comments and suggestions.   This could be major funding for Monmouthshire.   The opening of the Resource Room is a milestone in empowerment for service users and carers, and the first time that such a facility has become available.    When you see it I think you will want to use it.    Try to come, bring a friend if you wish, and we can help with travel costs.   It will be a good day.   

Self harm Workshop

I have news that may interest self-harmers… This week at therapy I was told that there is a workshop taking place in two weeks concerning ‘the services’, being a range across the board eg. A and E workers, GPs, Drs, Ambulance crews etc etc and self – harmers.  The idea is that they are going to listen to real life experiences, from invited self – harmers, and ask what they have been doing wrong!!! Once this exercise is completed we will hopefully see a difference in attitudes towards us when we seek help in crisis. At last someone is going to listen to us and take notice.Dex