Spring 2014 Issue 4

Welcome to the fourth edition of the My Life a Full Life quarterly newsletter.

Hard to believe that a little over a year ago, the framework and vision for the My Life, a Full Life programme was being discussed. What a difference a year makes! As this issue demonstrates, right across the Island we are collectively making this change happen; voluntary and community support groups have been coming together to network and improve their links, new initiatives such as the care navigators helping people to understand the different services they can access, whole communities looking to support people living with dementia, GPs and others based in the community trialling new ways of working together, those who commission services looking to do so in an integrated way. Real change is taking place and it’s already making a difference to people’s lives – like Tony whose story we share in this issue about the support he has received from the respiratory team and Bob who has already felt the benefits of the crisis response pilot which started in February.

We’re also flying the flag high for the , with significant interest in the programme being expressed by other local authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups including , Surrey and and even the Department of Health in Barcelona, all keen to find out more. At a national level, we continue to feature prominently in relation to work around integrating care – check out http://www.nationalhealthexecutive.com/Health-Service-Focus/making-the-case-for-integrated-care

We all recognise that there is still much more to do but at the same time, progress is being made and as we spring into 2014 – there is much to celebrate and plenty to inspire everyone involved in the programme.

Changing people’s lives for the better

Crisis Response team – Bob’s story

Bob is a 92 year old gentleman who suffers with dementia. He lived with his wife Flo who was very ill and she had a stroke at home and suffered a cardiac arrest, witnessed by a neighbour who was a healthcare professional. Flo was taken to the Emergency Department where she sadly died.

Bob has no family on the Island and, worried how he would manage at home, the healthcare professional asked the ambulance crew to seek help from the crisis response team to support Bob.

The events that had occurred were at 3.30pm on a Friday afternoon and the team knew, from the little history given, that Flo was Bob’s main carer and that he would not manage on his own at home and could not be left. Apart from his dementia Bob also suffered from shortness of breath and had a history of falls.

The role of the crisis response team started at 4pm where they assessed Bob and how severely his dementia would affect his day-day living. Being bereaved and a little confused by what he had witnessed and his understanding that his wife of many years had just passed away, it became apparent that, for his own safety, Bob would require some immediate care. The team spoke to the duty social worker for the crisis response team who arranged for a duty social worker to meet Bob and the team and discuss the best way of caring for him in the short term. In Bob’s best interest a period of respite care in a residential home would be provided over the weekend and subsequently this allowed the team to look at ways of managing Bob’s care within his own home in the future.

A joint meeting was held between the crisis team and social services and a plan was set up for him to return home. This included Bob having assistive technology provided in his own home that would connect with Wightcare if he was to wander out of the house at night (this being a main concern of the teams hence admission for intermediate residential care). A care package was also set up to support Bob to remain living independently at home. Bob was referred to the dementia liaison team and nurse specialist for follow up when he returned home and also, as an active member of the Masonic lodge, Bob was referred to his local lodge so that he could be supported by the Almoner in his future care decisions.

If the crisis response team had not existed, Bob would have had no choice to be taken from his home in the ambulance with his wife, bought into the Emergency department and then most likely be admitted to hospital as a social care admission until a care package could be set up for him. Instead, he remains at home and is by all accounts doing well with a care package set up to support him.

The Silent service – Tony’s story (in his own words)

“I joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, known as the Silent Service, just before my 18th birthday in 1945. I learnt how to and then cleared mines in a naval minesweeper, learnt to smoke (at 5p for 20 – who wouldn’t) and was de-mobbed three and a half years later.

“35 years later my GP told me it would be wise to stop smoking as I had Asthma. He recommended nicotine based chewing gum on which I got hooked so I had to use Wrigley’s peppermint instead. I stopped smoking.

“I was fit, played golf and squash but in 1996 when I came to live on the Isle of Wight a GP referred me to a Respiratory Consultant who told me that I had Emphysema. I had no idea what this was so looked it up and found that it was COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), a thickening of the airways in the lungs which cause lack of oxygen hence breathlessness.

“I joined a new Silent Service – the Isle of Wight Respiratory team. What good fortune. I have been in their care ever since.”

Tony describe the wide range of support he receives from the service from initial breathing (spirometry) tests, to exercises to help expand the lungs and tone the muscles in the well equipped gym supported by qualified specialist instructors (whilst all the while socialising with others with chest problems).

He also talks about Breathe Easy, a very active support charity to the British Lung Foundation, the events they have and the money the raise. Tony goes on to talk about representing patients on the steering group providing guidance to the Clinical Commissioning group and how the “Isle of Wight are already ahead of many other larger such organisations on the mainland keeping the medical profession up to date with new practice drugs etc”

He also acknowledges that the “Respiratory department has been very innovative” – through its use of “telemetric units in patients homes, where the patient puts in a finger to measure blood oxygen levels, it reads the results and sends them direct to the hospital department where they are monitored and if action is needed, a reassuring phone call, specialist nurse in the field or at worst an ambulance is called to help. This means constant surveillance, no hospitalisation for the patient just living a quiet life at home.”

He sums up by saying “we are so lucky on the Island to have such a committed medical profession to look after us”

You can read Tony’s full story at http://www.iwight.com/azservices/documents/2813-Tonys-story.pdf

Working better together

Key announcements

New care navigators appointed

In the last newsletter we told you about the funding that has been awarded from the My Life, a Full Life programme to Age UKIW to establish a care navigator pilot project. The project, which will run initially for a year, will provide support to older people to help them navigate the health and care systems on the Island so that they can make choices about the treatment and care they receive.

Towards the end of February, four full-time care navigators were appointed. Charlotte Price, Debbie Bardell, Becca Cook and Danielle Filer (from left to right in the photo shown) are currently in training to take up their roles from the middle of March at three GP practices in Ryde and one in St Helens.

The team are from a variety of backgrounds including health, housing, social work and information/advice services. They will work to support people, who have been referred by their GP, to improve their health and wellbeing.

Part of their training includes the ‘Healthy Conversations’ training with the University of as part of the ‘Making Every Contact Count’ (MECC) agenda which aims to give staff the skills, confidence and knowledge to deliver brief advice and signpost individuals they come into contact with.

The evaluation of the project will be undertaken in partnership with the My Life, a Full Life programme team. For more information contact Nik Attfield at Age UK IW on 01983 525282.

Fulfilling Lives: Ageing Better – Partnership funding awarded and research underway

The Isle of Wight is one of 32 local authority areas to have been successfully shortlisted in the first stages of a £6m funding bid through the Big Lottery Fund’s Fulfilling Lives: Ageing Better initiative. This initiative aims to fund community-led approaches that enable older people who are at most risk of social isolation and loneliness to lead more fulfilling lives. The Isle of Wight was successful owing to the collaboration taking place around the My Life, a Full Life programme and its vision for a new, more integrated way of delivering health and social care services on the Island.

Age UK IW has been chosen as the organisation to lead the next stage of the funding bid on behalf of the Island community and as part of this role must coordinate the development and submission of the vision and strategy for the Island’s project by 30 April 2014. In December Age UK IW heard the news that they had been awarded £20,000 partnership development fund monies to help research and compile the bid.

Local organisations involved in the bid, led by Age UK IW, have now embarked on a campaign ‘Isle Engage’ to find out more about social isolation on the Island and to encourage the community to put forward its views about what would make life better for those over 50 living on the Island. A survey has been launched and publicised and aims to collect information by midnight on Sunday 16 March 2014.

To take part you can: - Complete the survey online by visiting www.ageukiw.org.uk - Or call Isle Engage on 01983 539309 - Pick up a paper copy in Island libraries, GP surgeries, Age UK IW office in Newport, Isle of Wight Council office at County Hall and help centres. - Email [email protected] requesting a paper copy - Writing to Freepost RTGG-LRCS-JRBZ, Newport, Isle of Wight. PO30 1TY - Attend an Isle Engage event, call 01983 539309 to find your nearest event.

Please take part and encourage others to do so to help secure up to £6 million for older residents living in our Island community.

Better Care Fund helping to ensure integrated working becomes a reality

The £3.8bn Better Care Fund (formerly the Integration Transformation Fund) was announced by the Government in the June 2013 spending round, to ensure a transformation in integrated health and social care. The Better Care Fund (BCF) is a single pooled budget to support health and social care services to work more closely together in local areas. NHS , alongside the Local Government Association (LGA), published a series of joint letters to the NHS and local government, with details of the BCF and its requirements. It became apparent as further details emerged; this is not new money coming into the system as this money will come mostly from within existing budgets.

The Isle of Wight’s response to the Better Care Fund is culminating in a draft plan encompassing some new and existing programmes of work which have had, and continue to influence the way health and social care are shaped and delivered on the Island. This will be signed off by the Health Wellbeing Board and submitted to the local area NHS England Team for final approval. Local partners including the CCG and the Isle of Wight Council will be responsible for the delivery of the Better Care Fund ensuring truly integrated working becomes a reality.

Responding in a crisis

Local company helps expand community responder scheme

Community Responder schemes are well established on the island, and now, thanks to the generosity of a local island company, a new community responder scheme has started in the Calbourne and Shalfleet area. Community Responders are members of the public who live in the area where a scheme operates, who then volunteer to be on call in the event of an emergency.

When people fall suddenly ill, they often need immediate care and in some cases that early treatment can be the difference between life and death. The training given includes patient assessment, extended First Aid, oxygen therapy and the management of medical emergencies. Much of the training has also been on the use of automatic defibrillators, which are used to try and restart the heart after a cardiac arrest. With the latest evidence showing that these machines are most effective if used within the first 5 minutes after the patient has collapsed. It is clear that the Community Responders across the Island play a significant part in improving survival rates for patients suffering a cardiac arrest.

This new scheme however is different in that those trained and volunteering are all staff employed at island business In Flight Peripherals (IFPL) in Elm Lane, Shalfleet. So far, five staff have been trained, including Managing Director Geoff Underwood. They now take turns to be on call between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.

Ian Yeo, Service Delivery Manager for the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service said, “We are always looking for more volunteers to join this exciting initiative, and so I would ask anyone that has a few hours to spare, to consider giving something very valuable and rewarding back to their local community by becoming a volunteer responder. Schemes currently operate in , Bembridge/St Helens, Brighstone/Shorwell, Whitwell/Niton, Godshill, Chillerton/Rookley and central Cowes. We would also like to hear from people in Seaview, Chale, St Lawrence or Wroxall where schemes are planned for the future.”

If you would like to know more please telephone 01983 534111 or email [email protected]

Local integrated working

Integrated Locality Working moves one step closer

Gill Kennett, Integrated Locality Workstream lead, has been out and about meeting stakeholders in the community, specifically colleagues in Primary Care, to better understand how services are currently working and how, by better understanding the positives and negatives in the existing system, we can work together to integrate services to the benefit of Island residents.

Coming out of the Locality Meetings held in 2013 the key message was that we needed to communicate better with one another and ensure that people receiving care are fully consulted and are able to influence how they, and their carers, would like that care to be delivered. The meetings that Gill has had have reinforced this message and she will be taking forward the suggestions, put forward from people in the community and professional colleagues, about how we can work more closely together for the benefit of Island residents.

The first Steering Group meeting for integrated locality working met on the 3rd March 2014 and a multi- disciplinary workshop will be held on the 17th March to explore further practical ways of working together.

Town and Parish Councils hear about the programme

The Isle of Wight Association of Local Councils (IWALC) together with the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) held a conference on the 13th February 2014 at Cowes Yacht Haven entitled ‘Facing the Future’. With the reduction in central funding to the Isle of Wight Council, the town and parish councils are considering how they can work in partnership to sustain key services in their parishes. The day was a community focussed event with speakers from the Department of Communities and Local Government, Hampshire Association of Local Councils, Ken Browse Chairman of the National Association of Local Councils and the CEO of the Society of Local Council Clerks. Other Island groups attended the event as it was an excellent opportunity for networking across the Island. The My Life, a Full Life programme was represented there and delegates had a chance to hear the programme’s vision and aims and consider how town and parish councils can work with volunteers and professionals to promote integrated health and care services within their communities.

For more information on locality working contact Gill Kennett on [email protected]

Primary care news

The Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group has been focusing on the refresh of its primary care strategy. Key themes contained within the strategy include:

 Supporting collaborative working and provider development  Implementing new technology – from ensuring all practices can manage e-mail consultation to exploring Skype and alternative consultation modes  Review of urgent care delivery looking to increase the hours that urgent care is available from a primary setting  Developing pharmacy schemes – such as pharmacy first – a minor ailments project which has recently gone live  Supporting care coordination and integration within practice through proposals to extend care navigators, develop Health Care Assistants to support care coordination, improve ability of receptionists to signpost, work with GPs on an all-island approach to care coordination within primary care

Agencies join forces to deliver community exercise

A joint programme of work led by Falls Coordinator Caroline Robertson, working in partnership with Age UK IW, St Mary’s Hospital, Red Cross and West Wight Sports Centre has led to a successful ‘pilot’ for community exercise classes. The Strength and Balance classes, which have been running in two locations; Ryde and West Wight Sports Centre, are designed to help older people who feel unsteady on their feet – perhaps because they have had a fall in the past and lack confidence – to develop their strength and improve their balance through a 12 week programme of free exercise classes.

Age UK IW have helped to identify people in the local community in need of support and before they join the class, Caroline – a qualified physio – undertakes a health assessment and screening to ensure they can take part in the exercise safely. Age UK also helps to supply instructors in each location and assists with the transport and refreshments at the end of classes – helping to bring in a social dimension to the classes for those taking part.

Caroline said, “This pilot has been hugely successful and demonstrates just why it is so important for us to continue to work together on initiatives such as these. We’ve seen great improvement amongst those taking part, not to mention friendships forming. At the moment, as this has been a trial programme we have only been able to take limited numbers (six in each group) but we hope in the future to consider being able to offer more classes and to broaden the scope for referrals.”

For more information contact Caroline Robertson, Falls Coordinator 01983 822099 ext 5723.

Improving information sharing

Directory of services nearing completion

When we met with everyone at the My Life, a Full Life launch events last year, one of the key things that people felt it was important to develop was an online directory of local health and care services and support groups and this is now close to becoming a reality.

The directory pages are now live at www.iwight.com/adultsdirectory and ready for initial testing so that people can provide feedback to help with further development work. The format has been designed to make it as easy to access as possible. It enables people to make a general search or to select a category and then filter information according to their particular interests.

Those of you who attended the initial My Life, a Full Life launch events last year will recall that everyone was asked to help map out (in the shape of the Island) a huge list of organisations that could provide help and support to people on the Island in relation to the programme. Each of these has been added to the directory and any organisations that are not featured can apply to be listed online.

Further work will now be done to refine the directory features and search terms before it is more widely publicised to Island residents and health and social care professionals and volunteers. For more information or to provide feedback on the directory please email [email protected] Information sharing made easier

Following a request from the Secretary of State for Health, Dame Fiona Caldicott carried out an independent review of information sharing in March 2013 to ensure that there is an appropriate balance between the protection of patient information and the use and sharing of information to improve patient care.

The review found that “People using health and social care services are entitled to expect that their personal information will remain confidential... “However, people also expect professionals to share information with other members of the care team, who need to co-operate to provide a seamless, integrated service.” The Review Panel found “a strong consensus of support among professionals and the public that safe and appropriate sharing in the interests of the individual’s direct care should be the rule, not the exception.”

At the My Life, a Full Life workshop events many of you cited information sharing as the barrier to being able to achieve integrated health and social care services. We’ve been listening to your views and the NHS, IWC and CCG have been working together to look at a protocol which makes it easier for us all to share information. Training will need to be provided and the Information Governance Board will now establish a work plan to show how it will meet these training needs which it will share at the Health & Wellbeing Executive Board in March.

For more information contact Tony Martin at [email protected]

Breaking down IT barriers

Following the MLAFL workshops IT was identified as a key barrier to integrated care. In response to this concern, we are able to confirm that we are exploring a joint health and social care system between the IWNHSTRUST and IWC for implementation within the next two years. This will also compliment the work of the Trust and CCG to improve the IT infrastructure across the organisations, to deliver truly co-ordinated health and social care. It is hoped that this will help to deliver a cost effective Information technology service solution for both organisations and more importantly Island residents. It will also help the local authority to prepare for and then implement the new Care Bill.

For more information contact Irene Woodford at [email protected]

Evaluating impact

New Research Coordinator appointed

The My Life, a Full Life programme has now got a Research Coordinator in post; Chad Oatley (pictured left). Chad has an established research and evaluation background and has joined the Public Health team to contribute to evaluating the integrated care programme on the Isle of Wight.

The evaluation has already begun; a protocol has been agreed with the University of Southampton from the Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) to start conducting research in April 2014. The Public Health team will be working closely with Dr Anne Kennedy, Professor Anne Rogers, and research assistant Liz James who use a Social Network model. The model helps people look at and develop their network of support for self-care and manage their own health. This network may include professionals, family, friends, support groups and neighbours. Both Dr Kennedy and Professor Rogers have used this model successfully in Manchester.

In addition to this, a comprehensive My Life a Full Life evaluation framework has been developed. Work is currently being conducted to implement the evaluation approach within each of the three workstreams: integrated locality teams; crisis response service; and self-care/self-management. The evaluation approach focuses on the outcomes for those involved - these were identified as a series of ‘I’ and ‘We’ statements e.g. ‘I am treated as a person with individual needs and concerns’ or ‘I can plan ahead and keep control at times of crises. We are also evaluating the experiences of staff involved in delivering integrated care; people, carers and families; and cost-data to determine the cost-benefit of the integrated-care approach.

Throughout March focus group sessions are being held at the Riverside Centre, Newport. We still have places available on the 26th March. These sessions are for staff in the public, private and voluntary sectors who are delivering elements of the MLAFL programme so we can listen to their opinions and experiences. The aim of these sessions is to record the journey so far, from their perspective, and to learn early lessons which can be used to contribute to shaping the future delivery of integrated care on the Isle of Wight. If you would like to book onto this session please contact Chad on [email protected].

Helping people to support and care for themselves

Update on the self-help group project

Elaine Garrett was appointed Development Manager for the Self-help group project in February 2013 to coordinate access to a range of support, information and resources and promote good practice in setting up, running and sustaining self-help groups on the Island. The project is being delivered as part of the My Life, a Full Life programme. In the first year of the project, a considerable amount of progress has been achieved. Here are just some of the highlights:

Support groups identified and mapped Mapping of support groups has been undertaken and approximately 50 condition specific self-help groups have been recorded to date and this information will be made available via the Community Action website in the next few months.

A range of help and support has been provided At the end of January the project had provided support to 45 different organisations on approximately 300 occasions to address a wide range of needs relating to promoting and supporting their work ranging from fundraising advice, developing databases, training needs, advice on policies and procedures, developing partnerships between groups and much more.

Newsletters have kept people informed Five bi-monthly newsletters have been completed and circulated to an ever increasing mailing list of local organisations. These will also be posted on the Community Action website in the near future, along with other resources.

What next? In the next year of the project, the key priorities will be to launch the directory of local groups and ensure information is made available widely including directly to GPs, developing networking between local groups and producing a comprehensive toolkit to support local self-help groups.

More funding opportunities

Two new prospectuses will be issued in April 2014 as part of the My Life a Full Life Programme

1. Small grants to support improvements in community facilities and equipment linked to organisations or facilities supporting delivery of the My Life a full Life programme objectives.

- Proposals will be invited for capital funding of up to £10,000 to support refurbishment or equipment to upgrade their facilities/infrastructure.

- Applicants would be asked to accommodate a funded information hub terminal, display external MLAFL branding on their building and provide an internal MLAFL information and advice display.

2. Long Term Conditions:

- A further sum of £30,000 is being made available to fund LTC self help groups to support their development. This grant programme has already shown how investment in these groups has helped them make some excellent progress in the support they can offer to their members

Information about these two prospectuses will be available from Elaine Garrett in early April. If you would like to receive information please contact Elaine by email on [email protected] Please note Elaine works on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Networking opportunities for community self-help groups

Long term Conditions Self Help lunch

The first networking lunch for self help groups involved in the Long Term Conditions Support Project took place in February. Thirteen groups took part in the lunch at The Aveline Centre at Downside Adult and Community Learning Centre in Newport.

Elaine Garrett, Project Manager explained that the idea of the lunches was for people representing self help groups for different long term conditions to come together to share challenges, learn from each other, listen to topical presentations and to find out about the various kinds of support available to them through the project. The lunches will be organised on a quarterly basis and it is hoped that more groups can be encouraged to attend future meetings.

Participants at the February lunch heard really useful presentations from Alison Geddes, the lead Commissioner for long term conditions from the IW Clinical Commissioning Group, about the restructured NHS and the role of different organisations within it and from Alison Hothersall, Head of Dietetics at St Mary’s Hospital who gave a presentation about Complementary and Alternative Dietary Therapy and the Potential Benefits and Risks. All groups shared contact details and leaflets promoting what they do with each other.

The next lunch will take place in May and anyone interested in attending should contact Elaine Garrett on 524058 or [email protected] for more information.

Spotlight on Cancer Support

Wessex Cancer support Centre

In July last year, Wessex Cancer Trust opened the doors of its new support centre at 19-21 Lugley Street, Newport, since then it has been inundated with people looking for support.

The centre offers a warm welcome to anyone whose life is touched by cancer whether as a patient, family member or carer or indeed anyone with a concern about cancer looking for information. It is staffed by a team including centre manager Lynda Blenkinsop, Julie Wright, a counsellor available three days a week, Brian Baggott, a Wessex Cancer support coordinator and Linda Bowes a professional therapist. Together with volunteer support they provide anything from a cup of tea and a friendly chat, to complementary therapies including Reiki, reflexology, massage and aromatherapy which is offered free of charge to those affected by cancer.

Currently open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday between 10am and 4pm the centre also contains a library of leaflets and information, a small IT area and information about grants and travel assistance to mainland appointments and respite care.

Centre Manager Lynda Blenkinsop said, “One of the most important things for people touched by cancer is knowing that there is help and support available for them. That could be helping arrange travel to mainland appointments, information on what financial support is available, or just providing support and reassurance in a helpful friendly way, perhaps over a cup of tea. There’s no need to make an appointment, people can just turn up and we’ll give them a very warm welcome.”

The centre hopes to expand the services that it offers with activities like yoga, healthy eating advice and other opportunities for exercise in the near future. It also has a children’s charity shop called ‘Giggles’ next door which helps to raise funds for their work at the centre.

For more information contact Lynda Blenkinsop on 01983 524186.

For more information about Wessex Cancer Trust visit http://wessexcancer.org/regions/isle-of-wight/

Earl Mountbatten Hospice – John Cheverton Centre

The Earl Mountbatten Hospice John Cheverton Centre opened in 2012 thanks to a legacy left by local man John Cheverton and additional funding from the Department of Health’s Capital Grant programme and with support from Macmillan Cancer Support to fund staffing costs in the new Information & Support Centre

The centre provides a wide range of facilities in a comfortable, modern, inspirational and fully accessible setting. It’s a place designed to offer contact, support, information and direction and help to live well for anyone living with or affected by any potentially life limiting illness at any stage of the journey.

The Information and Support Centre offers access to up to date, good quality, comprehensive support, information and guidance in a warm, welcoming, relaxed and confidential environment. The centre also has a lovely cafe (with mouthwatering cakes and other affordable, nutritional foodie delights) and Wi-Fi access, an Earl Mountbatten Hospice shop, family areas, and even a hairdressers! The centre is also surrounded by landscaped gardens and decking for people to enjoy all year round and also offers open access to groups/sessions including exercise classes,‘Look Good Feel Better’ Makeup master classes and coffee mornings.

The majority of the centre’s services are open access meaning that no appointment is needed - you can simply drop in and visit Monday-Friday 10am-4pm and they’ll offer you a warm welcome.

The centre also offers specialist palliative care services upon referring from your GP or health or social care professional including medical and nursing services, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, Lymphoedema Nurse Specialist, Psychological services, spiritual care, Complementary and Diversional Therapies. Facilities include thriving arts and crafts (where diversionary therapies such as ceramics, card making, painting and other pastimes can be enjoyed), a large, airy physiotherapy gym, a relaxing complementary therapy treatment room, spacious and private medical and counselling consulting rooms.

The Hospice has recently announced that it is working with Macmillan Cancer Support to trial a new way of working called Macmillan Cancer Specialist Care at Home as one of six pilot locations across the UK. The pilot will start in April and will run until 2016 and is based on a Swedish model of advanced home care. The scheme will be led by a community-based consultant doctor with a team of highly skilled doctors, nurses, support workers and other professionals working together to provide flexible, personalised care with as much support at home as possible.

To get in touch, call 01983 535320 or drop in at EMH John Cheverton Centre, Earl Mountbatten Hospice, Halberry Lane, Newport. Isle of Wight.

Penny Brohn, Living well with cancer

Penny Brohn Cancer Care is a national charity founded in 1980 as the Cancer Care Centre by Penny Brohn and Pat Pilkington. In 2006, the centre relocated to the outskirts of Bristol and was renamed Penny Brohn Cancer Care in memory of Penny Brohn who passed away after living with cancer for 20 years.

The charity supports men and women affected by cancer at any stage of their illness, as well as their families and supporters. They aim to help people to live well with the impact of cancer through a unique combination of physical, emotional and spiritual support.

On the Island, Penny Brohn Cancer Care runs Living Well courses designed to help people to ‘Live Well with the Impact of Cancer’ and their close supporters. The FREE two-day courses show how to take simple steps to live well with cancer. The course may help people to manage stress through relaxation and simple breathing exercises, cope with the emotional and psychological impact, show you how to prepare and enjoy healthy food, find a way to bring manageable exercise into your life, receive basic information on financial welfare and much more.

The next course will run on Friday 4 July and Friday 11 July from 10.00am-5.30pm each day at Quay Arts Centre, Sea Street, Newport. Isle of Wight. PO30 5BW.

To book: visit www.pennybrohncancercare.org/living-well or email: [email protected] or telephone 01275 370111. Or contact Jo Hanks on 01983 535319.

Island’s End of Life Care services review underway

Work is underway by the Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group to review the services currently in place to support Island residents as they near the end of their lives. The review seeks to compare the current End of Life strategy – which is due to be updated this year - with national guidance and with the views of a range of organisations and individuals both providing and receiving support.

A great many organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors across the Island have already contributed to the review; from nursing homes, cancer care nurses, hospices to GPs and other health professionals, social workers and patient groups. It is hoped that the review will be completed by early summer and will lead to a set of recommendations which will enable the IWCCG to update the strategy.

For more information contact Rachael Hayes, Head of Community Commissioning on 01983 534316 or email [email protected] .

Help for those affected by strokes

The Isle of Wight Stroke Club

The Isle of Wight Stroke Club is an Island-based organisation run by stroke survivors to provide help and support for other stroke survivors, their families and carers on the Island. It is affiliated to the Stroke Association. The Isle of Wight Stroke Club focuses on improving the quality of life of those who have been affected by a stroke, by providing support, activities, equipment and advice to their members.

They organise monthly get-togethers on the last Monday of the month (except bank holidays and December). These run from 1pm-4pm, mostly at the Riverside Centre in Newport, and consist of: 1-1.30pm – general chat, 1.30pm-2pm – armchair exercises, 2-4pm – guest speakers or activities (and not forgetting a cup of coffee and a raffle). They also run a varied programme of outings and excursions (in April for example they are off to Eastbourne for 4 nights) and every Thursday at 2pm they organise a swimming session at UKSA.

You need to be a member to join with membership starting at £15 per year. For more information visit their website www.wightfightingstroke.org contact Bob Stringer by phone on 01983 402480 or by email to [email protected] they also have a helpline number 01983 869100.

No health without mental health

Creating a ‘Dementia Friendly Isle of Wight’

In the last newsletter we told you about a new initiative being driven by Age UK as part of the My Life, a Full Life programme to create a dementia friendly community across the Island so that people with dementia can live as independently as possible, being part of the community, being shown understanding and being supported when they need it. The project is already making great progress.

In February, the project was officially launched in Ryde, - the town with the highest number of people living with dementia on the Island and the starting point for this initiative – at an event involving over 55 people including members of the council, Ryde Mayor, the High Sheriff, NHS, Police, Fire Service, Wightlink, and Churches Together, to name but a few. Certificates and window stickers were awarded to Southern Vectis, Tower House, Ryde Library and IW Fire and Rescue service for their involvement in the project so far and others at the event were encouraged to take part.

Ryde library has launched a dementia resources section (see photo) and created a special category library card for people with dementia to enable them to have fines waived. Age UK will now be hosting a drop in session once a month and rolling out training to other library staff across the Island.

Southern Vectis have introduced a series of Safe Journey cards – these are for individuals to carry which reveal statements like “I have memory problems” or “I am visually impaired” which will enable them to flag up any issues they might have to the driver. Feedback on the use of these has already been extremely positive. They have also added the dementia friendly community logo to bus stops in Ryde and Binstead and all 184 drivers are receiving training.

Tower House surgery and IW Fire & Rescue service staff have also undergone training, challenging stigma and building understanding bringing the total number of people trained to date to over 300.

What next? More people being trained (including Wightlink staff and Police PSCOs and Special Constables based in Ryde), looking at intergenerational work, work in the prisons and developing ‘circles of support’ – a support network for an individual with dementia and expanding the initiative to other towns, the Bay area, Newport and Cowes.

For more information regarding this project please contact [email protected]

Alzheimers Society – dementia service advisors

The CCG have commissioned the Alzheimer’s Society to provide two Dementia Advisers who are based on the Island. They provide information for people with dementia and their carers on the Isle of Wight.

What is the Dementia Adviser Service? If you or someone close to you is living with dementia, Dementia Advisers can give you information and guidance either during or post diagnosis. People with a diagnosis can self-refer or be referred through their local Alzheimer’s Society or other service providers.

How does it work? A Dementia Adviser will talk through your needs with you and together you will plan how to meet those needs. This will include signposting to local services such as care or support services and giving you information to help you make informed decisions.

You can contact your Dementia Adviser as often or as little as you want to make sure you get the right support at the right time for you. The Dementia Adviser Service is free and confidential.

For more information contact Jo Bellgard on 077388 54632 or Sue Carr on 077388 54629 or e-mail us at: [email protected] or [email protected]

Developing expertise – third sector development day

The Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and local authority are actively developing a model of integrated health and social care for the Island. In line with this, members from the Isle of Wight third sector were invited to a development workshop in January which gathered views as to what is needed to support their development to deliver within an integrated model.

Twenty-nine member organisations attended and were assured that the commissioning and provision of mental health services must span health, social care and the third sector and, by bringing this expertise, knowledge and experience into a single coherent pathway through integrated working, organisations could achieve significant outcomes for people who use mental health services.

A second workshop is planned for the 27 March 2014, which will build on the learning from the January workshop and inform commissioners where future investment is required to enable the establishment of a robust and sustainable Third Sector for mental health.

For more information contact Graeme O' Malley, Commissioning Manager: Mental Health & Learning Disabilities email graeme.o'[email protected]

Funding update

WarmerWight plus helps 300 people fight off the winter blues

Since November the local Footprint Trust charity have helped over 200 people stay warmer, thanks to funding provided through the My Life a Full Life programme, supported by the Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Spectrum Housing, Southern Housing, Comic Relief and The Beatrice Laing Trust.

Staff from the charity’s Warmer Wight-plus project have visited people in their homes and have explained how to use their heating to best effect. They have also referred people onto other agencies which can help them further. Dozens of households have been signed up for grant-funded boilers and insulation, through the new national ECO initiative. “Less people are in danger of going blue in the cold thanks to this initiative...”.said Ray Harrington-Vail, The Footprint Trust’s National Heat Hero. In all over £10,000 will be saved by those they have visited and spoken to so far this year. The Trust has been working with many other agencies including Age UK, the CAB, housing associations and health staff to ensure people get helped.

This winter Trust staff have also visited Southern Vectis pensioners group, and popped into Brannons Cafe in Wootton – all of which enabled some 30 people to be helped with their concerns about high heating bills. Over the last few weeks you would have found staff braving the cold outside of the Co-op in Ryde and in St Thomas’s Square in Newport. They have also been visiting local Children’s Centres and meeting parents, volunteers and staff. The Trust is giving talks and information to churches and community groups, and is asking for more referrals from other charities and organisations.

Speaking for The Trust Ray Harrington-Vail said, “We save most families around £200 a year on their energy bills, so we are well worth talking with!”

To contact the WarmerWight-plus project please text or phone 01983 822282 or email ray@footprint- trust.co.uk

Long-term conditions funding update

In the last issue we told you about a new invitation for Community groups, organisations and enterprises to bid for grants of up to £10,000 to fund initiatives that provide support for Island residents learning to cope with living with a long-term health condition. The funding is being provided by the Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group. A number of grants have now been awarded as follows:

Inclusion Outright CIC Funding for an interactive engagement tool, to help older people and those with long term health conditions be more involved about planning for their future

Help & Care Heart Failure Support project Help & Care will work alongside the heart failure team to support people with people living with this condition. An information fact sheet will be produced and there are plans to develop a local self help support group.

Shopmobility Shopmobility are going to pilot a training course on using mobility scooters safely. The course will include training and guidance for using a scooter and staying safe for Isle of Wight adults wishing to purchase their own vehicle.

Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Peer Support Project Funding will help raise awareness of what the Association can provide to support families and individuals with Spina Bifida and/or Hydrocephalus on the Isle of Wight. This includes providing one to one support to families as well as signposting to more specialist advice where necessary

Hampshire Neurological Alliance Funding will support the recruitment of a development worker who will help develop and support existing self help groups on the Island for different neurological conditions and identify gaps and work with others to improve and increase effective support for people with these conditions

For more information contact Elaine Garrett on 01983 524058 or by e mail on [email protected]. Please note Elaine works on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

£19,000 grant to keep health project running

Patients with long term conditions in the West Wight will continue to receive support thanks to a grant from the Clinical Commission Group. The popular Living with Long Term Conditions Café at the West Wight Sports Centre in Freshwater has received the funding to keep running for another year. As the project moves forward they will be expanding their focus to cover all long term conditions and there will be a greater emphasis on advice for self-management. The café is also looking to provide greater to support to carers and offering interactive sessions such as music reminiscence, yoga and tai-chi tasters and even ‘Art with an ipad’!

The photo shows the Four Seasons Cookery Academy who kicked off 2014 with a very well received and tasty talk on healthy diets!

If you would be interested in giving a talk or join the mailing list contact Krissy on [email protected] or telephone Krissy on 01983 752168

Other news

Healthwatch Isle of Wight - the new consumer voice on health and care has been busy taking your calls and progressing further with its work plan for 2014.

Enhanced accessibility online - we have recently added BrowseAloud to our website, which reads web content out loud in a bid to make our site even more accessible. BrowseAloud provides its speech and reading support tools to you free of charge and works on Smartphones, Tablets, PCs and Macs.

Healthwatch visits GP practices - we recently visited 5 local GP practices as part of our workplan for this year, following a public prioritisation exercise. The visits were agreed with local Practice Managers beforehand, with a variety of surgeries being visited, to give an overview of the Island’s provision.

Maternity Survey update - We are pleased to announce that 181 women responded to our recent maternity services survey, which is roughly 13% of everyone who gave birth on the Island last year! A report will be published shortly, please contact us at [email protected] if you would like to be sent a copy.

CQC to inspect Isle of Wight Health Trust - the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will be visiting the Trust sometime between April and June 2014. Healthwatch Isle of Wight is taking part in a mock inspection of the Trust this week, in the lead-up to the two day CQC inspection later this year

To find out more about Healthwatch and its work: Phone: 01983 608608 Web: www.healthwatchisleofwight.co.uk, Facebook: www.facebook.com/HealthwatchIOW Twitter: www.twitter.com/HealthwatchIW

We’re making news!

Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s being said about various aspects of the programme in the local media:

http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/wight-living/its-a-dementia-friendly-island-52686.aspx?mn=2 http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/wight-living/how-to-keep-warm-without-fear-this-winter-52038.aspx http://wightislandradio.com/2014/02/21/isle-engage/ http://www.iwradio.co.uk/articles/2014-03-10-bid-for-lottery-cash-needs-your-support http://www.visitilife.com/new-back-issues/islander-back-issues/ (January issue P4 and 25) http://iwmail.co.uk/2014/01/issue-25-of-the-isle-of-wight-mail/ (p19)

Community Action Awards 2014

Entries are now being invited for this year’s Community Action Awards which aim to encourage and reward the dedication within the voluntary sector focusing on volunteering, local achievement and self-help. Projects will be judged on their originality, good partnership working, the input of volunteers and most importantly, the positive impact they are having on the lives of Island residents.

Any voluntary organisation or community group can enter and entries need to be submitted before 4pm on Friday 28 March 2014. This year, the Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group is sponsoring one of the categories dedicated to Healthy Lives – for supporting people with long-term conditions. Other categories include local communities, children and young people, older people, village halls and community buildings, arts and heritage, sport and the environment.

Entries will be shortlisted by a panel of judges on 7 April and those successfully shortlisted will receive a 25 minute visit from the judges towards the end of April. The presentation evening will take place on 7 May 2014 at the Riverside Centre in Newport.

For information and application forms visit http://www.communityactionisleofwight.org.uk/community- action-awards-2014/

My life a full life CONTACT US, SHARE YOUR NEWS, ASK US QUESTIONS, GET INVOLVED....

The My Life a Full Life programme is a collaboration between the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Isle of Wight NHS Trust, Isle of Wight Council and the Voluntary Sector. It aims to deliver a more coordinated approach to health and social care services for people needing care and support on the Island.

St Mary’s Hospital, South Block, Parkhurst Road. Newport. Isle of Wight. PO30 5TG. Tel: 01983 822099 x 5767

Email: [email protected] Website: www.iwight.com/My-Life-a-Full-Life

NEXT ISSUE: Spring 2014. Deadline for articles 28 February 2014.