Disabilities Fife The voice of disabled people Spring 2015 Edition 1 Contents Chairperson’s Report .......................................................................................... 3 Disabilities Fife's Information and Advice Service ........................................... 4 Know Who to Turn To - Press Release .............................................................. 5 Know Who to Turn To Booklet ........................................................................... 6 Footcare Fife ........................................................................................ ............... 9 Homelands Trust-Fife News ............................................................................. 10 The Paxton Centre at Homelands in Lundin Links is running a regular café ..................................................................................................................... 11 Queen Margaret Hospital - News Update......................................................... 14 Carnegie American Football Team is a great example of supporting Ethnic Minorities in Fife through Sport. .......................................................... 16 Communicating with Dementia - words and beyond ...................................... 17 Class 3 mobility scooters – are you required to show a tax disk on your scooter ............................................................................................................... 17 In Conversation with Barbara Dickson - Fife Society for the Blind ............... 18 Technology Day - Fife Society for the Blind .................................................... 18 Want to learn? What does Lead Scotland offer? ............................................ 19 IA – the Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Support Group ................................... 20 Euans Guide – Disabled Access Reviews for People and their Friends and Families ...................................................................................................... 21 USEFULTELEPHONE Numbers ........................................................................ 23 The below are some useful contact numbers related to safety ..................... 23 All Articles are presumed to be correct, but the Disabilities Fife takes Please Note: in this Newsletter, no responsibility for any inaccuracies the texts underlined in blue are of Articles in this Newsletter. The hyperlinks to pages on the views, expressed in these articles, internet for people viewing this are not necessary the views of Newsletter on their computers. Disabilities Fife 2 Chairperson’s Report Welcome to the Spring edition of Disabilities Fife’s Newsletter as we continue to strive to end social exclusion through supporting all disabled people in Fife. Our mantra is Disability not Inability. Firstly, I would like to thank the Fife Centre for Equalities for their financial support towards the printing costs of this Newsletter. Secondly, I wish to record our grateful thanks to FMC Technologies for their generous donation of £3,000. Without their help, it is unlikely that Disabilities Fife would still be functioning as an active organisation. As I mentioned in previous Newsletters and at our AGM and Network Meeting in September, our existing core funding, as provided by Fife Council, came to an end at 30 September 2014. Since then, the Management Committee has tried with little success to obtain new sources of core funding so that Disabilities Fife can continue as an independent organisation. We need at least £30,000 annually to enable Disabilities Fife to maintain its existing range of activities including the information and advice service, the website and Facebook page, the newsletters and Network meetings. In view of the financial situation, it was with much regret that the Management Committee had to terminate Daniel Easton’s employment on 30 November 2014 and, as intimated previously Muriel MacGregor left her post as Office Manager on 31 December 2014. However, thanks to FMC Technologies’ generous donation, we have been able to re-employ Muriel to help us in February and March. Notwithstanding, unless we secure adequate funding, Disabilities Fife will be unable to recruit a successor. Currently, Disabilities Fife is managing just to survive on a month by month basis but, unless substantial funding can be secured by the end of March, there is every likelihood that the organization will run out money in April/May 2015. Consequently, at its meeting on 25 March 2015, the Management Committee will have to make a final decision on the following options: (1) To dissolve Disabilities Fife. Under the terms of Disabilities Fife’s Constitution, this will require a Special General Meeting and a two-thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote. (2) Put the organisation to sleep for several months in the hope that new funding streams may become available in the 2015-2016 financial year. This would seem a preferable option to closing down Disabilities Fife and dispensing with our equipment and other resources. In such circumstances, it is almost impossible to see Disabilities Fife re- establishing itself in the future. However, having said that, there will be a 3 need to have some monies available to cover any unforeseen costs which may arise during the period of “sleep”. Turning to our normal business, Disabilities Fife will be holding our Spring Network Meeting from 2 to 4pm on Tuesday 17 March at the Carnegie Conference Centre, Dunfermline. Our guest speakers will be Nina Munday, Manager of Fife Centre for Equalities, Angela Heyes, NHS Fife’s Equality & Human Rights Lead and Heather Ford, Health & Social Care Integration Change Manager. Best wishes. John Stirling Disabilities Fife's Information and Advice Service As a registered Scottish charity, Disabilities Fife is run by disabled people for disabled people. We work to improve access to services and equality of opportunity for all disabled people in Fife. The information and advice service is provided through a telephone helpline (01592 203993), email: [email protected] website ( www.disabilitiesfife.org.uk ), Facebook page and helping personal callers to our office. The issues raised by Fife’s disabled people include where to access resources and information within Fife Council and other statutory organizations such as NHS Fife. Specific concerns raised by individual disabled people relate to adaptations to housing, public transport and the Blue Badge Scheme of parking concessions, physical access to buildings, and health and sensory impairment. The Information and Advice Service ensures that Fife’s disabled people have easy access to different ways of accessing support and advice to enable them to have improved access to services. It helps them to be better able to know more about the services, available from Fife Council, NHS Fife, Police Scotland and other public and private organizations, which can meet their particular needs and, more importantly, where to access them. In addition, the Information and Advice Service enables Disabilities Fife to act as intermediaries to provide direct support to those of Fife’s disabled people who do not have the confidence to deal with the statutory organizations themselves. 4 Know Who to Turn To - Press Release People across Fife are being urged to know who to turn to when they are ill or injured to get the right care and treatment at the right place in a timely manner. NHS Fife’s ‘Know Who To Turn To’ campaign is aimed at helping people choose the most appropriate service for their needs so they can access the best treatment in the shortest time possible and reminds them that the Accident & Emergency (A&E) department is only for those who are seriously ill or injured. It is estimated that around 200 people a month who attend the Accident & Emergency (A&E) Department at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy could have been better treated elsewhere. The ‘Know Who To Turn To’ booklet includes information on the following services and what they can treat: • Looking after yourself • Local Pharmacy services • Mental Health services • Your GP Practice • Dental services • NHS 24 and Out of Hours service • Minor Injuries Service • Accident & Emergency The A&E department exists to provide high quality care to the most seriously injured and severely unwell people. Unfortunately there are occasions when people attend A&E with conditions that are not serious. Dr Surinder Panpher, Consultant in Emergency Medicine said: “Our priority within A&E is to treat and care for the most seriously ill and injured patients who require urgent and life-saving treatment. “Increasingly more people are attending the A&E department seeking advice for minor complaints or check-ups for long term conditions. This risks diverting care and attention away from those who need it most. “If people attend with a type of condition that is normally seen by their GP or who have already seen their GP for the same condition or have a condition that has been going on for more than three days they will be asked to use an alternative service.” The Know Who To Turn To campaign provides further advice for the public on using NHS services appropriately. 5 Dr Panpher commented further: “If we all use NHS services responsibly we are helping to ensure that everyone will get the best possible treatment whenever they require it. It is important to get the right help and most of the time you can receive the right help from your local pharmacy, your GP practice or by looking after yourself. “Furthermore,