User and Carer Group

							            User and Carer Group, Tuesday February 9th 2010

                                   Minutes

Present: MM (Chair); BB, CW, IG, CL
Caroline Ashley (RCVS), Chris Channer (LBRUT), Caroline O’Neill (PCT)
Apologies: KE

    1. Update with Caroline O’Neill and Chris Channer
Caroline and Chris joined the meeting for the first hour. Caroline covered
news from NHS Richmond including: the finalisation of 2 draft mental health
strategies, end of live care strategy; the Commissioning Strategy Plan, a draft
Toolkit for PCT staff on engagement, the forthcoming issues around
polysystems, and the need for engagement around what people use and
want.
  There will be further liaison in 2010 about engagement around plans for
   polysystems.
  It was noted that the long term Patient and Public Involvement Manager at
   the PCT had returned from maternity leave and was now leaving. The
   UCG expressed the importance of this continuing as a full-time role, as it
   has been during the maternity cover.
Action:
  Feedback on the draft Toolkit should be sent to C O’N;

Chris Channer updated the group on revisions within the Health and
Wellbeing Partnership. JCGs will report quarterly in writing to HWP, including
input from User and Carer Members. They will report in person in rotation,
inviting a User or Carer member to attend.
Outcomes:
  Note dates for JCG reports at HWBP: 26 April, Mental Health; 6 July
   Learning Disability; 21st October, Healthy Richmond.
  It was discussed and agreed that it should not be up to the JCG Chair to
   choose and invite the User or Carer Member. This should be done in
   liaising with the Community Involvement Coordinator, and with the Chair of
   Users and Carers agreeing who goes.
  The User Carer member should be able to stay for the whole meeting if
   they wish.
  If was noted that the SDS Programme Board reports into HWP twice a
   year, and that the UCG needs to link up with Users or Carers that are
   recruited to SDS or its sub-groups.



   2. Minutes of the previous meeting, matters arising
The minutes were agreed. CA noted that minutes will only be loaded on the
RCVS website when the new website is in place –after April 2010.

   3. Update on recruitment process




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CA gave an update on the process of dissemination the Share Your
Experience flyer and recruiting new User and Carer Members. The
discussion noted
  the importance of greater involvement and transparency in the SDS
   Programme Board:
  The recruitment process should be gentle ‘ a chat not an interview’ focusing
   on where people fit best.
  There should be a generic form, and request for references
  C O’N will further disseminate the opportunities via the staff weekly bulletin,
   the End of Life strategy email, outreach events in 3 areas, and the
   database.

 In discussing whether we want to have selection criteria, the following points
 were agreed as important when placing candidates:
   Ability to discuss a wide range of issues
   Not afraid to make voice heard
   Ability to digest quite a lot of information
   Experience
   Resident in Richmond; carer for someone in Richmond.
   Open to ideas. It would be inappropriate if didn’t want contact with others,
    but not obliged to be a member of any other organisation or group.

  Action
  CA will incorporate these into notes on the recruitment process to share
  with UCG members, officials and potential candidates.


    4. Expenses policy
  In discussing the need for a policy on expenses, views were:
    Simplicity is important. Filling in forms is a nuisance. Current members
     routinely use their own money for parking costs, but do not claim them
     back due to the hassle factor.
    Attitude is key. People should not be doing this in order to get paid, but
     in order to make a contribution. Getting payment can reduce
     independence.
    At the same time, it is critical not to exclude people for whom expenses
     or allowances are important, and expenses should cover essential costs
     such as carers or personal assistants where needed.
    Explore other ideas, like getting access to training or treats.
    Respite care could be via Crossroads, or otherwise own PA.
    Action
    CA will feed these into discussions at the Community Engagement Group.


    5. Report to HWP in April
In April, the UCG has to make its annual report to Health and Wellbeing. In
addition, CA is to report back to HWP 6 months after making the initial
presentation on the community involvement stocktake.




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There was insufficient time to plan the report but a brief discussion flagged
issues to include such as:
  Recruitment
  Is the system effective and useful? It is worth being there, to bring
   discussion back to the real world.
  Hard data vs anecdote: the latter should not be dismissed as it comes from
   the front line. The former comes from those willing to fill in forms. People
   are particularly needed when new things are being looked at – when there
   is no hard data.
  Feedback! Still poor. Follow up action in minutes.
  Too many acronyms and too much jargon.

Action
MM and CA will prepare a draft and circulate it


   6. Future meetings and dates for 2010

April: Monday 26th, with Cathy Kerr.
It was agreed to invite selected other individuals who are users and carers,
potential members, or who work closely with users/carers, keeping the
meeting focused on their needs. E.g: Carers support workers in PLD and
mental health, Carers Café, Your Say, Taking Control. The focus could be
on: Implementation of SDS for users and carers: from practicalities to
strategies and back again’.

Key questions should be prepared for discussion, such as:
  How will the council deal with budget over-spend resulting from SDS?
  What work is being done on safeguarding in relation to SDS, including
   quality assurance of how money is spent?
  Why isn’t learning disability included in the SDS annual report? What is
   happening in regard to having one framework across all client groups for
   SDS?
  What responsibility does the Council take for networking services and
   maintaining social groups for all people?
  Given lack of partnership with the voluntary sector, how will the voluntary
   sector meet the increased capacity to meet demand?
  As day centres close, how can social services cope with the influx?
  Where do the requirement of Valuing People cross with the funds-limited
   total pot for SDS, and what happens when they diverge?
  How with the Council cope with the financial stringencies?
  Why are outcomes so depende
  nt on who writes the care plan?
  How much are officers obliged to reflect views back to councillors?
  Who decides on priorities between services?

Action




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CA will invite selected other participants and develop the agenda for
circulation. All UCG members please check diaries to ensure it is in your
diary.

Proposed Dates of next meeting:

April                     Monday 26th                 Confirmed with Cathy
                                                      Kerr from 10.30 to 11.30.
                                                      Followed by Business
                                                      Meeting until 1pm.
June                      Tues June 29

September                 Tues 7

November                  Tues16

Plse let Caroline know asap if these are difficult.




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