GDPR was at the top of organisations‘ ‘to do’ list when the legislation came into force in May 2018, but unfortunately it has slipped down the ladder of priorities somewhat since then. Sobus would urge organisations to make sure you keep on top of this and make sure you are regularly reviewing and updating your policy and practice.

If you’re still in a GDPR muddle – don’t panic! GDPR requirements seem rather daunting, but in reality, particularly for small organisations, it shouldn’t be as overwhelming as it appears. Remember – you didn’t have to have everything in place by 25th May, but you should have in place a clear plan on how your organisation will work towards being GDPR compliant.

Click here to continue…

As many of you will already know, Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are now established in Hammersmith & Fulham. So, what are PCNs?

PCNs are described by as one of the building blocks of the NHS Long Term Plan. They bring GP practices together so that they can deliver some of their functions “at scale”. Most PCNs are arranged on a geographical basis, and in Hammersmith & Fulham 5 PCNs have been established.

Part of the remit of PCNs is to deliver social prescribing through link workers. As the name suggests, Link Workers will “link” patients with local community based services which may be best placed to meet their needs.

Each PCN will employ a link worker, plus additional link workers have been funded by Macmillan Cancer Care and employed by the H&F GP Federation.

On the plus side – this should result in increased awareness and signposting to local community services. However, the obvious drawback is the capacity in local services to respond to what could be a significant increase in demand.

Sobus will be asking groups to update the information that we hold about their services on our database, including some information on space or capacity in your services, so that we can help Link Workers ensure they have access to a really good source of information. If you would like to update your information now rather than waiting until we contact you, please contact info@sobus.org.uk.

The attached link provides some further information on PCNs and social prescribing.

Click here

 

Please note that due to the need for committee members to adhere to guidance regarding political impartiality in the pre-election period ahead of the general election on 12 December, a number of public meetings have been cancelled, including:

LBHF Health & Wellbeing Board on 6th November

Health, Inclusion and Social Care Policy and Accountability Committee on 11th November 2019

Further information on purdah is available through the following link:

http://www.local.gov.uk/purdah-short-guide-publicity-during-pre-election-period

As the clocks go back and autumn sets in, the season of AGMs is almost upon us! Many local groups and organisations hold their Annual General Meetings between October-December, where they present their most recent financial accounts, celebrate their achievements and look ahead to what they hope to do in the future. It is often the time when Trustees are formally nominated, accountants are appointed and where some of the formal processes involved in running our organisations are undertaken.   Importantly, AGMs also provide a fantastic opportunity to thank staff, trustees, volunteers and service users for their commitment, hard work and support.

As we all know, volunteers and volunteering are the lifeblood of many local groups and organisations – some of whom are run entirely by unpaid volunteers, and others are dependent on a small volunteer army of committed and dedicated people, often local residents, without whom their services simply couldn’t operate. Volunteer roles span everything, from running organisations (as Trustees or Board Members) and providing back-office support, through to front line services in our offices and out in the community.

How we recruit, support, retain and reward our volunteers is often a tricky business – for organisations of all sizes. The Hammersmith & Fulham Volunteer Centre (www.hfvc.org.uk) is there to help local organisations and match people who are looking for volunteering opportunities with local groups looking for help. NextDoor and Comoodle (see below) can also be a way to find volunteers and for individuals to volunteer to offer their skills. However, retaining the goodwill and continued support from volunteers needs to be considered, particularly if your services are dependent on them. The ways in which we can show volunteers our appreciation is of course endless – from a simple group or individual thank you message, a more public statement of thanks at your AGM and in your annual report, to a Christmas party or annual celebration, or even levering in some freebies from a corporate sponsor – we reap what we sow by showing our volunteers how much we appreciate and value their efforts.

We would love to hear your ideas on how we could individually and jointly celebrate and acknowledge local volunteers. We would like to remind you that volunteer groups can also be nominated for a Queens Award for Volunteering. The deadline each year is in September for awards the following year and further information is available from: www.qavs.culture.gov.uk

Finally – we’d love to help to promote your autumn events and meetings – please email info@sobus.org.uk to have them included in our events calendar and in our next newsletter.

Sobus, HF Volunteer Centre and LB Hammersmith & Fulham are working together to deliver Comoodle H&F, an online platform for local organisations, businesses and residents to share “Stuff, Space and Skills”…

Click here for all the info!