Does a friend or family member rely on you for support?

If so, you may be a carer, which means that you can get support to look after the person you care for – and to take care of yourself.

You might be looking after your brother or sister, your partner, your parents, your adult child or someone else; they might have a physical or learning disability, a health condition, mental health needs, misuse drugs or alcohol, or have become older and frail. You might have been looking after them for years, or have only just started.

Whatever the situation, if you and the person you care for are over 18, then Carers Network can help you with:

  • Carers Assessments
  • Financial grants to get a break from caring
  • The Carers Emergency Card Scheme
  • Support groups
  • Information and advice
  • Social events and activities

If you are a carer and live in Hammersmith & Fulham talk to Carers Network today!

Tel: 020 7386 9417

Email: info@carers-network.org.uk

To go to the website click here

Development of a new group using community organising at local level

Four women, Assia, Fahiya, Foos and Amina – all of East African background came together in late 2015 with concerns and issues that they identified that exist within the community of which they lived. They had experience of building support for local women and families. This led to discussions on how best to support the community they live in. This resulted in the group decision to form as a community group. They decided to form the group, Next Step Community Hammersmith & Fulham with a view to bringing communities together through open dialogue.

To find out more, please click here

Sharon Tomlin, Community Organiser

This guide has been written for and from the perspective of disabled people. It is intended to be used by disabled people and people with long-term health conditions who have support needs. The guide does not cover everything that is in the Act but concentrates on those parts of the legislation that are most relevant to people of working age. Links to other information are provided at the end of this guide.

Please click here: Disability Rights UK Care Act guide

 

There are concerns that automatic disqualification rules being extended to cover even more criminal convictions in 2017 could have implications for charities, particularly user-led organisations.

Third Sector published an article about our annual accounts. There was a headline about the drop in income and deficit. To clarify the 2015/16 accounts are the first year of the boards current three year strategic plan 2015-18. The strategic plan budgeted to underwrite deficits for the three years to 2018 moving towards a balanced budget. The trustees took this decision in order to continue to deliver our objectives in a climate of unprecedented austerity.

 

Neil Cleeveley, Chief Executive of NAVCA, said “We are determined to remain true to the principles we set out at our AGM. It is clear that the future is local and that national bodies need national bodies that can connect to the local in the way that NAVCA can. We are working against a difficult backdrop but in these uncertain times we must be bold in asserting the values of our movement; not least, that local infrastructure is at the heart of local social action.”

The Charity Commission has issued an alert to charities as regulatory advice under section 15(2) of the Charities Act 2011. The information contained within this alert is based on reports made during the past month to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud reporting centre.

 

 

Following last month’s article about the Youth Partnership this informs you about what has grown out of that piece of work. That is the Young Hammersmith and Fulham Foundation. Please click here for information on:

What the Foundation is?

What it means to you?

What stage of the process the Foundation is at?

What you can do?

Furthermore it asks you to get involved and to contact the Secretary to the Young Hammersmith and Fulham Foundation, that is Nigel Jacques at Sobus. His email is nigel.jacques@sobus.org.uk

Each of the regional networks that comprise Regional Voices including LVSC, have produced a “Who’s Who” guide of key people working in health, wellbeing and care in each region. The guides include relevant contacts from clinical commissioning groups, health and wellbeing boards, NHS England area teams, commissioning support units, Public Health directors, local Healthwatch, etc. The update now also includes information about Health Devolution and Sustainability & Transformation Plans.

As we have limited capacity to fully update the guide, we would very much appreciate it if you could inform me of any changes in your area(s).

For further information and access to the guide, click here

Sandra van der Feen, Health Policy Officer, LVSC. Email: sandra@lvsc.org.uk. Please note my working days are Tue and alternate Tue & Wed only.

New calls for proposals have been published under the Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme:

 

  • The call for proposals to educate and raise the awareness of girls and boys about gender-based violence (deadline 8th March)
  • The call for proposals promote the access to justice and support of victims of gender-based violence and the treatment of perpetrators (deadline 8th March)
  • The call for a pilot projects promoting diversity and unity in Europe (deadline 28th February)

 

Visit our website for more information on these and other open calls at Access Europe Network.

A guide to all the health services available in Hammersmith & Fulham can be picked up free of charge at local libraries, GPs, pharmacies, community centres and voluntary organisations across the borough.

 

Stay well: Your guide to local health services in Hammersmith & Fulham  is packed full of tips on how to stay well, take care of yourself and your family, and make the most of local NHS services.

 

It also includes useful health information such as how patients can get a GP appointment when their own GP surgery is closed, who is eligible for a free flu vaccine, how much alcohol is safe to drink, what painkillers are safe for children, the early signs of dementia, and much more.

 

The booklet also has full colour maps showing where walk-in centres, urgent care centres and hospitals are located across North West London.

 

Dr Tim Spicer, chair of Hammersmith & Fulham CCG, said: “Patients and members of the public often ask us to provide a guide to local services which advises them where to go and what to do if they need medical help outside of normal surgery hours. This guide explains the different services that are available, where they’re located and when they’re open. It also reminds people to visit their local pharmacy to ask for advice at the first signs of illness and that they can get a weekend or evening appointment with a doctor by phoning NHS 111.”