Chepstow & Caldicot Carers Support Group
DECEMBER 2002 NEWSLETTER
CARERS' SUPPORT GROUP Chairman: Hermione Ford (01291-689233) Secretary: Patsy Lewis (01291-420602) Office: 'Cobblers Pitch', Highmoor Hill, Caerwent, Monmouthshire NP26 5PF Dear Carer, 3rd December 2002 Chepstow Racecourse 10.30am-3.30pm Carers Rights Day is being organised by Maxine Smillie, the Monmouthshire Carers Development Officer on Tuesday 3rd December at Chepstow Race Course. The day is about advice, information about carer's assessments, services and identifying new carers in Monmouthshire. Speakers will include Huw Edwards MP and Health and Social Affairs Minister for Wales, Jane Hutt. There will be workshops in which carers can participate and author J.K. Rowling (she cared for her mother) has given a signed copy of her book to raffle, the proceeds of which will go to Young Carers. Lunch will be provided. Do come along and spread the word amongst other carers you know. This may be just the event to get new carers along. Dewstow Golf Club Thursday December 5th The AGM will start at 10:30am with coffee. The meeting itself will start at 11:00am. This is a formality and should not take too long. We need to discuss our past year's activities and finances, and of course ratify our new Chairman. The price of the lunch this year is £12.95. Dewstow is a very pleasant venue and they are always very accommodating. If you wish to bring the person you care for, either bring them along with you to the AGM if they do not mind sitting down stairs with coffee, or collect them after the meeting and come back. Dewstow is quite wheelchair friendly. At our November meeting, we heard Nikki Needle from Monmouthshire Social Services explain to the meeting about the Joint Review that is about to happen in Monmouthshire Social Services. 'Joint', refers to an inspection between the Audit Commission who look at services in terms of value for money and the Social Services Inspectorate who look at the quality of services. Preparation has already started now but users and carers who are willing to be part of this review will be contacted by the review team next January /February. Staff of the department will also be interviewed for their opinions too.
Monmouthshire is the last Local Authority in Wales to be reviewed and the reports of the other LA'S in Wales has been poor. This is an opportunity for carers to make fair comment on attitudes and services that they receive. They want to know what works well and what doesn't. As a group, we will be consulted in January, but the review team would like some carers to be part of a reference group to be consulted individually, either at a weekly meeting for a group of carers, or if you cannot make the meetings by telephone. This will happen during the review period of January/February. Could you be involved with this? Respite and travel costs will be reimbursed. If so, could you please contact me as soon as you can and I will put your name forward. This is a golden opportunity to have your say. The review team leaves no stone unturned, and as a result of previous reviews, senior managers and Directors have moved on! I would like to stress though, that it is about the good as well as the not so good. The review is also about how Social Services work in partnership with Health and Voluntary Organisations. How they commission and contract with other agencies like Care Agencies and how they monitor the quality of their services. Interim feedback will be in April, but the written report will be much later. If necessary, action plans are made by the review team, as to how services should be improved. The meeting with the Care Agencies on Wednesday 23rd October was useful. However only two private agencies turned up, together with Chepstow and Caldicot Crossroads. One agency acknowledged that they have had problems particularly in recruitment and retention of staff, but hope to put this right soon. It was suggested that a range of monitoring activities involving carers should be used such as individual questionnaires and group consultations. This would offer a greater opportunity ofcarers airing their views. This is an issue that we shall follow closely for the next few months. The meeting also agreed that the Agencies should meet with carers on six monthly intervals to discuss any issues we might like to raise. Jeff Hayward from Age Concern Information Service at St Woolos hospital in Newport came to speak to us. Most of his work is done over the telephone and the majority of enquiries are about money and benefits. Age Concern do a lot of form filling in for carers and users with benefit applications. There is no charge for the service. It is a charity funded by local authorities. Health and donations. Other services on offer:
Age Concern also does Insurance for Home, contents Car Life and Holidays, particularly suited to the over 65s. They also do Gas and Electricity at reasonable rates with special safety services for the elderly. Finally, Age Concern does a Funeral Plan, where you pay now and plan your funeral, the cost of which does not rise over the years. It can also be paid over 12 months. For more Information on all these topics contact Jeff Hayward on 01633-238295. Please note that the next meeting is our AGM. Our January meeting will be on Thursday 9th January, a week later than usual. (The first Tuesday is too near New Year). If you want a chat I am at Gray Hill Surgery on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 10:00am-12:00 mid-day. Anyone, subscribers or not, can come and see me there. Ring 01291-420282 for an appointment or take a chance and pop in! For transport to meetings contact Nan Smith on 01291-421665 or Alison Short on 01291-623771.
Best wishes,
Patsy Lewis. |