Subject: New 400k funding for mental health service to support children and young people in Somerset schools and colleges
The work of Fit for my Future, Somerset’s integrated health and care strategy, is already paying dividends. Health, care and education services in Somerset have worked together with partners, schools, young people and parents to secure £400k of trailblazer funding, it was announced last Friday.
The funding will help to create two pilot mental health support in school teams covering east and west of the county, giving almost 16,000 children and young people extra support with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Subject: Job opportunity: Engagement Assistant buster updated
Are you enthusiastic? Have you got excellent communication skills?
Can you build strong and effective relationships with stakeholders and members of the public from all walks of life?
Then we may have the perfect job for you!
We’re recruiting an Engagement Assistant to help us put the patient and public voice at the heart of everything we do.
Subject: Somerset scores above the national average in the GP patient survey
The GP patient survey was published at the end of last week. The national results show that nine out of 10 patients have “confidence and trust” in their family doctor as well as other general practice staff such as nurses and pharmacists.
Patients rate their overall experience of their family doctor highly, with four out of five saying their GP treats them with “care and concern” and provides them with enough time to listen to their needs. Nine out of 10 patients felt involved in decisions about their care, while four in five rated their overall experience of making a GP appointment as “good”, the GP patient survey shows.
GP practices in Somerset scored above the national average in many areas. You can find out more about the Somerset results here
Subject: Yeovil Hospital celebrates 20 year partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support
National cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Support and Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust mark 20 years of working together with the announcement of a new Macmillan Lung Cancer Specialist nurse and a week of activity including a visit from the charity’s mobile cancer information bus.
The charity’s distinctive green bus will be parked outside the main entrance at Yeovil District Hospital on 16 and 17 July 10am-4pm offering free cancer information and support to patients, families and staff.
During the week there will also be training, talks and a drop-in session for hospital staff and volunteers working in cancer care.
Yeovil Hospital and Macmillan Cancer Support and have been working together now for two decades to improve cancer care for local people. To celebrate the milestone the organisations have collaborated once more by adding a new Macmillan Lung Cancer Specialist Nurse to Yeovil Hospital’s cancer care team. The nurse, who will be funded by Macmillan for the first three years, will be there to support people as they go through lung cancer treatment. By collaborating on new opportunities.in this way, the hospital and charity are able to work together to support and care for even more patients.
Mobile bus visits
- Wednesday 17 July – 10am to 4pm
Yeovil Hospital, near the main entrance, Higher Kingston, BA21 4AT - Thursday 18 July – 10am to 4pm
Bridgwater, Robert Blake Statue, Cornhill, TA6 3BU
If you are affected by cancer call 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk for information, support or just someone to talk to.
Subject: Conference: creating and sustaining a healthy workforce
On September 13 2019, Bath Spa University are holding a conference titled ‘Creating (and Sustaining) a Healthy Workforce’. The conference is the culmination of Dr Jermaine Ravalier’s ESRC-funded HOW (Healthier Outcomes at Work) NHS Project. This conference will provide employers, academics, and researchers with actual, feasible changes which can be made at work in order to maintain and improve employee wellbeing.
There are confirmed speakers who are academic and professional leaders in health and social care workforce wellbeing including Prof Andrew McVicar (Anglia Ruskin), Prof Roger Smith (Durham), leading academics in healthcare workforce wellbeing, Dr Ruth Allen (chief executive British Association of Social Work) and John McGowan (general secretary of Social Workers Union). There will also be staff wellbeing leads from both the NHS and social care.
As well as these talks, there will be a panel discussion and poster presentations for PhD and early career researchers. There are up to 10 travel bursaries of £70 available for those who give a poster presentation. Food and beverages are available for lunch and throughout the day.
Tickets cost just £30 for the day, or £40 including parking for the day. Book tickets via Bath Spa Live (see here). The event will be held in the beautiful surroundings of Bath Spa University, the conference and posters taking part in the Michael Tippett Centre, while there will be a quiet room available too. Parents are welcome to bring children, but they must be supervised at all times.
If you would like any more information about the event please contact me on j.ravalier@bathspa.ac.uk.
Subject: Somerset Community Connect website
The Somerset Community Connect website www.somersetcommunityconnect.org.uk is full of information and advice that can help you and the individuals you work with to make local links that will help make life better.
Whether you’re supporting someone who is looking for groups and activities or community transport; struggling with loneliness, finance or arthritis; the site provides information that could make all the difference.
It’s a new way to be part of Community Connect which is all about promoting independence and improving people’s lives by working with our communities – harnessing the skills and expertise of a huge range of organisations and volunteers. It’s problem-solving close to home by understanding what matters to the people you work with and knowing what’s going on in their local area.
A ‘What’s relevant to me?’ search feature helps individuals to find what they are after, whether it’s for themselves or someone they might know.
Subject: Somerset Carers Newsletter
The Spring/Summer 2019 edition of the Somerset Carers Newsletter is now available.
Subject: If Only I’d Known That – A Carer for Carers Story
Written by a Carer for Carers, Susan shares her caring journey with humour, dignity and practicality in the hope that other people in a similar position would find it helpful and not feel so alone in their caring role. Click here to read it online
Subject: Latest edition of SINePost e-newsletter published
The latest edition of SINePost is now available on the Somerset Intelligence website:
www.somersetintelligence.org.uk/sinepost.html
The SINePost e-newsletter is produced each month by the Somerset Intelligence team at SCC as part of its role in collating, analysing and disseminating data and research. It draws attention to the latest facts, figures, reports and analysis on Somerset. Links are provided to source material should you wish to find out more.
Included this month:
- Population estimates: Somerset’s resident population has increased to 559,399 in the latest annual estimate from the Office for National Statistics, representing a year-on-year increase of 4,204 people.
- Migration: Inward migration from the UK continues to be the major component in Somerset’s increasing population: 3,899 more people moved into Somerset from elsewhere in the UK than moved out, in the year to June 2018.
- Fuel Poverty: The number of Somerset households living in fuel poverty has increased to 26,305 according to the latest annual estimate from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, representing 10.7% of all households.
- Climate Change: Carbon dioxide emissions in Somerset continue to decline overall, although emissions due to transport have increased for the fifth successive year.
Subject: Summer Holiday Activities: South Somerset – Chard area
The summer holidays are fast approaching – lots of activities are still available. Please share the information attached with families you are working with……
Great regular activities
- @ The Unit, Chard (https://www.facebook.com/Unit.Info/)
- Redwoods Coaches days out and trips (www.redwoodstravel.com)
PLUS: summer events at Magdalen Farm Nr Chard – www.magdalenfarm.org.uk/events
Short Break Trips still have some spaces available on:
- 06 Aug – Family Day at 1610 Hestercombe, Nr Taunton
- 08 Aug – Bowling in Yeovil (5-7pm)
- 13 Aug – Aerospace Bristol Family Day
- 15 Aug – Children’s World cooking & dancing Glastonbury
- 20 Aug – Exmoor Family day
- 27 Aug – Young Somerset Activity Day at Ruishton nr Taunton
Check out the Short Breaks Calendar www.somerset.gov.uk/cwd – click on the Short Breaks tab
Contact ljwhite@somerset.gov.uk for more information
Subject: Summer Holiday Activities: Taunton, Bridgwater and West Somerset area
The summer holidays are fast approaching – lots of activities are still available. Please share the information attached with families you are working with……
- Woodland Play Centre – Crowcombe Nr Taunton (www.woodlandplaycentre.co.uk)
- Gympanzees pop up fully inclusive leisure centre Nr Bristol (www.gympanzees.org)
- SASP inclusive sports Taunton (https://www.sasp.co.uk/)
- Brean inclusive Play (www.breanplay.com)
See above item for available Short Break Trips
Contact ljwhite@somerset.gov.uk for more information
Subject: Survey – improving continence in children and young people with neurodisability
Are you a young person aged up to 25 with special educational needs and/or a disability?
OR
Are you a parent or carer of a child or young person aged up to 25 with special educational needs and/or a disability?
OR
Do you have experience of working with children and young people with special educational needs and disability, and/or toileting difficulties?
We want to hear from you!
You are invited to complete an online survey about toileting for children and young people with special educational needs and disability. Click the link below to find out more: