Dementia Carer Voices Oct - Nov Newsletter is now Available

                                                   

Welcome to the latest edition of the Dementia Carer Voices Project's newsletter, which will keep you up to date with our latest activity. This month features the 'You Can Make a Difference' exhibition at the Scottish Parliament, the Community Channel filming and some great guest contributions to our Dementia Carer Voices blog site, as well as news from our network. You can read the newsletter via the link here  http://instantreach.biz/JMPHBNZRGA/ETL9X48JT5/le/FMONLSVZCH

        

Speaking Monday Cohort 13 of the SCNR. Senior nurse review NHSGGC Victoria Royal Infirmary

                                                   

Hi 

With Great thank to Kate Cocozza lead of nursing NHSGG for the kind invite to speak this Monday  at Cohort 13 of the SCNR. Senior nurse review 

The event will take place at the Victoria Royal Infirmary Glasgow 

I have had the great privilege to speak for Kate before and look forward to attending and speaking on Monday 

Tommy  

                                                   

                                     

     

Today Honored Speaking Burton Hospital NHS Trust Dementia Strategy Launch

Hi

I am so very honoured to be invited to attend and speak at the Burton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Dementia Strategy and Forget Me Not  Care Bundle Launch November 7th

I had the great privilege to speak there a few weeks back ( you can read more on that day below )


Thank you Alison Haynes Lead nurse Dementia Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust For the kind invite to attend and speak 

Thank You 

tommy 

Dementia Strategy Launch

Friday 7^th November 2014

Lecture Theatre Medical Education Centre

1200hrs- 1230hrs Lunch, networking and purpose of the pledges

1230hrs- Introduction- Helen Ashley, Chief Executive

1240hrs- The Journey so far- Alison Haynes, Lead Nurse Dementia

1300hrs- Burton Hospital’s Dementia Champions- Alison Haynes, Lead Nurse Dementia & Rachel Edge, Staff Nurse

1315hrs- The Enhanced Care Team- Julie Thompson, Head Nurse

1330hrs- The Forget me Not Care Bundle- Kathy Golisti, Dementia Support Nurse

1345hrs- Refreshments- Networking

1400hrs- Therapies

The Importance of Engagement and Activity- Jessica Harris, Occupational Therapist, Tracey Payne, Physiotherapy Assistant

Alison Cartwright, Speech and Language Therapist- Promoting good management of a patient with swallowing difficulties.

1415hrs- Tommy on Tour

1515hrs- The Dementia Strategy- Dr Partha Das, Julie Thompson, Alison Haynes, Kathy Golisti 

1530hrs- Questions and close

MY Previous Visit  
With great thanks to Leanne Siekiera Student Nurse and Alison Haynes Lead nurse Dementia Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust For the kind invite to attend and speak at the Dementia Champions Forum earlier today  Burton Hospital Burton On Trent

Thank you to everyone who took time to attend and for the great kindness 

Thank you for the opportunity to speak and for the support make it to the forum 

I look forward to visiting again soon 

Please see the inspiring pledges from today 

I pledge to take time and ensure every patient with dementia has a voice and is heard – Jane

I pledge to support patients and carers every day and think of others – Jenny

I pledge to learn more about dementia and the person behind the disease and take the time to help more people that are living with dementia – Lynda Horswell

I pledge to strive to continually improve the patient and carer experience whilst at Burton NHS Foundation Trust – Alison Haynes

I shall always ask “what can I do today to make you smile?” I shall also prompt and encourage colleagues – Jude

To provide reassurance, comfort and listen attentively. Acknowledge that I care – Lorna Hough

I pledge to find out what`s important to the person I care for – Joylyn Thomas

My pledge is to always take time and listen to my patients. To find out the “little things” that matter to them and deliver care with a person centred approach – Leanne Siekiera

I pledge to find time to let the person have a voice and be listened to and to let the know I care – Denise Harlow

My pledge as a student nurse is to find out and take as much time as possible to get to know my patient suffering with dementia – Kirsty

My pledge is to look after each of my patents individually. I promise to always treat my patients with care and compassion – Sophie Lane

I pledge that when I leave patients after doing an activity with that they have a big smile on their face – Sharon 

My pledge is to make a difference every day for patients and carers with dementia. I will do this by incorporating within the strategy of the `little things` and engage with staff and follow this up – Julie Thompson

My pledge is to continue to treat all patients with dementia with the love and dignity they deserve and respect the hard work of all the carers – Eleanor Maxwell

I will try to be more understanding, compassionate; I will listen to the patients. I will try to make them smile and champion the dementia care within our hospital – Katherine

My pledge is to continue to be and show compassion to every person I meet.

My pledge is to listen and engage with volunteers and teach them to listen deeply to patients that they support on wards – Marion

My pledge is to work towards developing a listening service for carers within the trusts dementia strategy – Elly

Leanne is a friend on twitter and has been a great support to my campaign and work  you can read a blog post from Leanne on the @WeNurses community site  here

A BIG thank you Leanne and Allison for the kind invite and opportunity .I look  forward tomeeting  everone ,hearing more about the dementia champions and speaking about my wonderful mum and our make a difference tour 

Thanks for reading my blog, You can now view my 8 short flims here! http://tommy-on-tour-2011.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/my-mums-name-was-joan-this-is-our-story.html

Monday attending and on promoting excellence Dementia Programme BoardNHS Education Scotland

                                                   

Hi 

I am very happy to announce that Irene Oldfather and myself have been invited on to the NHS Education Scotland promoting exellence ( dementia ,care ,treatment & support ) programme board 

Over the last few months I have given 2 presentations and been invited to observe at one board meeting 

A few months back  Irene and I met with Scottish Government civil servants along with representatives from NHS Education Scotland and SSSC and where invited on to the programming board to represent dementia carer voices 

Monday will be our second attendance at the programme board meetings 

With great thanks to Sussane Forrest and fellow board members for this wonderful opportunity 

You can get more information on promoting exellence below 

 A warm welcome to our second guest contribution to the Dementia Carer Voices blog, providing an insight into the work being undertaken by our partners across the sector to improve the lives of people living with dementia and their carers.

This week, we are delighted to introduce Theresa Douglas, Dementia Project Lead and Leadership Consultant with NHS Education for Scotland, who has taken time out to tell us about the role of the ‘Promoting Excellence’ framework in supporting improvements in dementia care. 

Scotland’s second National Dementia Strategy was launched in June 2013. This 3 year strategy builds on the first 2010 strategy and contains 17 commitments to continue to drive forward improvements in the care and treatment for people with dementia, and their families and carers, across health and social services.

This includes a commitment to continue to improve staff skills and knowledge by working with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) to progress a comprehensive health and social services workforce development plan built on Promoting Excellence: A framework for health and care staff working with people with Dementia, their family and carers. You can access the framework and the related education and training resources by visiting http://www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk/home/portals-and-topics/dementia-promoting-excellence.aspx 

The Promoting Excellence education framework;

• details the knowledge and skills all health and social services staff should aspire to achieve in relation to the role they play in supporting people with a diagnosis of dementia, and their families, and carers.
• is aspirational and future focussed – meaning it is not a just a description of what we do now – it is what we aspire to do in the future to support delivery of the aspirations and change actions outlined in Scotland’s National Dementia Strategy.
• details the knowledge and skills that will inform new ways of working for all health and social services staff to ensure we enable people with dementia, and their families and carers, to maximise their rights, choices and health and wellbeing at all stages of their unique dementia journey.

Wherever you are working in health and care services, whatever your role, you need to know about Promoting Excellence and the level of knowledge and skills you need to have. There are arange of education and learning resources available to support your development and new ones being developed currently.

 

Another useful resource to support staff in health and care is the Dementia Managed Knowledge Network (MKN), offering access to up-to-date information, new resources and opportunities for discussion. Joining this network will enable you to become part of a growing community of people with an interest in sharing knowledge about improving care and support for people with dementia, their families and carers. Full details of how to join the network can be found by following this link.

This is a really interesting time to be part of a national workforce development and service improvement programme designed to build on the good practice and ways of working already established in some places and, where necessary, change the way staff go about their day to day work in order to ensure people who have dementia, their families and carers have the right support to achieve their personal outcomes.

Theresa DouglasProject Lead – Dementia, and Leadership Consultant with the National Leadership UnitNHS Education for Scotland

                                            

Dementia Carer Voices - information - how to get involved

                                               

— 1 Comment

Thank you very much for your interest in getting involved with the Dementia Carer Voices project. There are a number of ways you can do so, detailed below.

Make a pledge   

The team have been encouraging people to make a pledge; a promise to make a difference in the lives of people with dementia, their families and their carers. Please email your pledge to makeadifference@alliance-scotland.org.uk

Tweet us!  

Follow us on twitter and tell us your thoughts @DementiaCarerVo

Follow the team:

@tommyNtour

@IreneOldfather

@SarahRMcDermott

@LauraMcC86

Newsletter 

The Aug/Sept Dementia Carer Voices Newsletter is now out!

If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter, please subscribe to our mailing list by sending us an email here.

YouTube  

Take a look at the Dementia Carer Voices YouTube channel and keep up to date with the latest films and interviews.

Events  

Please find attached a list of upcoming talks for this year. If you would like to attend one of the talks, please get in touch using the contact form below.

        September

• 19.09.14  University West of Scotland Ayr; 2 talks
• 26.09.14  Hertfordshire University

      October

• 01.10.14  Speaking Ailsa Hospital, Ayrshire
• 03.10.14  End of Life Care Event, City Hospital Birmingham
• 04.10.14  Portobello Book Festival
• 7-9 10 14  DCV Exhibition stand at SG
• 08.10.14  6Cs Live Conference in Birmingham NHS England
• 10.10.14  Lanarkshire Acute Care for Older People
• 14.10.14  Hope Café Lanarkshire
• 20.10.14  Speaking at City Hospital Birmingham
• 22.10.14  Speaking at Glasgow Caledonian University
• 23.10.14  2 events – Social workers in Warrington
• 27-30.10.14  NHS Highland Tour
• 31.10.14  Citizens Advice Direct AGM
• 31.10.14  HMFA Scotland Conference in Perth

       November

• 03.11.14  Sunderland City Hospital – Planning for your future care conference
• 12.11.14  Wolverhampton End of Life Care Conference
• 13.11.14  NHS Western Isles Tour
• 20.11.14  Derbyshire NHS Trust End of Life Conference
• 26.11.14  Protected Learning Time GP Practices, Murrayfield

       December

• 02.12.14  NHSGGC Learning Session
• 05.12.14  Cohort13 Senior Charge Nurse Conference

Feedback

Have you attended one of the Make a Difference talks? Let us know what you think! We’ve gathered some of our latest feedback but would love to hear your thoughts on the project, the campaign or the talks. Please let us know by using the contact form below.

Speaking at 'Amplifying our Voice' via Health and Social Care Academy - Perth and Kinross Association of Voluntary Services,Nov 25th

In partnership with Perth and Kinross Association of Voluntary Services, 'Amplifying our Voice' will explore how to work with people with lived experience of managing long term conditions to enable transformational change in health and care services. This interactive event will help shape engagement of all at local and national level using an understanding of the three horizons approach developed by the International Futures Forum.

The day will be facilitated by Audrey Birt Champion of the Health and Social Care Academy and Andrew Lyon of International Futures Forum.

This event is open to health and social care professionals, third sector and people who use support

Thanks for reading my blog, You can now view my 8 short flims here! http://tommy-on-tour-2011.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/my-mums-name-was-joan-this-is-our-story.html

Today Speaking Palliative and end of Life Care National Conference- Wolverhampton

                                              

Hi 

With great thanks to Hazel Reveell and all the team from Compton Hospice for the kind invite to speak 

At their National Conference - Holistic approaches Palliative and end of Life Care  Wolverhampton -  Nov 12th

I look forward to attending ,learning ,listening and speaking about my wonderful mum and our Dementia Carer Vocies ' You Can Make A Difference ' Capmaign 

Thank you Hazel and all at Compton Hospice for the kind invite 

Tommy 

Paul Gray, Chief Exec,NHS Scotland pledges support to Campaign and staff Pledges

Hi 

With great thanks to Paul Gray, Chief Exec, NHS Scotland for taking time to attend our exhibition at the Scottish Parliament last week and for taking part in our short film about the pledges 

Paul kindly met with me as I started my tour and made a pledge to help us on our way 

In fact we share that pledge on our pops ups and flyers 

Thank you Paul for the support and for the pledge today supporting staff pledges 

Paul Gray, Chief Exec, NHS Scotland

We are hearing from individuals about what they think they can do.

I think the emphasis there on that wording – “you can make a difference” – the first word is: “you”.  That means people, individuals, can make a difference. 

And the second word is “can”. It is within our grasp to make a difference and I think it’s really important that we realise this.

I also think that, from my perspective, I need to listen to the voices of carers, because in my life experience I have not been a carer so I can’t say that I know what it would be like to do that, and that’s why I think it is hugely important that I listen to and learn from the real experiences of carers.

I wish you every success with you endeavours. I think you’re creating a real impetus behind this programmeand I think it will be of benefit to the people of Scotland and I think the wider international community areinterested in what we’re doing.

I think it’s really important that we are demonstrating top class practice and hearing the voices of care and making changes as a result.

And I just what to assure all our staff of NHS Scotland that I am completely supportive of them giving their testimony as to what they will do in relation to this programme. 

So, to me, it’s about hearing voices and answering to those voices that we hear.

A Thank You From My Heart 2500 ( to date ) Personal Pledges To MakeADifference

 

A BIG thank you from  the heart to everyone who has made a pledge so far ,for our  You Can Make A Difference Campaign and tour  as of today we have received just over 2500  PLEDGES 

You Can Read All The Pledges Here 

I have  been taking the ‘You Can Make aDifference’ campaign to staff and students throughout Scotland ,England ,Wales  to highlight that no matter what their role, everyone working in Health and Social Care Services has the potential to transform the lives and experiences of people with dementia and their carers, often in seemingly small ways. 

The talks involve sharing our own personal experiences from caring for my  late mum, Joan, and the experiences of others who have written to me  since I  wen ton tour in 2011. 

I hope The Talks - Tour- Campaign allows staff the opportunity to reflect on these personal stories and make a pledge based on one key message or action that they will take away and apply to their everyday practice to make a difference. 

Some of the pledges received so far include;

“I pledge to view the person I care for as all that they have been, all that they are and all that they can be.” 

“I pledge to treat people with dementia and their carers the way I would like to be treated.”

“I pledge to make a difference as the future nurse to listen to the carers and patient.  To give them the best support and care they needed and not to make them ever feel isolated.”

How you can make a pledge 

We launched the ‘You Can Make a Difference’ Campaign in February of this year and it has been so inspiring to see it grow. Tommy Whitelaw has given over 100 talks already this year, with 178  scheduled in total, and we wanted to really thank those who have gotten involved and made it all possible. The talks involve  Tommy sharing his own personal experiences from caring and the experiences of others who have written to him since he went on tour in 2011, to help people understand some of the issues that carers face, and what we can all do to help overcome these issues.

The campaign  has really shown the difference that every single person can make, no matter how small it may seem. This has been through asking people to reflect on carers experiences, and tomake a pledge about one key action they could take to really have a positive impact in the lives of others. Some of the pledges have been about a simple change in attitude such as “I pledge to listen with open ears and open heart.” This type of change is one that we can all implement in our own lives, no matter who we are, where we live, or what we do.

The full collection of pledges, along with further information on the campaign can be accessed online at dementiacarervoices.wordpress.com, where you can submit your own pledge to make a difference.

To get in touch, please call the project team on 0141 404 0233 or email makeadifference@alliance-scotland.org.uk

Thanks for reading my blog, You can now view my 8 short flims here! http://tommy-on-tour-2011.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/my-mums-name-was-joan-this-is-our-story.html