Speaking Rethink Mental Illness Conference Huddersfield University on October 5th

Hi 

With great thanks to Rachel McDonald Clare Hardman, Hanna Williamson-Sparks, Dr Berenice Golding, Fiona Trotter,Professor Janet Hargreaves for the kind invite to speak at the 'Rethink Mental Illness Conference Huddersfield University on October 5th 

I am very honored to be invited and would like to say a big thank you again to Rachel who is a student at the university for all she has done to make this happen 

you can find out more below  or register for the event at the link HERE 

Tommy   

The festival of mental health and wellbeing is a week of events ran by Huddersfield university. Rethink Mental Health is the first day of this week long event and includes encouraging and nationally known influential speakers, discussing their experiences of mental health journey and their strategies for wellbeing. 
We have a range of varied speakers - Michelle - was the first female RAF paramedic who was diagnosed with Post traumatic stress disorder, Tommy - a male carer of his mother living with dementia for 5 years, Russell - a senior lecturer who was diagnosed with an eating disorder and has recently completed a study about men with eating disorders, Justyn - a former gambling addict who lost it all but found a way back, finishing with Jackie - a young lady who was diagnosed with bipolar in her late teens and recently had to have a leg amputation - take a funny and emotional journey with her hour long comedy show.
All speakers have allocated time slots to enable our audience to ask questions.
Lunch and refreshments will be provided, we only ask for a donation on the day to support a new charity being launched on 10th October "Behind the mask". For more information on this charity search behind the mask on Facebook. 
All visitors will receive a programme outline on the day, as well as educational gifts.
This event has been organised by 2 first year students, with the financial help and backing of the university. Please come along for a fun but informative day and Rethink Mental Health! 

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

The five “Must Dos” provide a framework to help develop reliableprocesses

The five “Must Dos” provide a framework to help develop reliable processes that discover

 1. What and who really matter to the person – personal preferences and human connections.

 2. To provide clear and full communication about options in plain English.

 Once we have done this we are now in a position to:

3. Facilitate a truly collaborative decision about what the individual needs and wants and what will help them to make a good life for them.

4. The final “Must Do” reminds us that we are here to provide 

services and supports that meet the needs of the people who use those services – not the professionals.  Whose need are you meeting?

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

On Scotland Tonight to mark World Alzheimer’s Day

via our Dementia Carer Voices page 

Last night, our very own Tommy Whitelaw was on Scotland Tonight to mark World Alzheimer’s Day, and was joined by Professor June Andrews, Director of the Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) at the University of Stirling. They were discussing the findings of new research commissioned by Alzheimer’s Research UK, which found that one in three people born in 2015 will develop dementia. You can watch the film here.

Tommy spoke of his experiences as a full time carer for his late mum, Joan, who had vascular dementia. Joan was a devoted mother and wife, who sadly passed away 3 years ago today. Tommy now tours the country as part of the You Can Make a Difference campaign in order to share their experiences and those of people who have engaged with the project, telling the stories of people, not of patients, celebrating their lives and love stories.

Joan and Tommy’s story has inspired others to share theirs, and yet more to pledge to make sure the love story continues. “Too often the love story becomes a tragedy. You have the power to keep the love story going” says Tommy.

The team have now gathered over 5000 pledges from people across the UK who have made a personal commitment to make a difference in the lives of people with dementia, their families and carers. Often, these pledges are simple, such as “I pledge to see the person, not the illness” or “I pledge to find out what matters to the people I work with”, but these changes form part of the cultural, transformational change required to make sure that people are consistently treated with dignity and respect, no matter where they are. ‘Pledge trees’ have been appearing in hospitals, residential care homes and universities across the country and are being embedded in practice, changing hearts and minds in the process.

Dementia Carer Voices have engaged with an estimated 30,000 people as part of the 300 talk tour, and are using this considerable outreach to ensure that people are continuously given opportunities to influence not just their own practice but the wider health and social care system. The team are asking health and social care professionals, students, carers, people living with dementia and the wider public to have their say on the future of health and social care as part of the Scottish Government’s National Conversation on Creating a Healthier Scotland. This aims to find out what matters to people and how to support people to live healthier lives. This is an important opportunity shape the future of health and social care, and Dementia Carer Voices will work to ensure that the voices of people living with dementia, their families and carers are heard loud and clear.

We would like to thank each and every one of you who have come to a talk, made a pledge, read the blog, showed your support on twitter and importantly made a difference in the lives of people with dementia and their carers. We would also like to celebrate the life of Joan Whitelaw, and the inspiring legacy that remains to this day. One person really can make a difference

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

Dementia Carer Voices September - October newsletter is now available

EWelcome 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's highlights include information on the Alzheimer's Europe Conference, opportunities to take part in the National Conversation on a Healthier Scotland and an update on our Make a Difference tour.

 

Read: Dementia Carer Voices September/October Newsletter

                           

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

National Conversation on new benefits for carers

The Scottish Government wants to hear from people across the country as part of a national conversation on what would create a fairer Scotland.

The conversation includes a wide range of issues including social security and health and social care, and will also cover how we implement the new powers that will be devolved to Scotland following the Smith Commission recommendations.

One of the areas where new powers are proposed for the Scottish Parliament is social security benefits for carers of disabled people. The UK Government delivers this through Carers Allowance.

The draft legislation going through the UK Parliament will give the Scottish Parliament powers over benefits for carers currently sets out that a carer must:

• be 16 years or above
• must not be gainfully employed
• must not be in full time education
• must be caring for a recipient of a disability benefit.

It will be for the Scottish Parliament to agree what gainful employment and full time student mean for carers benefits in Scotland.

The Scottish Government are seeking views of people who have an interest in and are affected by the powers to come. They are particularly interested in the views of people with direct experience of Carers Allowance, including individual recipients and local organisations.

Information about who currently claims Carer’s Allowance in Scotland is available here.

Key questions

• How should social security benefits support carers
• What parts of Carers Allowance would you like to keep?
• What do you think should change?
• How should we better join up services for carers through benefits? For example on income maximisation.

Click here to find out more and to submit your ideas.

Speaking Breaking Barriers - Marie Curie - Dying with DementiaConference

HI

With great thanks to Richard Meade Head of Policy and Public Affairs, and all at  Marie Curie Scotland Care and support for the kind invite to speak at 

      I am so very honored to be asked 

      You can get more info below or book a place via the link     HERE 

Earlier this year Marie Curie published Living and dying with dementia in Scotland: barriers to care which looked at the challenge of improving care and support available to people with dementia, and their families, at the end of life.

In the report, the charity highlighted that people with dementia are not being appropriately identified for end of life care, and that they have less access to, and receive poorer quality care than people with other terminal illnesses. Marie Curie believe that this is not good enough and needs to change.

The conference in November will explore how we can break these barriers and ensure that there is a stronger focus on the needs and experiences of people living and dying with dementia, and their families and carers. Discussions will focus on patient and family experiences, and policy and strategy. It is intended that the outcomes from the seminar will feed into on-going public policy work surrounding dementia at end of life.

Wednesday Speaking University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay

Hi

With great thanks to Lynne Wyre Deputy Chief Nurse, Sue Smith Executive Chief Nurse, Dianne Smith Matron for professional standards, Karen Dollard

And all at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay for the kind invite to speak at a ‘You can make a difference in Dementia’ conference September 16^th

The day will be split in to two parts with myself speaking in the morning session followed by the Johns campaign in the afternoon

I am very honoured and looking forward to attending, meeting everyone,listening,learning and speaking

For more info and to attend please e mail Dianne Smith at Dianne.smith@mbht.nhs.uk

Speaking Sunshine House Wigan September 21st

Hi 

Thank you so much to Barbara Nettleson and the wonderful team from Sunshine House in Wigan, for the kind invite back to speak at the day  community awareness and togetherness they are organizing in partnership with Wigan Council 
I have had the great honor to speak for 
Barbara before this time last year,you can read more about
 that day and the pledges received  HERE   
The even will take place between 10am and 1pm at Sunshine house 




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

Very Honored Speaking National Bereavement Conference Bolton September21st

Hi 

With great thanks to Doctor Dawn Chaplin  Head Nurse Patient Experience/Clinical Dean for Nursing Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust and Wendy Lewis-Cordwell Director Bereavement Care Services Cumbria and Lancashire for the kind invite to Speak at  National Bereavement Conference Bolton wanderers Football Ground on September 21st 

I have had the great privilege to speak for Dawn on a few occasions before and I am so very honored to be asked to speak again 

                               

                                   

   

Speaking Queen’s Nursing Institute Annual Conference September 28th

Hi 

With great thanks to Dr Crystal Oldman @CrystalOldman Chief Executive of the Queen's Nursing Institute,Farida Barlas @FaridaBarlas Queen’s Nurse Network Manager and all at the Queen’s Nursing Institute @TheQNI for the kind invite and great honor to speak at 

the Queen’s Nursing Institute Annual Conference September 2015 http://www.qni.org.uk/news_events/conference_2015

Thank you all for the great kindness and honor 

Tommy 

More about The Queen’s Nursing Institute

The Queen’s Nursing Institute is a registered charity dedicated to improving the nursing care of people in their own homes.

We trained district nurses until the 1960s, in a model that was copied across the world. This model of care was instrumental in developing a comprehensive, highly-skilled service in the UK that meets the needs of millions of people every year.

Today we improve nursing in the home by:

• Developing Queen's Nurses who are committed to high standards of care in the community, helping them to make improvements in practice and to act as leaders and role models to others
• Influencing policies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that affect healthcare in the home and the quality of community nursing services
• Funding projects led by community nurses that improve care for their patients

Our vision:

We want excellent nursing care in the home for everyone who needs it there, provided by nurses and their teams who have specific skills and knowledge.

We see a future where more people are treated at home, rather than in hospital, technology is exploited to the full, and the relationship between nurse and patient is central to quality healthcare.

• To read our Strategic Plan for 2014-2016 please click here. 

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

Speaking - Sustainable Leadership - Using Networks to Grow September29th

    Hi 

with great thanks to Shevaun Mullender-EGA Cohort 1:1 for the Kind invite to speak   Sustainable Leadership - Using Networks to Grow Cohort  1.1  Elizabeth Garrett Anderson programme  NHS  leadership Academy  on September 29th                                                         I have had the great privilege to speak for Shevaun before  as Part of a mini tour of Essex a few months back you can read more about that day  and the inspiring pledges received HERE             
Thank you shevaun and all connected for the kind opportunity to both attend and speak 
Tommy 
    

               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