STEERING GROUP MEETING
Date / Wednesday 3rd September 2014
Time / 11.30am – 1.00pm
Venue / Rossendale Primary Health Care Centre, room 76
Attending / Brian Topping
Ronnie Barker
Nusrat Rahman
Shelley Prophet
Andy Laverty
Wayne Gibson
Rebecca Kirsch
PC Paul Prophet
Helen Law
Kevin Swain
Liz McInnes
Chris Durkin
John Rattigan
David Hampson
Lynne Horrocks / Chair Person
Patient Representative
Alzheimer’s Society
Communications Team, Lancashire CSU
East Lancs CCG
Lancashire County Council – Public Health
East Lancs CCG (minutes)
Emergency Services – Police
Legal Sector – Woodcocks Solicitors
Domestic Carer Representative
Rossendale Borough Council – Health Leads
Rossendale Hospice – Representative for Care Homes
Crossroads Care East Lancashire
Education – Alder Grange School
Rossendale Dementia Representative
Apologies / Stephen Hughes
Diane Hammond
Insp. Paul Leigh
Barbara Ashworth
Jonathan Bridge
Dr Tom MacKenzie
Clare Root / Alzheimer’s Society
East Lancs Memory Assessment Service
Emergency Services – Police (Rossendale)
Senior Together in Rossendale /Older Peoples Champion
Communications Team, Lancashire CSU
Rossendale GP – Haslingden Health Centre
Age UK
In attendance / There were no guest speakers
Agenda Item / Discussion
14.01 / Welcome and Introductions
Brian Topping (BT) welcomed and thanked everyone for their time today. Introductions were made around the table. Apologies were received for those listed above.
14.02 / Dementia Friendly Rossendale (DFR)
The idea and commitment
BT provided the context regarding Dementia Friendly Rossendale showing how it had started in January this year and the journey to get to this point.
The primary aim of DFR is to raise awareness of dementia in Rossendale and to ensure that people living with dementia are understood, respected and supported in community life by being included and involved and have choice and control over their day-to-day life.
BT envisages that DFR will be a signposting service to existing services, rather than a new organisation itself.
Operating model
BT referred to the organisational structure which illustrates how DFR will operate as a model in Rossendale.
BT referred to the statistics in the Foundation Process document highlighting the growth prediction of dementia in Rossendale rising by 17% from now until 2020.
Denial and isolation play big parts in the delay of diagnosis, but by DFR raising awareness, it can improve the journey of a person with dementia, and encourage early diagnosis.
John Rattigan (JR) highlighted that there are Dementia Café’s and Memory Choir’s available, however these initiatives only scratch the surface of the numbers that need to be reached. BT said that he would encourage the expansion of these initiatives by perhaps having them in individual towns rather than one for the whole borough.
Kevin Swain (KS) felt that the Carer meetings hosted in Rawtenstall are very valuable and regularly have guest speakers at the monthly meetings, however attendance is very low (6-7 from Rossendale).
BT felt that it is important that the retail and commercial sector are in support of DFR (meeting with the big supermarkets next week). BT has met with local bank managers who are keen to work with DFR. Green Dreams, Carers Link, Help Direct amongst others are all willing to be involved and support DFR too.
At present BT is in talks with Sally Naden from BBC Radio Lancashire regarding a dementia slot on her show. BT stated that the Hub team were beginning the process of securing a website and to begin publication of a regular newsletter to reach the public.
BT felt that the past 8 months have been very active and driven to get where we are today.
Action points:
None
14.03 / Steering Group
TORs and expectations
BT explained that the Terms of Reference (TOR) is are for members to understand what is expected of them and explain the authority we want to create.
BT reassured the group that the TOR is not a fixed document, and it can be flexible. BT highlighted that he had purposely left out the ‘Frequency of meetings’ details of the ‘Chair’ until speaking with the group today. The group were in favour of BT to be the Chair of DFR.
JR asked who DFR is accountable to. BT said that we are answerable to the community, not the Health Authority or Alzheimer’s Society. Funding wise – DFR will not to have its own funds as it will only to act as a signposting service. The groups who DFR are helping will be the will be responsible for funding. AL confirmed that the CCG are currently funding the small number of activities that require expenditure.
The Steering Group agreed with the TOR as they stand.
Your role as a member
Each member has been specifically selected as a single point of contact that represents an organisation /sector with their own contacts, skills and area of expertise.
Deputies
If unable to attend and where it is possible and practical, please send a deputy to the meetings, as continuity is key.
‘Hub’ co-ordination; development and relationship with Steering Group
BT explained the Dementia Community Hub model which looks at Awareness, Learning and Understanding, which in turn can inspire people to undertake Projects and Actions. BT suggested this could be setting up further choirs, cafes and focusing on Wellbeing and exploring the arts, music etc.
The Hub model is not a fixed document as in time it will grow, and some areas may need a stronger focus. The aim is to build relationships in these areas and find a way for people to access information. For example David Hampson (DH) will co-ordinate the schools by getting dementia in to the school curriculum to promote citizenship and push awareness in education.
BT reassured that DFR is not trying to circumnavigate or recreate what is already out there, the aim is to reinforce services.
At present the Hub group is working on allocating five venues for the Community Events (road shows). The programme will be a condensed version of the launch but with more interaction and more focused on the neighbourhood. DFR are keeping a contacts database to ensure information is flowing and encourage communication between each other.
BT happy to take any observations comments following this meeting.
DH asked what the delivery model was for the Learning and Understanding. BT suggested that we reinforce a consolidation of what is and might be available in Rossendale.
Shelley Prophet (SP) suggested that Comms could work on pulling together a Directory of Services (DOS) for Rossendale. JR highlighted that there may already be a DOS for East Lancashire following the Dementia Master Class event held at Walshaw House a few months ago. Andy Laverty (AL) said he will locate the document and then the group could look at adding a Rossendale flavour to it.
One area that was of concern to BT was the inconsistency of GP support to patients diagnosed with dementia. KS reported that when his wife was initially informed of the diagnosis by her GP they were left without further advice and without help with further consultations. BT highlighted that Ronnie Barker (RB) is working with PPGs in Rossendale to raise awareness of dementia and look to how DFR can bring “added value” to GPs and their involvement with dementia diagnosis.
RB felt that it was important to get the message across to employers / employees, as dementia is a condition that may well be more frequent in the work place. BT advised that the Hub group are currently looking at putting together a ‘check list’ for retail businesses in Rossendale.
BT informed the group that he will be speaking at the Chamber of Commerce tomorrow (4th September), to address local businesses. BT is also meeting with the big supermarkets locally in the next 2 weeks to inform them of DFR.
Chris Durkin (CD) highlighted that health professionals would be the key people in contact with patients on a daily basis. CD felt that there is a misconception that all health professionals know about dementia. These professionals need awareness sessions too. CD suggested that dieticians, district nurses, health care visitors could all spread the word. AL advised that Caroline Otieno would be the best contact for these professions as she is the co-ordinator for ELHT. BT agreed to contact Caroline to discuss. BT suggested that GP practices can be reached by Dr Tom MacKenzie and RB via PPGs.
JR highlighted that Carers Link have funding available for making employers aware of carers needs, therefore he suggested that perhaps it could be looked in to whether dementia could be bolted on to this too, as there is this is already funding available. CD felt that the Care Home Association would be good to have on board. JR agreed to feed back to the Carers’ Home Association on behalf of DFR. BT said that he was approached by 6 care homes to be on the DFR Steering Group but he felt that it wasn’t appropriate as could potentially receive requests for all 17 homes in Rossendale. CD has already agreed to represent the Care Home community as regards DFR.
Action points:
· Comments on the TOR from members to be fed back to BT prior to the next meeting
· Members to allocate (where appropriate and possible) a deputy to attend meetings in their absence
· AL to locate the East Lancs Dementia DOS and forward to JR
· BT to contact Caroline Otieno to discuss reaching health professionals
· Going forward JR to feed back to the Carers’ Association when /where appropriate
· Going forward CD to feedback information to Rossendale Care Homes on behalf of DFR
14.04 / Priorities and Delivery
BT emphasised the point that the overall priority for DFR is to raise awareness across Rossendale. BT further challenged each member to look how they could achieve this within the areas or groups they represent.
It was BT’s aim to create a plan by the end of 2014 of how this will be achieved. BT invited the group to participate in a more formal and business-like approach and look to structure a “strategy”.
BT took the group through the proposed “Vision”, “Mission” and Values statements in the Foundation Process document, and asked that they consider these (and any alternatives that they may wish to propose) in time for the next meeting.
BT explained the Action Plan that had accompanied the agenda papers for this item. This was the method to be used for each member to capture and articulate how they will achieve the aim of raising awareness and any other tangible improvements they could make in the areas they represent. These are to be ready for the next meeting and collectively will contribute to the overall DFR strategy.
Action points:
· BT asked members to think about how they can raise awareness in their own field of expertise
· Members to report back at the next meeting their thoughts re the vision be for DFR
· Members to complete the Action Plan template and submit to RK () for collation prior to the next meeting
14.05 / Regularity of meetings
BT proposed that the Steering Group meetings are held every 3 months in line with the TORs on a Wednesday at Rossendale Primary Health Care Centre (RPHCC) or at other suitable venues. However because of the pace of development, meetings are likely to be held more frequently in these initial stages. At the next meeting dates for the remainder of 2014 and all of 2015 will be set.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 12th November at 12.30 in room 76.
Action points:
None
AOB
Dementia Friends Awareness sessions
If an organisation would like a Dementia Friends awareness session on site, please let Andy or Rebecca know.
East Lancashire Community Dementia Forum
AL advised that there is an East Lancashire Community Dementia Forum on 11th September at Colne library if anyone is interested in attending. (To register for the event use the following link
http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/delegate/conferenceDetails.asp?cid=12618 alternatively you can telephone: 01772 536294)
Dementia material
If members would like copies of any of the DFR or East Lancs dementia information, please contact AL.
Dementia website
JR highlighted that the East Lancashire Dementia website is out of date. Wayne Gibson (WG) advised that as of yesterday, is now responsible for the website, and reported that shortly there will be a Rossendale specific section available.
BT thanked everyone for attending and hoped that DFR was going to be of value and long lasting!
Action points:
· If interested in a Dementia Friends awareness within your organisation, contact AL or RK to co-ordinate
Date of next meeting:
12.30pm on Wednesday 12th November 2014 at Rossendale Primary Health Care Centre in room 76
Focus for next meeting
· Vision, mission and values
· A consolidated view of a DFR “strategy”
· Community Events update
· A proposed programme of activity for 2015
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Minutes approved by Brian Topping