Minutes of the Meeting

Monday 3rd February 2014

People who were there today: Florence Garland (HCC), Rita &Albert Kinsey (parent/carers), Michelle Bonnel (Eastleigh Borough and Romsey Mencap), Carole Lloyd (Andover Day service), Bronya Rimmer (Key Ring), Kayleigh Mitchell (Key Ring), Hayley Dean (Carers Together), Brian Sims (parent/carer), Tracey Carus (HCC), Sue Windess (parent/carer), Jo Olford (HCC), Paul Hatt (parent/carer), Alison Joyce (student social worker), Maria Kelly (Choices Advocacy), Judith Clayton (choices Advocacy), Victoria Blomfield (Social worker HCC), Beth Richards (HCC, Switch Hampshire), Alan Whitney (HCC), Mike Robinson (WACA supporting Henry and Stevan), Henry Sims (LIG rep), Stevan Floyd (LIG rep) and Lorna Wise (Chair)

Apologies: Ophelia Matthias, Liz Hall, Ann Woods, Katrina Richardson, Jacquie ponder, Iga Marczak and Atlanta McCullock

Mistakes/corrections from the last meeting and matters arising:

Stevan and Henry read out the rules.

Apologies from Liz because she has a meeting at Andover

Mencap.

Transformation update – Tracey Carus

Transformation of the “in-house day services” has ALREADY happened in Basingstoke, Eastleigh and Andover. The team is half way through Aldershot, now New Forest, soon Winchester.

Finding providers in Aldershot is proving difficult but the team is meeting with two potential providers soon.

Andover has worked well for the past six months. Service users have been involved from the start.

Transformation of day service is about finding activities for the more abled ones. The service is still provided but not in the same shape/form as before.

Michelle heard that the service was changing in Eastleigh with more people in the groups and providers asking for 10 days notice for new activities. Tracey will investigate as the service should be the same as before, maybe commissioning issues. Flexibility for service users should be first. Providers are supposed to be facilitators. Tracey will feedback at next meeting.

Mike wants to know more about people not on Launchpad.

Switch Hampshire

The scheme is open to anyone living in Hampshire with or without disabilities.

The scheme needs loads of people to be registered so that two of three very large electricity/gas companies bid against each other to switch gas/electricity.

The scheme is open for registration until 17 February to all either by email or by phone. You do not have to change supplier if you think you cannot make any savings.

You need to be able to know how much you spend on electricity/gas.

The scheme is supported by all councils in Hampshire.

This sort of scheme is popular in Belgium and Holland and is part of the “Big community Switch” in the UK.

On average people save £90/£120. It is all about people’s power.

If you are on a fixed deal, you might be a bit stuck but you might want to register and “tick the box” for the next round (if one is available).

The scheme is for one year fixed contract.

What are an assessment and a review? – Jo Olford

An assessment is the paperwork that you do when you have not met the person before. It helps to understand what support needs, a person may have.

A review is later in the process when you check is the support is relevant or no longer right for the person and does it meet the needs? A review might trigger a “re-assessment” with increased or decreased needs.

Lorna said that Jess Hutchinson said (at the Partnership Board meeting) that reviews are currently behind but the team is aware of the problem and they are doing “review fortnight”, ie when people available in the teams will only do reviews. The team at EII court is working on the systems too with a massive data exercise on the computers.

Mike said that the “review fortnight” has affected some of the day to day business.

Jo said that they are working on new assessment forms – currently in draft form. It will be more of a live document soon.

Key Ring – Kayleigh Mitchell and Bronya Rimmer

Pilot projects in Eastleigh and Totton.

Currently 9 service users “members” in the network living within walking distance of each other.

Key ring is looking for a community volunteer coordinator to help out up to 14 hours a week. They get a free one bedroom flat but people need to be available during the day to help out.

(shift work might be OK).

There was a small launch back in December.

The cost is funded by HCC - providing that the service user is eligible (HCC criteria).

In Eastleigh, there is one official member. Adult services are looking into finding people for the scheme.

One Community in Eastleigh might be a useful point of contact.

Partnership Board update

Jess Hutchinson’s report is available via the website and it includes responses in PC reviews, assessment and support plans.

The group also decided that they would like a Facebook group/page where they can add information. We need to find a name for our group so if you have any ideas, please forward to Flo who will make a list.

Service user involvement

Active Orange: things need to be done locally. They have new people at Enham but they were a bit shy so the main group decided to go to Enham instead. Enham is a small remote village on the outskirts of Andover. Next, they are going to talk about transport.

Carole mentioned the LINKS transport scheme in Wiltshire.

Flo has sent the link of Active Orange’s blog.

Lorna said that she met with Cris from Andover Mencap. He will come to our next meeting at Woodley.

Ophelia’s group in Eastleigh: the group have decided that they will have a small tea party for the hand over the donation from the building contractors who purchased the land.

A date is to be confirmed.

They have decided to use the donation to pay for rent for the next year. This means that the group can continue to use their subs to pay for in house activities such as disco’s, yoga and keep fit.

On behalf of the group, Ophelia has contacted the chief inspector currently in charge of Eastleigh. The plan is for him to contact all the local PSCO’s and police in the area to come and meet the group. This is part of the Police efforts to engage and get to know vulnerable groups in their patch. This coincides with the news that more frontline police stations are due to close.

The next date for Eastleigh self-advocacy group is the 27th February from 11 am until 12 noon.

Other things:

Limelight local: 2 groups running (one group is currently on tour). Please support them. Performance in Hedge-End 7.30 pm 2 April. Basket ball alternative Saturdays
Please email Michelle if you would like more information:

Leckford Estate (John Lewis Partnership) charity event (opening of the gardens) on 1st June in help of Romsey and Eastleigh Borough Mencap

Lorna mentioned the conference on the 4 July at Totton college ref: Hate and Mate crime. We might be able to involve Limelight local (Lorna and Michelle to get in touch).

Next meeting: 3rd March 2014 at Woodley Village Hall and then 7th April 10.30 am to 12.30 noon

Usually 1st Monday of the month 2014 except on bank holiday (usually the week after)

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