Joint Future
November
2008
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New GSB Befriending Project
We have been awarded £290,000 over three years and this will be used to appoint two befriending coordinators to cover Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray. The project aims to recruit volunteer befrienders to help visually impaired people to become less isolated, less vulnerable, more independent, and to improve communication.
We will work closely with clients, their families and carers and other agencies to achieve our aims.
A pilot project run in Aberdeen to test our ideas was used to support our application and has proven to be a great success and has shown many positive outcomes for the participants, both clients and befrienders.
We will shortly be recruiting staff for this project which will start in the first quarter of next year.
Thanks must go to all that took part in the pilot project and to the staff who worked tirelessly in putting together the extensive submission to make the application a success.
Graham Findlay
Chief Executive,
Grampian Society for the Blind
Tel 01224 625622
The DPHS Aberdeen is a local charity offering housing advice and information to disabled people, their families and carers. Based at 43 Raeden Court, Aberdeen the DPHS currently has two members of staff, a Development Officer and an Administration Assistant.
Our main aim is to assist disabled people who are looking for suitable housing in Aberdeen City either in the social rented sector e.g. council or housing association, or in the private sector through private landlords, estate agents and local housing developers.
We provide a professional advice service to clients either in our office or home visits to disabled clients are available if they are unable to call in to see us.
Client details as well as their specific housing requirements are recorded on a registration form and held on a database.
We work closely with all local landlords and hold details on our database of all their current and planned adapted, barrier free and wheelchair accessible properties. This enables us to ‘match’ our clients with the most suitable properties when they become available either to rent or to buy.
At the present time the majority of contact and property detail has come from social sector landlords including the local Council and the five leading Housing Associations in the City. However, the DPHS Aberdeen is very keen to enter into discussion with private landlords who can provide information on their properties and these can be ‘matched’ with disabled people who are seeking this type of accommodation.
For further details or to have a chat with our Development Officer, Shirley Norton, please call the DPHS Aberdeen.
Contact details – phone/fax 01224 810222. email . website www.dphsaberdeen.org
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David Alexander and Rachael Little from the Aberdeen City CHP Public Health Team offer a range of training sessions to promote awareness raising and greater understanding of mental health and well being issues.
The main sessions offered are:
An awareness raising session about mental health
The session concentrates on staff mental health and well-being and gives staff the opportunity to explore some of the reasons which cause them stress and how this impacts on their health. Staff also receive some basic tips to help deal with life’s pressures. Duration 1.5 to 3 hours.
Looking at depression & anxiety
Signs and symptoms. Duration 3 hours.
Children & young people’s mental health
Session looking specifically at the mental health & well-being of children and young people. The session includes sections on attachment, resilience, conditions and risk factor. Duration 3 hours.
Promoting Mental Health improvement – Raising Awareness
The course covers a range of issues around mental health improvement. The first session looks at what is meant by mental health and looks at practical examples found in our communities.
The main part of the day concentrates on the McDonald/O’Hara model of demoting and promoting factors which influence mental health on an individual level, in communities and in the workplace.
The last session allows participants to work with the model and apply it to projects they are working on planning.
For training in this area, the Scottish Mental Health First Aid Course is appropriate.
Scottish Mental Health First Aid Training
The course covers:
What is mental health?
Depression
Anxiety
Psychotic Illnesses
Self Harm
It introduces participants to the ALGEE model to help and support people experiencing an episode of mental ill health. The course is made up of 4 three hour modules which can be run on two consecutive days, 2 non-consecutive days or as 4 three hour sessions.
The above courses are free of charge. Organisations are required to provide accommodation and any catering requirements.
If you require more in depth training or would like to explore other training possibilities David and Rachael can meet with you to try and tailor a course to meet your needs.
David Alexander
Health Improvement Officer Mental Health & Well Being
( 01224 555254
Rachael Little
Health Improvement Officer Neighbourhoods
( 01224 555268
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NORTH OF SCOTLAND EATING DISORDERS INPATIENT UNIT, ROYAL CORNHILL HOSPITAL, ABERDEEN
NHS Board Partners
The North of Scotland Health Boards (Tayside, Grampian, Highland, Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland) form a consortium which is commissioning a regional Inpatient Unit for Eating Disorders. This will be based in Aberdeen and operational management will be by the Specialisms Directorate of Grampian Mental Health Services. The total population for the 6 Health Boards is 1,306,300. The Unit will be funded by NHS Grampian, NHS Highland and NHS Tayside based on an agreed financial calculation.
The unit comprises a 10 bedded in-patient ward, with an additional 4 places for day-patients. This will serve the population aged 18 to 65 years. In certain, exceptional, circumstances admissions between the ages of 16 to 18 will be considered. The total population of these areas for the age group 18-64 is 813,400.
A review will be undertaken of existing NoS Eating Disorder patients currently receiving treatment within the Private Sector as to who shall remain in the private sector and who shall be treated within RCH.
Treatments Offered
The unit itself will operate using a Clinical Operational policy which will help inform decision making around admissions and management. The aim of this policy will be to provide:
· A safe environment in which to manage severe eating disorders.
· A broad range of expertise and therapeutic options for the treatment of severe eating disorders.
· There will be a detailed assessment of the physical, psychological and social needs of the patient.
· An individually tailored combination of nutritional, psychological, physical and social treatment of the eating disorders.
· Smooth transitions between the Unit and other treatment settings before and following admission to hospital.
An integrated formulation method will be used to guide the psychological interventions for a given individual, and the expectation is of an individually designed care plan for each patient, using the integrated formulation as a guide. All patients will attend group based therapeutic programmes and treatment approaches, where possible, will be used according to evidence based criteria and guidelines produced by NICE and QIS. The following therapeutic modalities will be available in group, family or individual settings:
· Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
· Motivational Enhancement Therapy
· Body Image Work
· Eating Skills Development
· Attention to excess exercise, vomiting, laxative misuse and other abnormal behaviours associated with eating disorders.
· Self-esteem work
· Nutritional education
· Family work
· Art Psychotherapy
Operational Date
The majority of staff have been appointed and will take up post on 1 January 2009. The Unit will become operational with patient admissions from 1 February 2009. Discussions are ongoing regarding the name for the Unit and the official opening which is anticipated to be late February/early March 2009.
LOUISE-ANNE BUDGE
PROJECT MANAGER
EATING DISORDER INPATIENT UNIT/SUPPORT MANAGER – SPECIALISMS DIRECTORATE
Tel number 01224 557611
CARERS’ RIGHTS DAY 2008
5th December 2008
10am-3pm
VSA Carers’ Centre takes part in the annual Carers’ Rights day which is organised by Carers UK. There is a theme each year, this year's theme is 'Making the most of your money' and the focus is on carers and financial capability. We will be concentrating on helping Carers manage their finances and access financial support and advice.
We are delighted the day will be supported by……
10am-11am – Frank Doran MP – Carers Q & A’s
10am-3pm – Grampian Credit Union – Financial advice
10am-12pm –SCARF- Energy Efficiency Advice
11am-1pm –Aberdeen City Council Strategic Team –Carers’ Priorities
12pm-2pm –Independent Living Fund – information & Advice
1pm-3pm –Anne Begg MP – Carers Surgery
VSA Carers support team will be on hand to offer advice including…
· VSA Carers Welfare Rights Team
· VSA Carers Support Workers
· VSA Male Carers Worker
· VSA Young Carers Workers
The day will be on a drop-in basis but appointments are available by request.
For any further info contact
VSA Carers Centre
24-28 Belmont St
Aberdeen
Tel: 646677
www.vsa.org.uk/carers
VSA is a registered Scottish charity SC012950
The Joint Future News Updates are produced by .....
Sandy Reid, Joint Future Programme Development Manager, Aberdeen CHP
Strategic Leadership
1st Floor
74-76 Spring Garden
Aberdeen
AB25 1GN
Phone:
(01224) 538069
Fax:
(01224) 538087
E-Mail:
Beverley Johnson, Joint Future Administrator, Aberdeen CHP
Phone:
(01224) 538050
..... either of who would be happy to receive your comments or contributions for future editions.
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