Respite (short breaks) Survey

About the Bamford Monitoring Group

The Bamford Monitoring Group has been set up by the Patient and Client Council to share with the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety the views and experiences of people with mental health needs, learning disabilities, families and carers, about the effect of changes being made to services as a result of the ‘Bamford Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability’.

We want to know what people think about respite (short breaks). This questionnaire will help us to understand what respite (short breaks) are available, and to find out if people are seeing an improvement in the respite (short break)options in their area.

What is respite (short breaks)?

Respite is defined in health and social care Northern Irelandas:

  • short-term, temporary relief to those who are caring for others, it is any activity or service of limited duration designed to provide a break for a dependent person and their carer/family from the usual routine.
  • the activity or service can be provided on a planned or emergency basis to meet the needs of either the dependent person or the carer and to sustain the carer in their caring role.
  • the distinctive feature of respite care is that it provides time-limited breaks for families and other unpaid care givers in order to support and maintain the primary care giving relationship.
  • respite (short breaks) also provide a positive experience for both parties in order to enhance the quality of their lives and to support their relationship.

Tell us what YOU think…

This is an opportunity for you to give us your views on the respite (short breaks) you currently use and may wish to use in the future.

We aim to make sure that the voice of people who have mental health needs, learning disabilities, their families and carers is heard and acted upon.

We will be telling the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS), and all Health and Social Care organisations what you think about respite (short breaks).

What do YOU think? …

Respite (short breaks) Survey

Thank you for agreeing to take part in this respite (short breaks) survey. There are 30 questions in total and it should take between 15 and 20 minutes to complete.

This questionnaire is for people who use respite (short breaks). Your answers to the questionnaire will remain confidential and will be made anonymous. You will not be identifiable from any reports or publications resulting from answers to this questionnaire.

Please return completed questionnaires by30th April 2011. They should be sent to:

FREEPOST
PATIENT AND CLIENT COUNCIL / OR Email:

Contact the Bamford Monitoring Project Team on 0800 917 0222

Section1: ABOUT YOU
Q1 / Are you male or female?
Male Female
Q2 / What is your postcode?
BT______
Q3 / Which group of services do you use?
Learning disability / Substance misuse
Mental health / Physical or Sensory impairment
Dementia / Children’s services
Older people / Other: ______
Q4 / Please indicate where you live…
Own Home Supported Living Unit
Family Home Other: ______
Hostel
Section 3: YOUR OPINIONS ON RESPITE (SHORT BREAKS)
Q5 / How do you define respite (short breaks)?
I.e. what do you think respite (short breaks are?
1)
2)
3)
Q6 / Have you used respite (short breaks)?
Yes / No
If YES, can you tell us a bit about it?
Overnight Residential / Nursing Unit Overnight at home with support
Voluntary / Community Provider Social Outings
Hostel Other. Please Specify: ______
Additional comments:
If NO, do you know who to contact to request or access respite (short breaks) in your area?Go to Question 21 next if you answered this question
Yes No
Additional comments:
Q7 / Do you use Direct Payments?
Yes No
If YES,how is this used?
Sitting Service Social Outings
Holidays / Weekend Breaks Day activities
Overnight Other, please specify: ______
Additional comments:
Q8 / Who helps you to access respite (short breaks)?
Key Worker Community Nurse Social Worker
Care Coordinator Other, please specify: ______
Q9 / Were you offered a choice of respite (short break) options?
Yes / No
Additional comments:
Q10 / Do you feel the current respite (short break), meets your needs, in terms of:
Yes / No
Frequency
= How often you get respite (short breaks)
Duration
= How long is your respite (short breaks)
Flexibility
Additional comments:
Q11 / If the current respite (short break) is not suitable, have you been offered an alternative?
Yes / No
Additional comments:
Q12 / When organising respite (short breaks), how far in advance do you have to book?
Q13 / Is there anything you would like to say about the respite (short break) booking service?
Q14 / How accessible is respite (short breaks)?
E.g. distance travelled, transport, cost etc…
Very accessible Somewhat accessible
Difficult to access Very Difficult to access
Additional comments:
Q15 / Do you have access to yourusual day activities when on respite (short break)? E.g. daycentre, social activities, education, employment
Yes / No
Additional comments:
Q16 / Do you feel you have had enoughrespite (short breaks), over the last 12 months?
Yes / No
If NO can you explain why?
Q17 / How is your respite (short break) funded (please tick all that apply):
Health and Social Care Trust / Direct payments
Social Services / Don’t Know
Voluntary / Community Organisation / Private arrangement (no input from health or social services)
Other, please specify: ______
Q18 / Please list positives about your current respite (short breaks):
Q19 / Please tell us about any areas in which you think the respite (short breaks) could be improved:
Q20 / Overall haverespite (short breaks) changed over the last 5 years?
Yes / No
Got better Stayed the same Got worse
Additional comments:
Q21 / Please feel free to add any other comments or views in respect of your current or future respite (short breaks):

THANK YOU for completing this ‘Respite (Short Breaks) Survey’.

Please return completed questionnaires by30th April 2011.

They should be sent to:

FREEPOST
PATIENT AND CLIENT COUNCIL / OR Email:

No stamp is needed. Just write the above address in black capital letters on the envelope and put it in the post.

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