If you would like to join with other carers in Devon to mark this special event, please contact Exeter Carers Focus, Exeter CVS, Wat Tyler House, King William Street, Exeter, EX4 6PD (tel 01392 202055).

Meetings will be held on the 3rd Monday of the month, in the Social Hall, Paignton Hospital, from 6.30-8.00pm. Parking is available in the adjoining Hospital Car Park.

The speakers for the next two meetings are:
April 17th ……..Peggy Bailey - “Good things of the 20th Century”
May 15th………Terease Farrow & Pat Isle - “The role of the Community District Nurse”.

Refreshments will be available during the meeting. For more information on the group, or future events, please contact Ken Newell on (01803) 313839. 

Carers National Association (CNA) is the leading carers’ organisation in the UK, which gives support to all carers who are looking after a relative or friend, who is disabled, ill or frail.

CNA campaigned for the introduction of the Carers Act, which gave carers legal recognition. At present, they are researching into the financial worries and difficulties which carers have, the results of which will be used as a basis for pressing for a better for financial deal later this year.

They run a national Advice and Information telephone line manned by a team of experts:

FREEPHONE 0808 808 0336
Mon-Fri: 10am - 12noon & 2pm - 4pm.

The programme will be held at the Ashburton Centre, a comfortably restored Georgian house in the ancient town of Ashburton, within easy reach of the sea and moor. The Centre is a ’not-for-profit’ organisation, and the programme is supported by a bursary.

For further details and information please contact the Centre on (01364) 652784.

This is a government scheme to help people over 50 back to the workplace by providing training and support.

Many people over 50, including carers, find it difficult to find a worthwhile job that pays a decent wage. Many need help in getting back to work. This might include personal advice, training for work and help on how to look for work.

Carers and former carers in particular may have been isolated by their caring role, and have lost confidence in their ability to find paid work. They may also need to find a job that fits in with their caring responsibilities.

Whichever of these applies to you, New Deal 50plus can help - because it aims to give you the support you need to find the right job for you.

To find out more, ask at your local Jobcentre, or call the Employment Service Helpline on 0845 6062626 (local call rates apply).

This is the opportunity for South Devon PCG’s to present how they are prioritising Mental Health, and to consult specifically with mental health carers and professionals on the implementation of the Mental Health National Service Framework.

If you would like to go to the seminar, or obtain a copy of The Mental Health National Service Framework document, please contact Claudia Benzies on (01803) 712669. 

There is full coverage of:

social security benefits and other financial help for recipients of community care, and carers

the duties of social services and health authorities in arranging residential or nursing home care

how benefits are affected by entering or leaving home care, whether on a temporary, respite or trial period or permanent basis

the social services means test for those needing help with care home costs

how different schemes are administered, the collection and enforcement of charges, how to challenge decisions and enforce rights, and common problems

To order a copy of the “Paying for Care Handbook” send a cheque for £11.95 + £2.95 postage and packing to CPAG, 94 White Lion Street, London, N1 9PF (cheques should be made payable to ‘CPAG’).

They also aim to work with people with learning disabilities to support them in leading full lives in the community.

For more information, or to obtain a publications catalogue, please contact, The Mental Health Foundation, 21/21 Cornwall Terrace, London, NW1 4QL (tel 020 7535 7400). 

Encouraging signs include:

• use of flexibility, and strengthening exercise

• fewer visits to the doctors after 12 months

• significant decrease in terms of pain, fatigue and anxiety

• disease acceptance

• use of learned relaxation

For more information contact-Marjorie Nicholson, Project Co-ordinator on (01803) 762352.

As the first step to providing the services you need, the Government has required your GP practice to have started to identify the carers on their list by this April. Do you know if your practice has done this?

To encourage those practices that maybe haven’t made a start, will you check the next time that you go to your surgery, if they have started a carers register, and if your name is on it? If they haven’t, the fact that you are asking will probably remind them that it is something they must do.

3rd May - South Brent Health Centre, South Brent

7th June - The Square, Cornwood

For more information on the service please contact, Mavis on (01752) 690278.

The next date for the Totnes Carers Group meeting will be Wednesday 10th May (Coffee and chat evening). Meetings take place in the Rehabilitation Unit at Totnes Hospital from 6.30 - 8.30pm. For further details please contact, June Wilkins on (01803) 865684.

....is the question being asked through a leaflet available from Devon County Council called ‘Better Government for Older People in Devon’.

A short term project with a long term aim is the message from DCC. “We want to improve things for those who are older now, and those who hope to grow older in Devon. We cannot promise to solve all of the problems that people have, but we will do our best to tackle those within our power”.

The council would like your help with this project, so if you feel you could complete a short questionnaire please request further details, or the booklet ‘Better Government for Older People’ from Devon County Council, County Hall, Exeter, EX2 4QD (tel 01392 382480).

The broad aims of their roles include:

To work in close collaboration with voluntary and statutory agencies who are developing support services for carers and link in with existing carers groups

To identify the full range of support services currently available to carers in the District and the gaps in provision

To plan with other agencies and groups how carers’ services can be set up

To undertake an audit of all carers known to the Social Services department to evaluate the need and estimate the numbers of hidden carers

To contribute to the production of a multi-agency Carers’ Information Pack.

To complete a survey of resources in each parish which are available for carers, and to contribute to the development of a multi-agency District Directory available through the development of HelpBox

To contribute to the existing consultation and planning arrangements in conjunction with Health, GPs, Voluntary Agencies and Carers Groups

If you feel you can provide Lisa or Anna with information to help in their work, they can be contacted on (01752) 891050. If you are a carer and need help from Social Services, please contact the Helpdesk on (01803) 869300.

As the first step to providing the services you need, the Government has required your GP practice to have started to identify the carers on their list by this April. Do you know if your practice has done this?

To encourage those practices that maybe haven’t made a start, will you check the next time that you go to your surgery, if they have started a carers register and if your name is on it? If they haven’t, the fact that you are asking will remind them that it is something they must do.

If you are unable to attend but would like to know more, please contact Peggy on (01626) 365023.

Organised by members of the Teignbridge Carers’ Action Group, carers will be given the opportunity to enjoy a variety of therapies and treatments offered by the students of South Devon College. There will also be other things going on suitable for men and women alike, including having a swim in the new pool, or listening to live music. You should find an invitation to this event enclosed with this newsletter.If not, please contact either the Consortium (details below) or South Devon Carers’ Helpline on (01626) 889288.

The council would like your help with this project, so if you feel you could complete a short questionnaire please request further details or the booklet ‘Better Government for Older People’ from Devon County Council, County Hall, Exeter, EX2 4QD or telephone (01392) 382480.

These will be looking at particular aspects of services for carers identified in the new Torbay Carers’ Strategy ‘Measure Up’, and they are one way of involving carers more at an earlier stage in the planning process. Expenses (including sitting service costs) and payment for hours worked will be offered to the carers who join the groups.

The following are the groups needing input from carers:
Carers Assessment (Group 1)
A group of carers, ex-carers and Social Service staff will review the current Carers’ Assessment process in Torbay, and produce proposals for changes in policy and guidance on Carers’ Assessments for carers from all age groups (carers of adults, parent carers and young carers). The group will be established during June 2000 for a period of up to 6 months, and the anticipated time commitment will be about 7 hours per month.

Carers Assessment (Group 2 - carers of people with mental health problems)
This group will be composed of carers, ex-carers, Social Service staff (Mental Health and Hospital teams), Community Psychiatric Nurses, a representative from the Primary Care Group and the Voluntary Sector. They will review the existing local arrangements for Carers’ Assessments in mental health, and produce draft proposals for developing local arrangements to meet Standard 6 of the National Service Framework for Mental Health. The plan is to complete the work by October 2000, with a time commitment of about 7 hours per month. It is not expected that group members will have experience of research work, so support and training will be provided.

Short Breaks Group
This will consist of carers, users and staff. Its role will be to comment and advise on proposals to develop specific breaks services in Torbay, and build up knowledge of good practice and innovative services. The group will meet regularly, and the minimum time commitment will be 2 hours per month.

Direct Payments Group
A group of carers, ex-carers and staff from Care Management Teams will undertake research into ways of organising Direct Payment arrangements and support schemes. They will also plan a seminar for managers, staff, carers and users in June 2000 to present the results of the research. The time commitment required will be 16 hours from late April - June (3 two-hour meetings and 10 hours research work).

If you are interested in working on any of these groups, please contact James Drummond, Policy Officer, Torbay Social Services, for an informal discussion (tel 208438). Alternatively, you can write to James at Social Services, Oldway, Paignton. 

As many of you were involved in various stages of writing the strategy, we are sending out copies of the final published version with this newsletter. A large number of these newsletters are posted out to individual carers by your own Doctors’ Surgery, so if you find you have not received a copy of the Strategy and would like one, please contact the Consortium (details below).

A final big ‘thank you’ to all of you who did respond in one way or another. Now the work really starts to make it all happen!

The Torbay GP Project, which has been funded by Social Services and managed by South Devon Carers’ Consortium for the past 4 years, has finally come to an end. After extensive discussions between Social Services, members of the Consortium and Viv Dodwell (the Consortium’s Project Worker), it was agreed all round that the Project had achieved its objectives, and had actually accomplished more than we had hoped for when it was started in just 3 Practices in Paignton and Brixham.

Now that the Government has laid the responsibility for identifying carers, within GP Practices, firmly on the shoulders of the Primary Health Care Teams, it was agreed that the agencies needed to take a different approach in the future, whilst building on the significant achievements of the Project. Discussions are still taking place as to how exactly this happens, so watch this space for more news later this year.

Meanwhile, it is likely that the Consortium will maintain a co-ordinating and advisory role between the Key Contacts that were identified in each of the Practices. Also, the Carers’ Support Groups that the Consortium helped to establish in each of the towns will continue to receive as much support as they need to maintain them.

We are sure that we are speaking on behalf of the carers and Primary Care Team staff that Viv has worked with, in thanking her for all her hard work, and wishing her all the best for the future in whatever capacity she finds herself in next. 

8 May - Speaker: Kathy Willis on ‘Herbalism’
5 June - Speaker: Phil Willcox from Age Concern

These meetings take place at 2.15pm at Croft Hall Medical Practice, Croft Rd, Torquay. The group is also planning a Garden Party on the lawn of the Medical Practice on 1 July. For further information, contact Julie Bright on 298441.

Paignton
‘TLC’ Meetings as normal. Call 557033 for details.

Brixham
28 April - Speaker from Disability Information Service
20 May - Cheryl Bawden from the Benefits Agency
30 June - Speaker from the Fire Service

The group are also planning a trip to Orchid Farm (on the Bovey Tracey road out of Newton Abbot) on 12 May, to view flowers before they travel up to the Chelsea Flower Show. The Farm is open to members of groups only, and there is a small entrance fee. Members either may their own way to meet at 2.30pm, or call Jean on 854245 for further details.