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In this month's edition...
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How can we make sure prison leavers receive consistent care?
Clinks' Offender Health Coordinator Hazel Alcraft has posted a discussion topic on the NHS Citizen Gather website around health and care in detained settings. Gather is a discussion forum where anyone can post ideas and suggestions, join discussions and comment, on how the health service in England can improve. A 'Citizens’ Jury' will choose five issues to go to an NHS Citizen Assembly meeting in November 2015 to be discussed by citizens and senior NHS leaders. Hazel asks: “Leaving prison is a critical transition point that can pose significant health risks … Clinks’ recent case study of HIV charity Sahir House shows how support from a voluntary sector partner can make all the difference. How can we make sure people leaving prison receive consistent care? What experiences do others have of this issue? How else can we ensure people receive continuity of care between prison (and other secure settings) and the community? Join the discussion here (free registration required)
The impact of drug and alcohol addiction on employment
Clinks, through the Making Every Adult Matter coalition, will be submitting evidence to the Department for Work and Pensions' independent review into the support available for benefit claimants with problematic drug and alcohol use. Chaired by Dame Carol Black, the review is examining a wide range of issues, including the feasibility of making benefits conditional on accepting an offer of treatment. We are inviting you to submit evidence, if you would like to do so, please contact Sam Thomas by Friday 28th August, at Sam.thomas@meam.org.uk
Shaping the voluntary sector's involvement in health and care
The Health and Care VCSE Review Advisory Group has released two consultation papers asking for views from the voluntary sector, and from those working in health and social care. The first looks at the current state of investment and partnership working between the voluntary sector and the health and care system, and how closer collaboration could be fostered. The second asks for views on the Department of Health’s existing Voluntary Sector Investment Programme. The Review has been established to make recommendations on how the sector can: maximise and demonstrate its impact; build sustainability and capacity; and promote equality and address health inequalities. The deadline for responses is 6th November, for more information click here
Draft service model for commissioners
NHS England is seeking views on a draft service model for health and care commissioners describing what good services should look like for people with a learning disability and/or autism, with a mental health problem or behaviour that challenges. This includes people of all ages and those with autism (including Asperger’s syndrome) who do not also have a learning disability, as well as those people with a learning disability and / or autism whose behaviour can lead to contact with the Criminal Justice System. The Model will ensure consistency in what services should look like whilst giving commissioners the flexibility to re-design services to meet local needs. The deadline for responses is 4th September. Find out more and complete the survey here
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Exploring the health implications of work
'Health, Work and Wellbeing' is a Minding the Gap event [10th September, Leeds, free] looking at how to create fair employment and good work for all. The focus of this event will be to provide an opportunity to explore healthy work, and the challenges and opportunities it presents. It will review the work of the Institute of Health Equity, and offer an opportunity to discuss how the lack and quality of work impacts on health. The Work Foundation will also present a recently published paper entitled ‘Working, Health Economies’ along with contributions from other relevant organisations. For more information, and to book your place, please email icopley@wakefield.gov.uk
Researching offender health
Prison researchers at Royal Holloway, University of London, are inviting PhD students and early career researchers to 'Health and well-being in prison populations' [11th September, London, free]. The event will provide a chance for students and researchers to share ideas, present their work and meet others in a supportive environment, and is for those with an interest in prison populations, and work with marginalized and hard to reach and underserved groups. Find out more here
Service user involvement managers network
Are you responsible for service user involvement in your organisation? Join us for this afternoon network event for Clinks members [14th September, London, free] which will bring together service user involvement managers to share experiences, expertise, challenges and successes, and learn from one another. Through the session we will aim to celebrate best practice in service user involvement, identify challenges and support needs in your work, and consider what resources are needed to promote and build effective service user involvement across the Criminal Justice System. This will also be an opportunity to help shape Clinks’ work to develop patient voice in health in the justice system. Places are limited, for more information and bookings click here
Supporting women involved in prostitution
'Multiple disadvantage and Women Involved in Prostitution: Support and Best Practice' is an AVA project seminar [25th September, London, free] that will explore best practice in supporting women involved in prostution, through presentations from leading practitioners, researchers and policy makers. The objectives of the seminar are to: understand the relationship between multiple disadvantage and women involved in prostitution; consider best practice in supporting women faced with multiple disadvantage who are involved in prostitution; and explore innovative ideas for future projects, strategic aims and policy asks. Find out more here
Debating the future of offender health
The University of Salford's 'Future of Offender Health' conference [16th October, Manchester, from £325 + VAT] is an opportunity to debate and discuss ways to address the relationship between effective health care and whether it can have a positive impact on reducing offending rates. The conference will assess how the government’s most recent proposals can be implemented and if the current consensus emerging on breaking the connection between health problems and offending will hold. Find out more and book here. To secure three places for your organisation at the reduced rate of £200 + VAT per person, email eleanor@onecpd.co.uk
Improving health outcomes in secure environments
Centrevents' '3rd Health and Justice Summit' [6th and 7th November, London, from £90+VAT] will look at the determinants of health in secure environments and how to manage these determinants to improve health outcomes. The programme on the first day will broadly address physical health in secure mental health environments, and the second day will address the health needs of people in other secure environments such as prisons and immigration and removal centres. This summit is an opportunity for leaders in the field from across the country to come together and share experiences and expertise. Find out more here
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Mid-life mental health
Bupa UK Foundation’s New Grants Programme is open to applications from voluntary sector organisations for projects addressing the theme of mid-life mental health. The Foundation sees the mid-life period (defined as 'from the late 20s to early 50s') as a time of increased challenges, responsibilities and pressures in their working lives, family lives and relationships. The funding is for projects that aim to support and improve people's mental health at this 'critical life-stage'. Small grants of up to £10,000, medium grants of up to £50,000 and large grants exceeding £50,000 are available for practical projects or initiatives which will have a direct impact on people's health and wellbeing. The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 4th September. Find out more here
Patient and citizen involvement
Has your community or voluntary group been working to involve patients and the public in improving health care services? Have you got some good practice to share? NHS England will be awarding small grants of up to £1,000 to organisations who can tell the story of their patient and citizen involvement and engagement work in a creative and interesting way. This can be in a wide variety of ways: videos, photo or audio books, leaflets and posters, graphics or other formats. The deadline for applications is 28th September. Find out more and apply here
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Regulating health and care in secure settings
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published a provider handbook setting out how they regulate health and social care in prisons and young offender institutions, and health care in immigration removal centres. The handbook describes how they register providers, carry out inspections, publish their ratings and how they take enforcement action. Clinks are pleased to see the inclusion of several measures for gathering the views of service users recommended by our members during the consultation exercise, including: consulting with prisoner councils and forums; engaging with local Healthwatch and advocacy organisations; and attending visitor centres to speak to the families of detainees. We will be continuing to work with the CQC over the coming months to support them to implement these in practice. Download the handbook here
Updated NHS Constitution
The NHS Constitution and Handbook to the NHS Constitution have been updated to reflect current policy and legislation, and to make the Constitution a more practical document. The new Consitution has implemented Sir Robert Francis QC's recommendations from his inquiry into the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, including amendments based on: prioritising patients, protecting patients from avoidable harm, providing assistance that patients need, and staff compliance with guidance. All NHS bodies and private and voluntary sector providers supplying NHS services are required by law to take account of this Constitution in their decisions and actions. Download the documents here
NHS annual report
NHS England has published its 2014-15 Annual Report. Chief Executive, Simon Stevens, has pointed to the publication of the Five Year Forward View as one of the most significant moments of the past year. As well as setting out its performance over the last year and its priorities for 2015-16, the report outlines some of NHS England’s most significant achievements, the annual accounts, and gives a Directors’ report. Download the report here
Health service inspector's annual report
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published its annual report and accounts for 2014/2015. In the report, the CQC sets out how it has rolled out the monitoring, inspecting and regulating of health and adult social care services in England. David Behan, Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission, said: "We have radically transformed how we regulate health and adult social care services in England, with rigorous and expert-led inspections and ratings to drive improvement and through increased transparency help people make informed choices about their care." Download the report here
Offenders with learning disabilities
NHS England has published 'Equal Access, Equal Care', providing guidance for prison healthcare staff treating patients with learning disabilities. The guidance is an introduction for all prison healthcare staff about the main points to consider when treating or managing a patient with known or suspected learning disabilities. It applies community healthcare policy and best practice regarding patients with learning disabilities to the prison healthcare setting. Download the guidance here
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Risk behaviours data
The Cabinet Office and Department of Health has published a data pack showing trends in risk behaviours and negative outcomes amongst young people. The pack accompanies a discussion paper exploring the decrease in 'risky' behaviours in children and young people, possible causes and what new risks could emerge. Risk behaviours potentially expose people to harm, or significant risk of harm which will prevent them reaching their potential, or damage their health and wellbeing. The evidence suggests a slow and steady decline in risk behaviours and negative outcomes, such as drinking, drug use, smoking, youth crime, suicide, and teenage pregnancy. Download the data here
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Compassion is the best medicine
Pat Kenny from Revolving Doors’ National Service User Forum has written a blog on his experience speaking at NHS England’s recent Compassion in Health and the Justice System conference. Pat writes: “It was really empowering and I felt genuinely listened to. I wasn’t a service user that day; I was a peer on a panel with a member of the Royal College of Nursing, a senior nurse from Care UK and the deputy governor at Wormwood Scrubs. I felt that the stories I told were a wake-up call for the audience members, who genuinely wanted to make change. I’m confident that people will take on board what I said and hopefully the theme of compassion is on the agenda now ... If compassion was standard practice, would I have kept falling back into sections and being pushed through the system? I think not. I look forward to taking part in more of these events to keep pushing this message forward.” Read the blog here
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About Clinks Offender Health Bulletin
This regular bulletin provides Clinks members with the latest news for voluntary sector organisations involved in the health and care of offenders. It currently has 2,589 subscribers.
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Designed, composed and circulated by Ben Watson, Clinks.