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In this month's edition...
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Helping people with mental health conditions into employment
The government has announced that £12 million is to be invested in helping people with mental health conditions return to work. The four pilot areas will be Blackpool, Greater Manchester, North East Combined Authority and West London Alliance. They will test a number of different approaches including: key workers and individual support packages; support for new employees to make sure they can stay in work; and training employment advisers to identify mental health problems. Read more about the announcement here
Promoting the needs of offenders with mental health problems
Nominations are being sought for a voluntary sector representative on the Avon Criminal Justice, Health and Social Care Group. The Group's purpose includes promoting the needs of offenders with mental health problems by influencing commissioners and providers; and encouraging commissioners and providers to develop services for offenders with mental health problems by disseminating best practice. Applicants must be a member or worker (paid or unpaid) of a voluntary sector organisation that is a full member of The Care Forum, and supports people with mental ill health. The deadline for nominations is the 20th February 2015. Find out more here
Improving support for people with long-term conditions
The Coalition for Collaborative Care (C4CC) is recruiting new members to the core C4CC co-production group. C4CC is a group of organisations working together to improve support for people with lived experience of long-term conditions, and the co-production group plays a central role in this work. The group is a team of people with long-term conditions and carers working with the C4CC central team and partners to influence and co-design the work of C4CC. They are particularly keen to receive applications from people who have experience of any long-term physical or mental condition which needs long-term management and support. The closing date for applications is Monday 2nd February. Find out more and apply here
Voluntary sector engagement with health and care
Clinks and the Health and Care Strategic Partners are surveying voluntary sector organisations to find out more about how they are engaging with health and care partners. The survey aims to find out how the people that the sector supports are represented on different local health structures, and in the development of local health and social care priorities. The findings will be used to lobby key decision makers and funders; by taking part you will be helping to inform them about your needs. The 20 questions should only take 15 minutes to answer. The deadline for responses is the 30th January. Complete the survey here
Guidance for mental health professionals
The government has published a revised code of practice for the Mental Health Act 1983 which shows professionals how to carry out their roles and responsibilities under the Act, to ensure that all patients receive high quality and safe care. The code will come into force on the 1st April. The main changes include: 5 new guiding principles; new sections on physical health care, blanket restrictions, duties to support patients with dementia and immigration detainees; and significantly updated chapters on the appropriate use of restrictive interventions, particularly seclusion and long-term segregation, police powers and places of safety. Download it here
Support for innovations in health and care
NHS England has launched the NHS Innovation Accelerator which invites healthcare pioneers from around the world to bring their most cutting edge innovations to the NHS. The programme will recruit up to 20 cutting-edge innovations – products, processes and technologies – to be more rapidly developed and scaled across the health service, to improve patient care, and reduce costs. Successful applicants will receive a range of resources to support them in developing and scaling their innovations. The application deadline is the 27th February. Find out more here
Showcasing best practice in Wales
The Care Council for Wales is inviting entries for The 2015 Accolades which celebrate and showcase excellence in social work, social care, early years and childcare in Wales. Accolades will be awarded to teams, groups or organisations that have delivered excellent outcomes in 7 different categories including: Leadership to achieve confident, competent and professional workers; Citizen-led services; Better outcomes through working together; and Developing a sustainable workforce. The closing date for entries is the 6th February 2015. Find out more here
Do you provide advice to offenders?
The Advice Services Alliance is undertaking a project to research the links between health and advice. If you are giving social welfare legal advice to offenders in any kind of health setting, they would be very interested to hear from you. Please contact Lindsey Poole at director@asauk.org.uk
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Developing personalisation in health and social care
'Making personalisation and integration a reality' is an event organised by the Voluntary Sector Health and Care Strategic Partners [24th February, London, free] that will seek to understand what has aided progress in developing personalisation and integration of health and social care, and how barriers have been addressed to deliver greater choice and control. The programme will include a workshop on 'personalisation in the justice system' workshop chaired by Clinks' Kate Aldous, and featuring Catch 22's Frances Flaxington. Find out more here
The implications of sex in prison
'Behind closed bars: Sex in prison' is a Howard League for Penal Reform conference [17th March, London, from £75] that will discuss sex behind bars and the implications for prisoners, health practitioners, prison staff, policy makers, criminal justice professionals and the wider community. It will explore why a mature approach to consensual sex in prison is needed and why sex in prison should be seen within the wider agenda of public health. The conference will highlight the complexities of sexual development and sexual activity within the confines of prison and the implications for staff in responding to sex behind bars. Find out more here
Delivering alcohol interventions in prison
'Alcohol Interventions in Prison - Brief Interventions, Screening, Recovery' is an Academy for Justice Commissioning seminar [5th February, Manchester, free] that will review two projects looking to test whether brief alcohol interventions can be effectively delivered in prison. The Academy says brief alcohol interventions have a large and robust evidence base for reducing alcohol use in risky drinkers, particularly in primary care settings. However, as yet there is little evidence of their effectiveness in criminal justice settings. The seminar features Kieran Lynch, Criminal Justice Programme Manager for Public Health England. Find out more here
Designing NHS Citizen
NHS Citizen are holding their final design workshop [29th and 30th January, London, free] which will be an opportunity for you to help shape parts of the design of the NHS Citizen model that will eventually form a new culture of collaboration between NHS England and the public. They are keen to invite people from three specific backgrounds: people who represent hard-to-reach communities; people who are working in or very interested in involving the public in healthcare decision making; and people with an academic or professional interest in how NHS Citizen works and how it is governed. If you cannot attend you will be able to watch the event through a live webcast. Find out more about NHS Citizen, and register for the event, here
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Support for the voluntary sector from a CCG
The Health Connections Grants are now open to applications from the voluntary sector in Calderdale, West Yorkshire. The Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is offering grants of up to £25,000 to enable the sector to become more sustainable and ‘business ready’ for commissioning via the CCG. Projects should contribute to the CCGs priority areas and contribute to its outcomes, including empowering citizens and resilient communities; and reducing health inequalities. The deadline for applications is 26th February. Find out more and apply here
Awarding innovations in healthcare
The University of Ghent is looking for innovative healthcare projects to apply for the 'PRoF 2015 award'. All innovations in the healthcare domain are eligible to apply, specifically: new concepts or theories in healthcare models; new insights regarding healthcare infrastructure; innovative healthcare processes and/or procedures; and innovative healthcare products and/or services. The winning project will receive a prize of €10,000. The deadline for applications is the 1st April. Find out more here
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Partnering with the voluntary sector
Regional Voices has published 'How do we Enable Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Commissioning in Health, Wellbeing and Care?' which looks at how the health sector can get the most out of partnering with the voluntary sector. It highlights 15 questions that it is posing to the Department of Health, NHS England, Public Health England, the Health and Care Voluntary Sector Strategic Partnership and other voluntary sector infrastructure organisations, on how to support better partnership working. Read the paper here
NHS Standard Contract consultation
The NHS have published the responses from their consultation on the NHS Standard Contract 2015/16, a document used by NHS commissioners to contract for all healthcare services other than primary care. After receiving over 180 separate responses from individuals and organisations, this paper summarises the main themes in the feedback they received. Clinks responded to the feedback document in December 2014; email hazel.alcraft@clinks.org if you would like to see a copy of the response. Download the consultation feedback here
Scrutinising health in local authorities
This briefing note from VONNE explains how health scrutiny works in local authorities, and how voluntary sector organisations can engage with it. Health scrutiny is a way that democratically elected local councillors are able to voice the views of their constituents, and hold relevant NHS bodies and health service providers to account. The briefing lists the powers that health scrutiny bodies have, highlights a case study, lists health scrutiny bodies in the North East of England, and points to useful publications and resources. Download the briefing here
Patients' rights in choosing their mental health care providers
NHS England have produced guidance to support commissioners, referrers and providers on implementing patients’ legal rights to choose the provider and team for their mental health care. The guidance aims to support the NHS to further embed the legal rights so that they operate well and in the best interests of patients. An accompanying 'Clinical Scenarios' document has also been published which gives 10 patient examples to explore the factors to consider when ensuring the legal rights to choice apply. Download both documents here
Guidance on the Mental Capacity Act
The Winterbourne View Joint Improvement Programme and The Care Provider Alliance has produced guidance on the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) for use by community based services and members of care providers’ boards. The two documents are aimed at helping to ensure that the legal rights of those who may lack capacity are upheld and that the individual is at the heart of decision-making. They cover: what the MCA is, and why it matters; what mental capacity means; acting in someone’s best interests; and limits on what can be done in someone’s best interest, including deprivation of liberty. Download the documents here
Reviewing the Mental Health Act
The Centre for Mental Health has published a review of sections 135 and 136 of the Mental Health Act. It is based on meetings and interviews with health and social care professionals, police officers, commissioners, service users and carers who have had experience of the use of sections 135 and 136. The Review finds that for many people being detained by the police was a frightening experience; the use of Section 135 powers in a person’s home was especially traumatic for those who had experienced it; and says heeding the voices of people who have been detained under these sections is vital to ensure any changes to police powers or their application improve people's experiences. Download it here
Recommendations to reduce alcohol misuse
'Tackling the causes and effects of alcohol misuse' is a Local Government Association report calling on Government to help people live healthier lives and tackle the harm caused by excessive drinking and alcohol dependence. It includes statistics on the link between alcohol use and crime. The report recommends: reinvesting a fifth of existing alcohol duty in preventative measures; giving councils the power to take public health issues into account when making licensing decisions; and supporting licensing and trading standards departments to better tackle the black market in alcohol. Download the report here
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Regional contacts for health structures
Regional Voices have published an update to their 'Who's Who' online guide which aims to support voluntary sector organisations make contact with people in their local health and care structures. The guide includes regional contacts for: clinical commissioning groups; health and wellbeing boards; local Healthwatch organisations; commissioning support units; and the Care Quality Commission, in each local authority. View the guide here
Tools for commissioning children's mental health services
NHS England has published a resource with tools for clinical commissioning groups to commission effective mental health services for children and young people. The 'Model Specification for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services' is to support commissioners of targeted and specialist services which treat patients with a range of emotional and behavioural difficulties. Download it 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 2,439 subscribers.
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Designed, composed and circulated by Ben Watson, Clinks.