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In this month's edition...
Health and Wellbeing Alliance
The Department of Health, NHS England and Public Health England have launched their new VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance. The Alliance aims to act as a key link between the voluntary sector and the national health system partners, to bring the voice of the sector into national policy making. Clinks and Nacro have been accepted as members of the Alliance for 2017/18, building on our successful membership of the strategic partnership programme, to represent and address the health needs of people in the criminal justice system. Clinks will continue to use this to provide you with up-to-date information on the latest developments in health in the justice system, and ensure our members’ voices are heard. If you work in this area or would like to hear more about the Alliance please contact hazel.alcraft@clinks.org
Helpline for people with learning disabilities
KeyRing has an e-Helpline for people with learning disabilities in the criminal justice system. The e-Helpline is for everyone involved in this area, including criminal justice staff, families, friends or support staff and people with learning disabilities. Find out more here
Working together for wellbeing
A public signing for the Memorandum of Understanding between the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector and the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership took place on Friday 12th May at Manchester Town Hall. The agreement will support a new way for voluntary organisations and the health and social care sector to work together, with joint commitments and activity set out until 2021. The aim is to draw on the talent and reach of the voluntary sector to benefit the communities of Greater Manchester. Find out more here
Families living with addiction
Adfam would like to hear from anyone who considers themselves a family member, friend or loved one of a person who uses or is in recovery from alcohol and other drugs. The Families Living with Addiction and Recovery survey is a nationwide survey which will document the lives of family members of people in addiction and recovery. Take the survey here
Inclusion health
The Faculty for Homeless and Inclusion Health are running a one day event [23rd June, Brighton, £120] for anyone working with marginalised communities, with a strong focus on the current challenges, and future direction of the Inclusion Health field. Speakers include the UK’s first Professor of Inclusion Health and experts in respite services for homeless patients, novel psychoactive substances and pre-engagement counselling with excluded people. This is a joint collaboration between Brighton and Sussex Medical School and the Faculty for Homeless and Inclusion Health. Find out more and book here
Social prescribing
The first meeting of the North East, Yorkshire and Humber Social Prescribing Network [26th June, York, free] is for anyone who is interested in social prescribing: doctors, nurses, voluntary organisations, commissioners, public health and local authority leaders who are working to develop social prescribing programmes. The aim is to create a supportive network of collaborators who can work together, share good practice, ask for help, learn from each other and be part of building the social prescribing movement across health and care. This network is led by commissioners and practitioners across the region, supported by the National Social Prescribing Network (hosted by the University of Westminster) and NHS England. Find out more here
Supporting people with long term health issues
The Academy for Justice Commissioning is holding a seminar on 'Using innovative technology to deliver sustainable outcomes for people with disabilities and long term health conditions' [11th July, Manchester, free]. The seminar will discuss this new employment support models and how to commission better services to support people with complex barriers and disabilities into employment. Find out more and book here
The five year plan
Mental Health: Making the Forward Plans a Reality [27th September, London, from £160] is a conference based on the 'The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health' report from NHS England. The report set out the agenda for the reform of mental health care. The strategy aims to increase the quality and availability of care and treatment, improve outcomes and well-being, and reduce the wider costs of mental ill health to health services and public. This event aims to inform practitioners of how they can deliver the plan. Find out more and book here
Mental health and deaths in prison
The Joint Committee on Human Rights has published its interim report 'Mental health and deaths in prison'. It makes several recommendations including a prescribed legal maximum to the time a prisoner can be kept in their cell each day, a legal obligation for the Prison Service to ensure that each young prisoner or adult prisoner with mental health problems has a key worker and that provision should be made in the Prison Rules to enable people at risk of suicide to make free phone calls to a designated family member or friend. Find out more here
Preventing deaths of women in prison
The Independent Advisory Panel on deaths in custody has published the results of its rapid evidence collection on preventing the deaths of women in prison. The report makes a number of recommendations for improvements in the community; in prison; mental health; transfer of information; family contact; and preparation for release. Read the report here
Liaison and diversion
NHS England has announced its intention to commission two new packages of support for areas providing liaison and diversion services. Liaison and diversion services operate in police custody and the courts, to identify vulnerable people and refer them into appropriate support services. They are looking for external providers to deliver two packages of support to local areas: Field support (£147,890 +VAT), to support new areas to develop services and embed best practice; and peer support (£160,000 +VAT), to help develop peer support models and a national peer support strategy for liaison and diversion. Both will commence in summer 2017 and run to 31st March 2019. Organisations should register their interest by Friday 25th May. For more information e-mail angela.johnson30@nhs.net
Young people's mental health
Francis C Scott Charitable Trust has grants of up to £4000 to support charitable organisations who are working to enable young people from the most deprived areas of Cumbria and North Lancashire to achieve their potential in life. This includes supporting young people leaving the criminal justice system who need access to mental health services. Applications are ongoing. Find out more and apply here
Autism support guide for police
The National Autistic Society has published a guide to autism for police officers and staff. Providing background information about autism, it aims to help police officers and staff meet their responsibilities when coming into contact with children and adults on the autism spectrum. Find out more here
Supporting people with sensory impairments
Sense has created and published a guide for employers on supporting people with sensory impairments and a factsheet on employment support aimed at healthcare workers so they can signpost their patients accordingly. Find out more here
Introducing personalisation
In this blog, Clinks' Practice Team Leader & Development Officer Hazel Alcraft discusses personalisation in the criminal justice system and how it applies to desistance theory. She introduces four videos that further discuss the topic in which Professor Chris Fox outlines what personalisation means, how it applies to criminal justice, examples of personalisation in practice, and where you can go to find out more. Read the blog here
Advanced ill health and homelessness
This blog from Homeless Link discusses our understanding of the experiences of homeless people's end of life care. People experiencing homelessness have a much higher likelihood of having a long-term health condition, yet a reluctance to engage with health services means illnesses often go undetected and untreated over time. Read the blog here
Self-harm and suicide rising as prisons struggle to meet mental health need
In this blog, the Prison Reform Trust discuss the latest figures on mental health and learning disability in the justice system, and the continuing rise in incidents of self-harm and self-inflicted deaths in custody. Peter Dawson, Director of Prison Reform Trust, comments: “We hope all political parties will recommit to the vital task… to provide timely support for people with mental health needs and learning disabilities in contact with criminal justice services, including when appropriate, diversion into healthcare.” Read the blog here
What do prisoners think of drug treatment?
Russel Webster has written a summary of his research into accessibility of drug treatment in prison. The research focused on opiate using prisoners experiences of obtaining prescription substitutes. He found that 49% felt the support they were offered wasn't satisfactory. 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 3,366 subscribers.
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Designed, composed and circulated by Rhiannedd Mclean, Clinks.