Two ChAD committee members (with support) have continued the NHS Inpatient Self Advocacy Focus Group medium secure hospital work.

As Experts by Experience, they have been speaking with patients who have a Learning Disability who experience mental health problems,   around the importance of Advocacy and having your voice heard.

The pilot is part of a bigger project across England to understand how advocacy can best support people with a learning disability and autistic people who are patients in mental health, learning disability and autism hospitals.

There are over 30 different pilot projects happening around England which focus on particular types of advocacy .The project ChAD are involved in is investing in the peer and self-advocacy model supporting patients to speak up with knowledge of support services available on discharge.

This work is being done over a period through interactive engagement to allow trusting relationships to be built and independent findings and reports to be submitted.

Meetings are held with staff members from The NHS Improving Quality Team and Reports are submitted to the Commissioners of the service as well as hospital leads .Good practice is shared with similar groups working on this project in different areas, as well as Meetings are held with the NDTI to capture the outcomes and impact the work has had.

Other work and meetings ChAD have been involved during this time are:

• Attendance at the Learning Disability Partnership Board Meeting
• Attendance at the Making it Real Board Scoping Meeting – for community interaction
• Attended the North PCN annual meeting 30.2.22
  Annual Health feedback RH (asked by RDash & Health Action Team)
• ChAD held a workshop in one of their meetings for Rotherham Speak Up. All information was fed back for NHS England Health Inequalities Community of Practice group.
• Commenced planning work with The Ridge Employability College on Easy Read info booklets 1.3.2
  
• Big Doncaster Litter pick with Thorne Road SMILE and Mencap 3.4.22
• ChAD members have also provided 2 video clips for Healthwatch Doncaster to feedback to the governing body
• And as always , Speaking up on behalf of people they represent about matters that are important to them

ChAD members Mark and Raymond taking part as mystery shoppers at 7 GP Practices in Doncaster for the Learning Disability GP Audits.

ChAD had been approached by the Primary Liaison Nurse from the Health Action Team to assist with this work which they found interesting and enjoyable.

Sharing information from DMBC and NHS.  Stay safe everyone.

Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery

As we have discussed this in detail before and the committee were very concerned about it Bill Hodkiss was invited to a meeting (as his job includes Crime, antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse Human trafficking and modern day slavery).

to see if there was anything ChAD or the general public could help with

. He explained the following.

1.It affects every county and everyone should be made aware of it.

2. People are promised a new life, house, job etc. and it is all lies.
3. Once people are taken by the people who promise everything they then find themselves like virtual prisoners, treated as slaves, used as prostitutes, beaten, living in houses where it is unfit for people to live with far too many people living in the same house/flat/caravan etc.

4, Many may work shifts and have to share beds or floor space, as one person comes home from work the other gets up and goes to work.

5. They are tricked and have very little money, most of it goes to the people who are running the trafficking and slavery who get the workers into a lot of debt’

6. The workers (who they refer to as horses) are so scared to say anything as many don’t speak the countries language and they and their families are threated.

Bob urged anyone who saw anything unusual to contact them. People should not think that they are wasting anyone’s time, it is important to investigate and check peoples back grounds to make sure people are safe.

He informed everyone that if they have any concerns then the police should be called on 101 or 999

There is also a National Helpline 0800 0121 700

He gave reassurance that people who are found to be living in these conditions are taken to safe places.

Please click on the link below

https://youtu.be/pjQBnYx5lcI

As we have worked with Sheffield voices in the past, they have invited us to their August Meeting.

It was not what we expected, as it was more of a social event.

It was at the virgin money shop where different community groups are allocated the use of a room free

every two months for 2 hours at a time.

This includes free drinks and biscuits i.e., lattes, cappuccinos etc. and the following activities for free:

• A 2-lane bowling alley.
• Juke box
• Table football
• Air hockey
• Pool
• Play station / sky games
• A meeting area

Other floors have free drinks, fruit, and biscuits for anyone to meet with friends and socialise.

We have met with Katy Turner to see if there is a possibly of getting something like this in  Doncaster to help people socialise, not feel isolated and feel part of the community.  Katy joined us on the following  meeting on 3^rd October. She spoke with facilitator Kathryn Littlewood to find out more information and we discussed similar possibilities .

We have also mentioned this at the P/B meeting and the scrutiny panel and were informed that there may be a possibility that a presently unused building could be used for social interaction in a similar way.

Nicola attended a ChAD meeting to talk about what Luv2meetu do and how you can become part of the group if you are interested.

Luv2meetu is a friendship and dating agency for adults with a learning disability.

Nicola explained if you would like to sign up to be a member of Luv2meetu you will receive a newsletter each month with gives details of where the group have met each month and where they are intending to go next.

When attending each social event you do have to pay for yourself however, it gets you out and socialising with different people.

Nicola brought along some application forms, if anybody would like one please contact her at Luv2MeetU on 07774 335841

Julie and Adele from Victim Support came to speak to the committee to let them know what to do if they have been a victim of crime.

Victim Support is based at the Police station in Doncaster and they are a charity-based organisation.

When Victim Support get your case through as a referral, an assessment will be made.

Everything that you say is confidential however if something said is a safeguarding issue, that will need to be reported.

When you are a victim of crime Victim Support can support you as an individual for any length of time you feel you need.

Julie and Adele brought in some alarmed key-rings, safe bags, extension for your phone so you do not lose it of get it stolen.

The committee were made aware that they could have some dummy cameras sent out. The cameras do not work however when a criminal is near your property, they will think the camera is real as they look like a real one.

If anyone would like anything that Victim Support brought along, contact Sue so she can get some handed out to people who want it.

Members of ChAD attended this networking event, which proved to be beneficial in sourcing an organisation who help people complete benefit forms as well as maintaining relationships with the Job Centre and various other organisations.