Issue 5 | July - September 2016
The Quarterly Newsletter
Aimed at GPs and Voluntary Organisations
Supporting people to become more involved, connected and active in their communities healthy eating, exercise and practical advice such as use of inhalers, rescue packs and oxygen.
Supporting people with respiratory conditions to connect, support each other, engage in social activities and influence local services The Health Foundation has funded 7 pilot project sites within the East and West Midlands to focus on an assetbased approach to improve wellbeing and reduce the high levels of anxiety and social isolation observed in individuals with severe respiratory conditions such as COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, bronchiecstasis etc COPD is a major health problem in the UK. It is the second most common cause of NHS emergency admissions and causes 1 in 20 deaths in the UK. COPD is characterised by cough, phlegm and breathlessness, which lower selfesteem, reduce mobility and negatively impacts on quality of life. A survey by the British Lung Foundation (BLF) found that 90% of people with COPD were unable to participate in socially important activities (British Lung Foundation 2009). In addition, a significant percentage of individuals with COPD suffer from anxiety, depression and isolation. A new model for community focused support based on clinical and social support commenced in early 2015 in Coventry called The RIPPLE Project. The project based in the community enables people with COPD to share their experiences with each other, engage in social activities and also take advantage of more structured sessions which cover elements of self-management, relaxation,
Inside this issue: Page 1: Airtime Page 2: New staff Page 3: Success story Page 4: About Integrated Plus
The RIPPLE Project has enabled individuals with COPD to be more active and involved in their community and their selfcare resulting in increased mental well-being, reduced isolation and a reduction in unplanned hospital admissions. Due to the success of RIPPLE, the Health Foundation has funded 7 new pilot sites. The new sites will focus on:
Co-producing activities with people with respiratory conditions Improving mental well-being Physical wellbeing and exercise Social inclusion An asset-based approach Clinical input at consultant or Nurse level Self-management support that includes peer to peer sessions Inclusion of voluntary and community organisations to provide information on local services and support activities eg gentle exercise classes.
The Dudley borough pilot project called Airtime is a partnership between Dudley CVS (through Integrated Plus, Healthwatch Dudley), Dudley CCG and Dudley Respiratory Team. Healthwatch Dudley is a key partner as it enables people with COPD to share their views on local respiratory services and pathways as respiratory services will be reorganised as part of Dudley Multi-Speciality Community Provider. Airtime takes place every Thursday, 1-3pm at DY1 building, Stafford Street, Dudley. A co-ordinator for Airtime will be starting towards the end of September who will be responsible for managing the project. In the meantime, if you would like more information about Airtime, please contact Kate Green at Dudley CVS on 01384 573381. Email: buildingblocks@dudleycvs.org.uk
Published By Integrated Plus Main Office: Dudley CVS, 7 Albion Street, Brierley Hill DY5 3EE Tel: 01384 573381 Website: www.dudleycvs.org.uk | Twitter: @intplusDudley | Blog: integratedplusblog.com Integrated Plus is delivered by Dudley CVS and funded by Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group Dudley CVS is a registered charity (number 517766) and a registered company limited by guarantee (number 1998105)
New staff Welcome to new staff at Integrated Plus – Link Support Workers In July, Integrated Plus successfully appointed two new staff, Georgia Davis and Aiesha Parker who have taken on the new roles of Link Support Workers. These two new roles will help the existing Locality Link Officers support clients referred to them in their localities. This support will involve tasks such as taking people to access a service for the first time when their confidence is low, undertaking research on local services and activities available on behalf of the Locality Link Officers, helping client’s complete appropriate forms, undertaking relevant assessments such as the first carer’s assessments. Georgia and Aiesha will also take a lead on gathering people’s experiences of Integrated Plus and assist in recording outcomes being achieved. Some words by Georgia My name is Georgia Davis and I have been working for Dudley CVS for just over a year. Prior to me joining Dudley CVS as an employee I used their volunteer centre to access volunteer opportunities within Dudley. With the help of Dudley CVS, I Georgia Davis went on to volunteer with SWITCH Dudley – which aims to help young people with drug and alcohol issues. I then went on to work at Creative Support as a support worker for people with varying degrees of learning disability and my role was to enable these people to become more active and involved in their community, as well as supporting them in their home. When I joined Dudley CVS as an employee, I joined an organisation called Healthwatch Dudley who’s function is to capture people’s views and experiences of health and social care within the Dudley borough and feed this back to the services involved to promote improvement and patient voice. My role here was to research people’s views of Dudley health services by carrying out quantitative and qualitative research (such as questionnaires and focus group discussions). Examples of research carried out are: people’s views of the new urgent care centre at Russell’s Hall Hospital, looking at local optician’s services and peoples
experiences of these who have dementia, learning disabilities and/or from BME backgrounds, and gathering people’s views and experiences of tobacco and smoking in order to aid public health’s future tobacco strategy in Dudley. The reason I applied for the role of Link Support Worker is because over the years I have enjoyed actively engaging with the community and making sure people are getting the most out of their lives. The holistic approach Integrated Plus pursue with their engagement was extremely appealing for me as I believe this helps people’s lives in the long term. I have a degree in Sociology which has aided my passion in taking a holistic approach with individuals, as I am aware of the inequalities and difficulties people may find themselves in within our society. Equipped with this and my innate passion for helping people, I am really looking forward to my future at Integrated Plus! Some words by Aiesha I have always been interested in different cultures and belief systems, and particularly in how different communities live and thrive together. After studying for a degree in Theology at the Aiesha Parker University of Birmingham, I knew I definitely wanted to work out in the community and develop a career that enabled me to make a contribution! After a few years working in general needs housing and drug and alcohol services, I embarked on a role as a Development Officer for a national health and social care provider, and worked in a range of adult support services in Dudley, Warwickshire and Wolverhampton. This role enabled me to develop strong person centred and empathetic approaches when it came to supporting individuals. I worked with a range of adults with various needs including adults with mental health support needs, learning disabilities, dementia and carers. I heard about Integrated Plus at the launch of the project a few years ago, and was very impressed with how innovative, holistic and client focused the service is. Even though I am new to the role and the team, having worked and lived in Dudley for a number of years has given me a good understanding of the different services, groups and opportunities that are available in the community. Sharing this knowledge and supporting individuals to better manage their health, improve their wellbeing and achieve the things in life that they want is something that I am very passionate about!
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Success story A client’s journey Client X was referred to Integrated Plus by Dudley Talking Therapy Service. During the initial assessment, client X was very anxious and consumed two large glasses of vodka. The client discussed their alcohol dependency and expressed concerns relating to the high levels of anxiety they were experiencing. Client X disclosed drinking around two bottles of vodka a day and only left the house to buy alcohol. The client was very distressed and upset by what was happening and also concerned about running out of money from savings. Client X had always worked until two years ago when their high pressure job got too much to bear. Client X resigned and planned to take some time out before seeking further employment but the alcohol consumption became chaotic. Client X was concerned that when the savings ran out there would be no money to purchase alcohol. Client X was also fearful of seizures and potentially life threatening withdrawal symptoms. The Link Officer offered help to access the right services. The Link Officer helped client X apply for Employment Support Allowance as client X was not in a fit state to be seeking work at that time. As the client was very anxious and not comfortable talking on the phone the Link officer liaised with the practice to get the relevant supporting documentation. Client X was awarded the benefit soon after. An appointment was made for client X to be triaged at a alcohol support service based in Brierley Hill the following week but client x had concerns that he had to attend three to four appointments before being able to access their detox programme and that the service was located at the other side of the borough. We contacted surrounding drug and alcohol services to see if they could help but they could not support the client due to client X paying council tax to Dudley MBC. In the mean time we were able to provide the client with a food parcel and toiletries as the client had very little in the house. Client X tried to attend his initial appointment at the alcohol service based in Brierley Hill but had problems with the train ride which ended up being a very distressing situation. Following this and against advice the client decided to self-detox over a weekend and was prepared to go into hospital if required. Client X saw the weekend through and got through the worst of the withdrawal symptoms. The Link Officer helped client X to liaise with the practice to get medication prescribed for anxiety.
Client X was becoming more stable on medication and abstaining from alcohol use. Other issues were disclosed to the Link Officer in regards to the reasons for the alcohol consumption so a referral was made to Summit House with a view to client X receiving specific support. A referral was also made to Supporting People to obtain a support worker to help client X build confidence. Client X responded fantastically well to the support. Over time the client started attending regular support groups at Summit House. Healthwatch Dudley also met with client X at home to capture the client’s experiences of services. “This has really got me back into mixing with people again and took me out of my old lifestyle. Before this I couldn’t leave the house due to anxiety. At that time I could have quite easily ended it all. Between Integrated Plus and Summit house it has pretty much saved my life. The three principles group was like a penny dropping – the past can’t hurt me because it’s done and dusted. It’s been a real game changer for me and Summit house has offered everything I needed under one roof”. (Client X) “Client X was assessed at Summit House and presented as suffering with severe anxiety. Client X informed the guidance worker that due to social isolation the client would find it difficult to engage in group work. What a difference four months makes. I really feel that the services at Summit House have met client X’s holistic needs. Client X is now a popular person at Summit House and is very focused on their recovery and future”. Pamela Holloway – Summit House Client X has started facilitating a Three Principles group at a residential rehabilitation service in Birmingham and is scheduled to deliver another in the city shortly. The client has engaged in training courses and is looking forward to starting a substance misuse course in the coming weeks. Client X has come so far in such a short amount of time and in their own words the client ‘just can’t believe it’. Client X is hoping to secure employment in a similar field in the near future as the client has found an area that they are truly passionate about and committed to. Everyone would like to wish client X the very best for the future and feel confident that the client will meet their goals and aspirations in good time.
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About Integrated Plus Integrated Plus is delivered by Dudley CVS as part of the integrated care model, being implemented by Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group and Adult Social Care. Integrated Plus has been established to:
Take client referrals (from GPs, other health clinicians and at MDTs) to support them to become more involved, connected and active in their communities. Represent the voluntary, community and faith sector in the integration model.
Raise awareness about what voluntary and community organisations can offer in the delivery of locality based services and activities.
Identify local service needs and broker solutions with the voluntary sector, health and social care practitioners, local commissioners and citizens.
Integrated Plus works with people aged 16 and over who frequently present at their GP practice or other medical service and people at high risk of hospital admission.
The difference we aim to make
Help people become more active and involved in their own communities
Improve quality of life
Support people to make a difference to their own communities e.g. through volunteering
Enable the voluntary and community sector to play an active role in integrated care
Reduce pressure on health services by supporting people to become less reliant on medical practices
Ensure social inclusion of clients is taken into consideration at Multi-disciplinary team meetings
Integrated Plus is funded by Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group. The clients in the case studies included within this publication have given permission to share their stories. Every attempt has been made to accurately reflect their story.
Meet the team Kate Green Manager for Integrated Plus Dudley CVS, 7 Albion Street, Brierley Hill, DY5 3EE Tel: 01384 573381 buildingblocks@dudleycvs.org.uk
Wendy Bains | Locality Link Officer Kingswinford, Amblecote and Brierley Hill wendy@dudleycvs.org.uk 07866 020509 wendy.bains@nhs.net
Terry Gee | Locality Link Officer Dudley and Netherton terry@dudleycvs.org.uk 07866 020340 terry.gee@nhs.net
Jason Griffiths | Locality Link Officer Sedgley, Coseley and Gornal jason@dudleycvs.org.uk 07866 020431 Jason.griffiths1@nhs.net
Sue Bloomer | Locality Link Officer Halesowen and Quarry Bank sue@dudleycvs.org.uk 07989 478567 sue.bloomer@nhs.net
Nick Tromans | Locality Link Officer Stourbridge, Wollescote and Lye nick@dudleycvs.org.uk 07866 020436 nick.tromans@nhs.net
Georgia Davis | Link Support Worker georgia.davis@dudleycvs.org.uk 01384 217052
Aiesha Parker | Link Support Worker aiesha@dudleycvs.org.uk 01384 217059