Meetings, links, news and information share for the AF steering group
Report – 8 March 2022
We are delighted to release two new reports looking into patient experiences of care during the COVID-19 pandemic
Two new reports released today by Healthwatch Manchester highlight the excellent work done by social workers in Manchester during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We conducted two surveys with Manchester residents, one with people who have had a recent experience of being discharged into care from hospital, and another with people who have had a recent social care assessment.
One of the findings which was consistent through both reports was the very positive feedback about the care provided by social workers. Some of our respondents described their care as ‘fantastic’, ‘excellent’, and said that staff went ‘above and beyond’.
The reports were commissioned by Manchester City Council, who wanted to hear the experiences of people who had used these services since the beginning of the pandemic.
The reports can be accessed below.
https://www.healthwatchmanchester.co.uk/report/2022-03-08/patient-experience-during-covid-19-two-new-healthwatch-manchester-reports
Bookings open for COVID-19 spring booster vaccinations
We urge people aged 75 and over and those with a weakened immune system to book their COVID-19 spring booster.
If you are eligible, you will receive a text message or letter inviting you to book an appointment through the National Booking Service.
Over 470,000 people have already come forward for their spring booster, with hundreds of thousands more booking a vaccination appointment, and more than 600,000 people will be invited this week.
95-year-old Devraj Jhalam, one of the first people in England to receive the spring booster, said:
“In my age group, everybody must have it immediately. Do not delay – delay means danger. You never know what will happen tomorrow”.
We also encourage you to get your first, second or booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if you have not already done so.
12 to 15-year-old children who are most at risk from COVID-19 can now book their booster dose through the National Booking Service.
Tine Buffel and Sophie Yarker publish paper on Involving Socially Excluded Groups in Age-Friendly Programs
On 22nd March 2022, the Journal of Aging & Social Policy published (open access) the article ‘Involving Socially Excluded Groups in Age-Friendly Programs: The Role of a Spatial Lens and Co-Production Approaches’.
Authored by MICRA/MUARG researchers Tine Buffel and Sophie Yarker, the paper examines the Ambition for Aging program in Greater Manchester, UK, which implemented a range of projects designed to tackle social isolation in later life. The paper argues that due to its co-production approach and spatial lens, Ambition for Aging was able to involve sections of the older population that otherwise might have remained excluded.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08959420.2022.2049571? |
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Lifechanging technology to be rolled out to all type 1 diabetes patients
Everyone living with type 1 diabetes will be eligible for lifechanging flash glucose monitors on the NHS following new guidance.
This means that everyone in England with the condition will be able to benefit from the convenient technology.
The wearable gadgets, the size of a £2 coin, have a sensor that easily sits on the arm, allowing patients to check their glucose levels with a one-second scan.
LGBT Extra Care Scheme
Appended email from Bob Green, Housing Consultant, LGBT Foundation about the upcoming consultation
“The pre-planning application event for the LGBT Extra Care Scheme is going ahead next week (2pm to 8pm on Wednesday 12th January 2022 at Whalley Range Methodist Church, 51 Withington Road, Manchester, M16 7EX). A press release is attached. While no new Covid restrictions have been introduced, we will aim to keep everyone working and visiting the event safe.
Those living next to the scheme have received a flyer inviting them to the event and this will be shared through our mailing list, which includes everyone on this email list. The flyer explains that we ask everyone who attends to wear a mask, observe social distancing and have a negative lateral flow test. This will be the same for all of us working at the event, and also please do not come if you exhibit and flu or Covid symptoms. There will be light refreshments available for those working at the event.
At this first event, we will be explaining the principles behind the scheme rather than going into the details of design, which will be shared at the February event. The survey report we produced last year (see attached) presents an overview of previous research on LGBT housing and care needs as well as key findings from the survey. This will be useful for those of us at the LGBT Foundation stall to explain why the scheme is so important. Thanks to Anchor, there will also be a banner behind each stall summarising the main themes.”
Survey:
New proposals brought forward for affordable, LGBT+ Extra Care housing
Consultation to take place for development of the former Spire Hospital site in Russell Road Whalley Range Manchester
Anchor, England’s largest not-for-profit provider of specialist housing and care for people in later life, is seeking views from local residents at a consultation event next week ahead of the application submission for around 100 new affordable homes planned for the site of the former Spire Hospital in Russell Road, Whalley Range, Manchester. The hospital was demolished in 2019, and the brownfield site has since remained vacant.
In partnership with Manchester City Council and a Community Steering Group led by the LGBT Foundation, Anchor aims to develop an Extra Care scheme on Russell Road, Whalley Range, designed to be the UK’s first LGBT+ majority housing development exclusively for older people.
The proposals will deliver high-quality, inclusive new homes for older people and the initial plans propose around 100 one- and two-bedroom apartments, all of which will be for affordable rent and shared ownership, plus shared facilities including a restaurant/bistro, lounges, treatment rooms and landscaped outdoor amenity space plus parking. Residents will be required to be aged 55 years or over, and the scheme will be inclusive of members and non-members of the LGBT+ community.
Charles Taylor, Anchor’s Director of New Business, said:
“At Anchor we manage over 55,000 homes nationwide, including locations in Manchester, and have developed a strong reputation for delivering high-quality homes where people love living in later life. We share the collective ambition with Manchester City Council to create an exemplary, inclusive development on this well-located site in the heart of the Whalley Range community.”
Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and employment, said:
“This development is landmark for the LGBT+ community in Manchester, bringing some of the first housing targeted at older LGBT+ people in the UK. This consultation is an early opportunity to have your say about how this scheme should be developed and I would urge people to take this chance to help guide this project before a planning application is submitted later in year.”
Paul Martin OBE, LGBT Foundation CEO, said: “LGBT Foundation are delighted to be involved in the development of the UK’s first purpose-built LGBT-majority Extra Care scheme in Whalley Range. It is exciting to see the first consultation event happening as we move a step closer to shaping the design of the scheme which will offer a safe and welcoming home for older LGBT people.”
The consultation will be held at Whalley Range Methodist Church between 2pm and 8pm, Wednesday 12th January. In addition to the in-person event, all the information presented will be displayed online at www.anchor.consultationonline.co.uk from 12 January 2022. Local residents will be able to provide their views via a feedback form at the event or online until 19 January 2022.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For further information, contact:
Sam Freedman / 020 3219 7956
Esme Roberts / 020 3697 7633
About Anchor
Anchor began more than 50 years ago and today is England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for people in later life. It provides retirement housing to rent and to buy, retirement villages and residential care homes, including specialist dementia care. In total, Anchor serves more than 65,000 residents in 55,000 homes across almost 1,700 locations. Its residential care services employ the majority of the 9,000-strong workforce, providing services to residents at 114 care homes. Anchor operates in more than 85% of local councils in England. For more information visit www.anchor.org.uk.
What is an Extra Care scheme?
Extra Care schemes typically attract customers who are already living in the area that require more specialist accommodation to meet their personal needs; but do not require levels of wellness provision which justifies moving into a care home. This model is especially attractive to those who live on their own and may need some physical and/or emotional support; and it is also for those who want to live within a community of like-minded people. The proposed development will therefore include specialist design features attributable to Extra Care schemes to enable residents to live independently in their own homes but with care and wellness services provided as and when required.
Action from last minutes: Chris to share Jane Goetzee’s report:
Urgent and Emergency Care – winter pressures survey
Background information
The NHS in Greater Manchester is looking to develop its understanding of why some people within Greater Manchester inappropriately access urgent and emergency care and wants to support people to access the right services and understand how to make that choice.
Funding has been agreed with NHS England to develop our awareness of the public’s understanding of services and how they choose to access care. As part of this work Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership has worked with GMCVO to create this survey to explore these issues in more detail to and provide insight from local communities.
Any findings from this survey will be used to help health and care professionals in Greater Manchester better understand why people access the NHS services in the way that they do and what communications might help to support people to make the best choices to get the help they need.
If you are responding on behalf of an organisation or have been supported to complete this survey by an organisation can you please identify who this organisation is so we can ensure this is highlighted in the feedback summary report.
The survey will take about 20 minutes to complete and is open from Friday 5th November until 12pm Friday 10th December 2021.
If you require any further support with this survey please contact nathalie.haslam@gmcvo.org.uk OR laura.conrad@nhs.net
Thank you for taking time to share your views –
this will help us to improve our communications in the future
In 2019, the local community were consulted on the British Muslim Heritage Centre’s proposals for their site.
The purpose of that event was to provide some initial plans and sketches of the proposals before developing the proposals in further detail.
A second consultation event took place on Monday 29th November at the centre.
Please visit http://www.bmhc.org.uk/public-consultation/ to read all about the plans
A Guardian journalist interviewed some local people who are members of our Cromwell/York Avenue and Milton Grove WhatsApp group recently at JNR8 and Tibetan Kitchen to talk about mutual aid …
Healthwatch Manchester Bulletin: https://mailchi.mp/a9ad230cd5dd/healthwatch-manchester-nov-2021-bulletin-4119394?e=971288d398
Greater Manchester is committed to widening access and participation in active travel for over 50s | Centre for Ageing Better
https://ageing-better.org.uk/blogs/greater-manchester-is-committed-to-widening-access-to-active-travel-for-over-50s
A climate fight without age: older people and COP26
A climate fight without age: older people and COP26
Empowering local action on food poverty: key lessons from Food Power
This report shares key lessons on how to empower local action on food poverty learnt through the Food Power programme which was delivered between 2017 – 2021.
https://www.sustainweb.org/publications/oct21-empowering-local-action-on-food-poverty/?utm_source=Sustain&utm_campaign=ec3175ad6c-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_09_27_09_35_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d2d28e0c33-ec3175ad6c-261690501
How can we ensure people have access to food when they go home from hospital?
In the first of a series of blogs, Simon Shaw shares some of the initial findings from our Home from Hospital project.
https://www.sustainweb.org/blogs/nov21-home-from-hospital-1/
