Mencap have begun a new campaign, called ‘Treat Me Well’, into hospital care for young people with a Learning Disability and the move from children’s services to adult services.
Moving from children’s services to adult services is called transition. Adult services are different from children’s services and you may have more choices on the care you receive and the decisions that you are able to make.
Mencap have produced a short film with Bradford People First that shows the differences you can expect in hospital as a young adult. It is aimed at young people with a learning disability and can be shared with family, friends, carers and hospital staff.
For more information on Mencap’s Treat Me Well campaign, go to: https://www.mencap.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-mencap/treat-me-well/hospital-care-young-people-learning-disability?utm_campaign=1851046_Campaigners%20Transitions%20140721&utm_medium=email&utm_source=dotmailer&dm_i=4P14,13O9Y,2XI977,50REF,1
You can also access an Easy Read PDF document below.
Our Outreach Project Coordinator Dan was nominated by the Forum as a Herowho has been and still is doing great work in Health and Wellbeing.
This is one of the seventeen Global Goals, created by world leaders and the United Nations (UN) back in 2015 to work together to build a better future for everyone. The campaign Is being done in the run up to the UN’s Climate Change Conference in November.
We nominated Dan because as soon as the first lockdown started he began running the peer support sessions online every day of the week. He was even running them on weekends and when on holiday! In addition, he also goes ‘above and beyond’ is supporting peer support group members outside of peer support meetings – even going round to someone’s house to check they are OK.
We announce the very sad news that Forum trustee and ex-Frome Vale councillor Bill Payne died in April this year.
He served both of the communities he was a member of (Frome Vale and Disabled people) for many years and will be greatly missed.
He became a Forum trustee after he retired from being a councillor, but was always an advocate for Disabled people. He was an active member of the Bristol and South-West local group and an ex-trustee of the Haemophilia Society.
Forum Manager, Laura, said: “Bill will be missed by all who knew him. He was a passionate campaigner for improving the lives of Disabled people and will be remembered as a gentle man, considerate of others ‘ needs, softly spoken, personable and a good listener. Our thoughts and sincere condolences to his wife Margaret, daughter Emily, and two grandchildren.”
There are lots of things going on in the weeks and months ahead that Disabled people can get involved with to help stop climate change. These include events taking place with our own Community Climate Action (CCA) project, The Great Big Green Week and even the UK Government.
Plastic-Free July
Many single-use plastics can be found in the kitchen, making it a great place to start looking at simple swaps.
Single-use plastics are plastic used for throwing away after the first use e.g. plastic packaging on our food, yoghurt pots, all that plastic your online purchases are covered in, flimsy plastic bags, etc.
South Gloucestershire Council has made a video giving people a few ideas about how to be more environmentally-friendly about these plastics.
Be a part of the Great Big Green Week! From the 18 – 26 September! Thousands of events across the UK will celebrate how communities, businesses, faith groups and sports clubs are stepping up to tackle climate change. From litter picks to concerts, there are ways for everyone to get involved and tell our government to up its game on climate change.
Capital grant fund. Public, private, and third sector applicants in England are eligible. To capitalise on the progress made by the Heat Network Investment Project (HNIP) by supporting the development of low and zero carbon (LZC) heat networks (including the supply of cooling). It will increase the utilisation of low-carbon heat in heat networks and contribute towards the overall decarbonisation of heat in the UK. Deadlines 12 Aug and 7 Oct.
To help do this work we are running sharing sessions. These sessions will bring together Disabled people with subject experts and council representatives.
You are invited to join these sessions to share your expertise and lived experience as a Disabled person on the issue. Subject experts will listen to us and suggest projects that we could put into our plan and changes that they could make based on what they have learnt from us.
Places are limited for all sessions. Email: cca.bristoldef@gmail.com to take part. Please say which session/s you wish to attend and if you have any access needs.
Nature When: 26th July, 1.30pm tea and biscuits, 2.00 – 3.30 discussion Where: Online and St Paul’s Learning Centre. What is it about: This session will explore how we can improve access to nature for Disabled people in Bristol and what the Disabled community can do to improve nature in Bristol.
Transport When: 28th July, 10.30am tea and biscuits, 10.45 – 12.30 discussion. Where: Online and Easton Community Centre. What is it about: This session will explore how we can make sure that Disabled people can travel in a way that is good for both us and the planet.
Energy When: 30th July, 12.30 tea and biscuits, 13.00 – 15.00 discussion. Where: Online and St Paul’s Learning Centre. What is it about: This session will explore how the Disabled community can use and access energy in ways that are good for both us and the planet.
Last Monday the Government announced we will be moving to Phase 4 of their Road Map out of lockdown today – Monday 19 July.
The government called its plans for coming out of lockdown in 2021, a Road Map. Phase 4 is when there are virtually no COVID laws making you do things that make us safe.
But even though most of the COVID-19 laws no longer exist the pandemic is a long way from being over. The government said Phase 4 is not about anyone stopping wearing a mask, etc but about changing things so that instead of a law forcing us to behave in safe ways it is now up to us to make ourselves do these things.
In Bristol, our infection rates are still increasing and there has been an increase in the number of people with COVID-19 having to be in hospital. Our rates of vaccine uptake are quite good but we still need lots of Bristol’s younger adults to book their vaccination. Most of Bristol’s new COVID-19 cases are in this age group.
It is everyone’s responsibility to take steps to keep themselves and others safe. Be considerate and respectful of those around you. Think about not only your own risks but also of others, particularly those who are clinical extremely vulnerable (CEV).
We are asking you to be very careful and advising people to:
make sure they have both doses of the vaccination,
wear face coverings in enclosed and crowded spaces,
try to meet outdoors or in well-ventilated indoor areas,
self-isolate and get a PCR test if you have symptoms,
keep taking regular rapid tests twice weekly if you haven’t got symptoms,
wash your hands or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day,
cover your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze, and
stay at home if you are unwell.
Also, don’t forget that it is still the law that you must self-isolate if you test positive or are told to do so by NHS Test and Trace.
So, remember, no law making us wear masks doesn’t mean we don’t need to. We still need everyone to do what will help us beat COVID-19:
Hands – Clean your hands often,
Face – wear a mask to cover your nose and mouth,
Space – keep plenty of space between people who are not living together,
Fresh Air – when indoors with people you don’t live with, open as many windows as you can, and
Gatherings – keep to the limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings that you have been following for the last month or so.
Bristol City Council, with the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, have launched a new vaccine programme aimed at young people called ‘Let’s get the jab done‘.
Whilst the campaign has been designed to encourage all young people to get their vaccination, it is even more important for Disabled young people to get vaccinated for their own benefit and that of others. It is essential that you as well as everyone else gets the vaccine as it is important in our fight against COVID-19.
With the vaccine now available to everyone over the age of 18, and ahead of the Government’s target to offer all adults a vaccine by Sunday 25 July, vaccinations are even more accessible and easy to get. The NHS has upped the number of appointments on the National Booking Service (NBS) and walk-in clinics are available across Bristol, no bookings needed.
To find out more information about the campaign and to find out where your local vaccination options, including walk-in clinics, are, go to: www.grabajab.net
On Monday 5 July, the UK Government said that it expects all legal Coronavirus restrictions in England to end on Monday 19 July. This means that we will enter the final step (Step 4) of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown.
The Government will check the COVID-19 data on Monday 12 July and, as long as not too many people are in hospital with it, confirm that lockdown will end completely on 19 July. It is also fairly clear from what the Prime Minister said on Monday that it will be up to each person to decide for themselves how they protect themselves and others from the virus.
Bristol’s current rate of known infections is 330 per 100,000 people and is increasing quite fast. But, so far, 294,582 of all adults (over 16 years old) living in Bristol have had at least one vaccine dose.
From Monday 19 July, there won’t be any law that we have to keep a social distance from people we don’t live with, or wear a face mask, and there will be no limit on how many people can meet up or be in one venue. All venues that are still shut (concert halls, theatres, festivals, etc) will be allowed to reopen with no limits on how many people can be in them.
There will be national guidance on places and situations where we have, until 19 July, had to wear a mask or to social distance from others. But it is totally voluntary.
The vaccination rollout will continue and so will the NHS Track and Trace system.
Anyone in Bristol can now get a free Coronavirus test, which is very important if we are to stop so many people getting ill. This is because it plays an important role in finding cases of COVID-19 and helping people to self-isolate. People can still pick up the virus and many will be spreading it without knowing. That’s why it is important that everyone takes the free Rapid Flow Tests from their pharmacy twice a weekly.
Alongside testing, vaccinations are absolutely vital in helping us get back to doing the social and leisure things we love. Everyone on the Shielded Patient List should already have been offered both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. If you have not yet received your first or second dose, please contact your GP as soon as you can, or book your vaccination appointment online, or go along to one of the Bristol Vaccination ‘pop-up’ events in the city (see the list at the bottom of this article). Also, make sure you get your second dose of the vaccine. Having two doses is essential to you having the highest level of protection from catching Coronavirus.
No vaccine is 100% effective so, even if you have had both doses, there is still a small chance you could catch the virus so the health advice is to still continue to take the extra safety measures, like social distancing, wearing a mask and washing your hands often, to help look after yourself.
Saturday 10 July: 9am – 5pm – East Trees Health Centre, 100a Fishponds Rd, Eastville, BS5 6SD (Pfizer Vaccine)
Saturday 10 July: 9am -1pm – Knowle Healthy Living Centre, Knowle West Health Park, Downton Road, Knowle, BS4 1WH (Pfizer Vaccine)
These clinics are open to anyone aged over 18. You can visit these clinics to get your first dose, or your second dose if you received your first dose at least eight weeks ago.Keep up to date with upcoming walk-in clinics for the Pfizer or AstraZeneca Vaccines on the Healthier Together website
