Denbighshire Health, Social Care & Wellbeing Bulletin Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council Naylor Leyland Centre, Well St, Ruthin LL15 1AF Tel: 01824 702441 e.mail [email protected] Website www.dvsc.co.uk Newvol - Company limited by guarantee 3132487 Registered Charity 1054322 Acting Chief Executive Officer

Steve Vollmer Health, Social Care and Well-Being Development Officer

Lisa Williams [email protected]

January 2016 Issue 55

Dear All,

Stubbins.

Welcome to the New Year Edition of the HSCW Bulletin. I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas & New Year.

I also attended a Learning Exchange on loneliness in Rhyl Pavilion which was very interesting and informative.

At the end of November I met with the BCU Area Leadership Team for the Central Area (Conwy & Denbighshire) and informed them of all the projects I have been involved with over the last 12 months. They were very impressed with the work being undertaken by the third sector in Denbighshire.

Photo: Hursty

I have continued working with the The Friends of Llangollen Health Dewis Directory of Services Centre—Friends Café is going Group and Mel Evans from from strength to strength with Denbighshire County Council to volunteers supporting the café on support the role out of Dewis a regular basis. The Group Cymru, this is a dedicated opened the café for the 2 wellbeing website that provides evening Flu Clinics and this was information to support Adults well received. across North Wales. The Talking Points have expanded into Meliden and 2 Talking Points took place at Llangollen Health Centre.

I also organized the November HSCW Forum Meeting which was well attended, more inside. I attended an Older People’s event in Bodelwyddan Community Centre which was attended by the DCC Director of Social Services—Nicola 1

As part of the Volunteer Involving Organiser's Forum we took part in a Dementia Awareness Session and I am now signed up as a ‘Dementia Friend’. If you would like to discuss a new opportunity or are interested in any topics above or within this Bulletin, give me a call. Till Next Quarter….. Regards, Lisa

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Consultation Consultation on the Draft Public Health Outcomes Framework for Wales The Welsh Government has been working in partnership with Public Health Wales to develop a public health outcomes and indicators framework. We are seeking your views on this draft framework. Start of consultation: 03/12/2015

Llandudno on 18th January and Aberystwyth on 19th January 2016. To register for one of these consultation events please complete the online registration form (external link) http://www.wales.nhs.uk/ sitesplus/888/questionnaire/1069 How to respond Please submit your comments by 28 January 2016, in any of the following ways:

End of consultation: 28/01/2016

Email

http://gov.wales/consultations/ healthsocialcare/outcomesframework/?lang=en

[email protected]

The Public Health Outcomes Framework for Wales has been developed in the context of other strategies and frameworks that also seek to improve the health of the people of Wales. In particular, it links to the national indicators for the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, which are also currently undergoing consultation and development.

Post Health Inequalities Branch Health and Social Services Group, 4th Floor, East Welsh Government Cathays Park Cardiff CF10 3NQ

Closing date for submissions for the March 2016 Bulletin will be:

The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on a Public Health Outcomes Framework for Wales. It is also asking your views on how this should be developed further, updated and used.

Friday 26th February 2016.

Please send articles and information bilingually to [email protected] If you would still like to receive a copy via post, please contact me with the request.

Public Health Outcomes Framework consultation events will be held in Cardiff on 12th January,

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Spotlight on Mental Health Vale of Clwyd Mind was established over thirty years ago and our aim is to support adults experiencing the widest range of mental distress. This has been achieved through housing, social opportunities, employment, rural outreach, training and much more. We are affiliated to National Mind, the leading mental health charity - but have a great reputation in North Wales in our own right as a first class provider of projects which are led by service users. Volunteers are vital to our organisation – they are the oil that helps to keep our organisational wheels turning and they provide I nvaluable help in all of our projects. We offer a number of social and support groups in Denbighshire (Corwen, Denbigh, Llangollen, Prestatyn, Rhyl and Ruthin) offering a range of activities for those who want to get involved, from craft to music, from IT to a cuppa and a chat. Prevention is an important topic, so we help people and organisations to get the best out of life by providing a range of relevant training courses. Doris, our bright yellow community bus, provides rural outreach throughout the Vale of Clwyd via advice, information, signposting and user friendly brochures on a range of mental health topics.

We have seven walking groups who meet regularly and enjoy companionship on town and country trails in four areas – Denbigh, Corwen, Rhyl and Ruthin.

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You may have heard of our fabulously successful Musical Meatballs in Mind, a music and performance group who perform all over Wales inspiring people and beating stigma.

Our Men’s Shed project is the biggest and most successful in North Wales, allowing men to meet together and work side by side on projects ranging from gardening to woodwork and much more.

STOP PRESS! We are about to launch The Potting Shed Community project in St Asaph. You could be one of the volunteers who helps us to lay out our double allotment this autumn and digs deep to ‘get growing’ in the New Year!

Find out more about any or all of the above projects by visiting our website – www.valeofclwydmind.org.uk or by phone on 01745 336787. Depression costs business £billions Anxious or depressed about your job, finances, relationships or just life in general? You are not alone! Did you know that a quarter of us will experience mental health problems at some point in our life? Sickness absence caused by stress, anxiety or depression increased to 15.2 million days lost in 2013 – and those figures are increasing year on year. The culture of silence around mental health in the workplace is costing an estimated £70billion per year. Yet few employers have plans to ensure the mental wellbeing of their employees. Vale of Clwyd Mind has a range of courses and other assistance that makes a difference. If your organisation needs help to tackle the problem of depression in the workplace, why not contact us on 01745 336787.

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DVSC Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Network Forum Friday 20th November 2015 Rhuddlan Community Centre On the 20th November DVSC held a HSCWB Network Forum meeting. The event was held at the excellent Rhuddlan Community Centre and included a mouthwatering buffet supplied by volunteers at the centre. Forum facilitator, Lisa Williams, welcomed all who attended and outlined the structure and aims for the day. This was an opportunity for those working within Denbighshire to get updates on what work their colleagues in the sector were carrying out and explore opportunities for us to work together. 24 people attended the day. During the day the following presentations were delivered: Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB): Mental Health Strategy Update - Jane Jones Consultation on the future of the in house care homes/day centres Holly Evans – Denbighshire County Council Project Officer – In house Provider Services Consultation Health Engagement Facilitator Service - Kate Newman Health Professional Engagement Facilitator, Cancer Research UK Lonely in a Crowded Room: Social Isolation & Loneliness – Denbighshire Update – Sandra Jones, Older People’s Development Officer, Denbighshire County Council Families First & Referral Process – Jan Juckes-Hughes, Denbighshire County Council Disability Inclusion Toolkit – Update - Brett Jones - Disability Sport Wales Officer, Leisure Services Lunch time gave a good opportunity for people to network and discuss current issues within the sector. After lunch several attendees took the opportunity to give 10 minute updates on their projects & services. Continued overleaf...

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Continued from overleaf

Organisations providing organisation updates included: Age Connects North Wales Central (ACNWC) - Emma Gray, Hubhub Coordinator & Community Navigator Coordinator Denbighshire County Council - Beverley Kirkham, Community Librarian, Prestatyn & St. Asaph British Red Cross - Karen Mills & Kim Mills, Gofal Manager – North Wales & Community Navigator Coordinator Grŵp Llandrillo Menai - Andrew Thomas, Business Development Advisor North Wales Deaf Association (NWDA) - Sarah Matthews, Chief Executive Officer, North Wales Deaf Association (NWDA) Denbighshire Homestart – Michelle Penwright, Scheme Organiser Quaker Economic Justice Group - Angela Burton Organisations also had displays of their services & Projects. The feedback from the event was positive and all who attended felt that the event provided a good opportunity to discuss work carried out in the county. These events are held every 6 months and are open to all in the DVSC Health, Social Care and Wellbeing network. The next Forum will be held in February / March 2016; if you think that you or a colleague could benefit from being part of this network please contact Lisa at [email protected] Inclusion is free of charge and alongside the Forum events Lisa regularly sends

updates and information regarding the Health, Social Care and Wellbeing sector out electronically including information about any new funding and training opportunities.

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Come along and join us

St Collens Community Centre, Regent Street, Llangollen, LL20 8NU Non-denominational Group

Every 3rd Wednesday of the month 10am – 3pm £5 to include refreshments and a light lunch

A chance to meet new people Massage taster, Games, Reminiscence Healthy Carers’ Assessor An opportunity to meet some of the local services in a friendly, informal setting and gather some information and ask questions.

This is a non-denominational group For Further information contact

01824 706 242

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Denbighshire County Council (DCC) In-House Social Care Services Denbighshire County Council (DCC) launched a formal consultation on the future of its in-house social care services on 16th October 2015, and the consultation will be open until 17th January 2016. The council would like to encourage as many people as possible to submit their views on the proposals, and to provide any other ideas they have about potential alternative proposals. The council currently owns and runs three residential care homes for older people (all of which provide some facility for day care) and one day care centre for adults. We started an exercise to look at the future of these services in March 2014, when the Performance Scrutiny Committee requested that an Elected Members’ Task & Finish group be established to “examine value for money options for delivering high quality social care services in the County”. The review was requested for two main reasons. First, the Council needs to respond to changing expectations about what modern social services should look like in future. Second, it needs to focus its limited resources towards the areas of highest demand, because of the ongoing requirement to deliver financial savings. As part of the initial “listening and engagement phase” of our review, discussions have already taken place with people using our in-house care services and their families. These discussions helped to shape the development of the options now being consulted upon. It is evident from all our discussions so far that the support provided by all our council-run services is greatly valued. It also became apparent that many residents in our three residential care homes would be adversely affected if they were asked to leave their homes now. Consequently, our Cabinet agreed that, whatever decisions are made about any future changes, no individual service user will be asked to move from their current home unless a suitable alternative is identified where their needs can be met. We know this is an unsettling and stressful time for everyone who would be affected by any future changes, and we apologise for any distress this may cause. However, despite the support that clearly exists for our existing services, there are several reasons why we need to consider change: Public expectations are changing, and research shows that people generally don’t want to live in residential care homes when they are older. Most people either want to be supported to stay at home, or to live in an extra care housing development which provides 24 hour on-site care that can adapt to their changing needs. Because public expectations are changing, the demand for “traditional” social care 10

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services (like residential and day care) is falling every year in Denbighshire. Also, the demand for Extra Care Housing in Denbighshire is greater than the available supply. There are currently three Extra Care Housing developments in Denbighshire (in Rhyl; Prestatyn; and Ruthin). All three schemes were filled immediately after opening, and have had a waiting list ever since. There is a very high demand for additional Extra Care Housing in the Ruthin area particularly. It is more expensive for the council to its own care services than it is to buy them from the independent sector. We know this because about 95% of adult social care services in Denbighshire are already provided by the independent sector. It becomes even more expensive for us to run our own services as demand falls and the number of vacancies in our residential homes and day centres increase. As a result of these changes, we expect that the number of standard residential care homes in Denbighshire (and across Wales) will continue to reduce over time. However, we expect that they will be replaced by modern Extra Care Housing schemes and more specialist nursing and/or mental health care homes (where demand is increasing). There are 4 separate consultations currently taking place, one for each of the following: Hafan Deg day care centre in Rhyl Dolwen residential care home and day care centre in Denbigh Awelon residential care home and day care centre in Ruthin Cysgod y Gaer residential care home and day care centre in Corwen The current preferred options for each of our existing in-house services are: Awelon, Ruthin: At a future agreed date, the council would stop new admissions and work with the individuals and their families at their own pace to explore, wherever appropriate, suitable alternatives. They would then enter into a partnership with the owner of Llys Awelon to develop additional Extra Care apartments on the site. The aspiration is for the site to have 50 extra care flats and a new community facility for wider use, although this may take several years to achieve. The Council wishes to emphasise that no current resident in Awelon will be required to move if it would be unsafe for them to do so. Cysgod y Gaer, Corwen: To enter into a partnership with relevant stakeholders (including Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the third sector) to develop the site into a ‘support hub’, offering both residential and extra care type facilities, as well as an outreach domiciliary care and support service to the tenants of local Sheltered Housing Schemes and the wider population of Edeyrnion and the surrounding area. This would ensure that the individuals living in Cysgod y Gaer currently can continue

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doing so through retaining beds at the location, but also develops services that support independence and improved outcomes for others in the local area. Dolwen, Denbigh: The suggestion is for the Council to enter into a partnership with an external organisation and transfer the whole service (residential and day care) to them. The new provider would be required to register with the Care & Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) to provide care to support older people with more complex mental health needs such as dementia. Hafan Deg, Rhyl: The suggestion is for the Council to enter into a partnership with an external organisation and transfer the building to them. The building could then be used as a base to provide traditional day care services and early intervention activities for older people that reduce social isolation, support independence and promote resilience. Councillor Bobby Feeley, Cabinet Lead Member for Social Care, said: “People’s expectations about how they want to live their lives as they get older is changing. People rightly want (and demand) control over their own lives and the freedom to choose how to live it. Most people tell us that they do not want to live in a residential care home when they get older. They say that they would prefer to live in their own home and be supported to be as independent as possible for as long as possible. That is why we are carrying out a review of our in-house care provision, in response to the changing needs of the public. We also recognise the need to consult widely on the proposals and now we urge people who may have a view on the proposals to get involved in this formal consultation”. The consultation began on Friday, October 16 and will run until Sunday, 17 January. To get involved please visit the Council’s website: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/ consultations where you can find background information and the consultation response form. Alternatively you can contact the Customer Connections Team on 01824 708090, by e-mail:[email protected] or by sending comments to : the Customer Connections Team, Denbighshire County Council , Russell House, Churton Road, Rhyl, Denbighshire, LL18 3DP. DCC have already held 4 public consultation meetings (in Ruthin and Rhyl) but there is still an opportunity to attend a further 4 public meetings which will take place on 30 th November 2015 in Canolfan Ni in Corwen and 14th January 2016 at Eirianfa Community Centre, Denbigh (2.30pm-4pm and 6pm-7.30pm). Please contact the Customer Connection Team on 01824 70 80 90 to let them know that you plan to attend in order that we can ensure that there are sufficient resources for those meetings. 12

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Are you a Carer? Did you know that if you're a CARER in Denbighshire you can join your local sports centre for FREE and get up to 30% off exercise Do you look after someone? Are you a Carer looking after a friend or relative?

Please contact Carolyn Hildebrandt at NEWCIS on 01745 331181 for more information on how you can get more from NEWCIS and your local sports centre today!

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Hearing Link Wales Many of us will experience hearing loss at some stage of our lives, and for some of us and our families, the impact will be devastating. Currently around 1 in 10 adults, around six million people in the UK, are living with some degree of hearing loss. It affects everyone differently, but what remains consistent is that it touches every part of a person’s life from the ability to communicate, their status at work, to self-esteem and relationships with family and friends. Often people feel that they are losing their identity, leading to growing isolation, loneliness and depression. Hearing Link Wales is part of Hearing Link UK. It is made up of a team of staff and volunteers who are working to improve the quality of life for people with acquired hearing loss in Wales, as well as supporting partners, family and friends. Hearing Link Wales has been active since 2013 and is working towards developing its key support services through a growing network of volunteers. It also delivers community events and provides training to local organisations, to raise awareness of the practical and emotional challenges faced by those living with hearing loss. We have two paid member s of staff, one based in north Wales and one in the south. Hearing Link Wales services include: • A helpdesk providing free information and advice to individuals, their family, friends and healthcare professionals. Specialist Support services that are designed for adults who have developed hearing loss to any degree, as well as for their family members and friends. 

One-to-one support from volunteers who provide personal and practical advice for individuals with hearing loss. They can tell you more about Hearing Link services and provide useful information as well as sharing their own experiences of managing hearing loss. They can do this through visits, letters or emails. 

If you’re worried about your hearing and would like more information about hearing loss, please visit www.hearinglink.org. Hearing Link Wales is also looking for volunteers to support our work and can offer a wide variety of roles to match your skills, interests and availability. Contact Hearing Link Wales, Enterprise House, Navigation Park, Abercynon CF45 4SN. Alternatively email [email protected]; or phone/SMS on 07753 220075 / 07790 139184. Visit: http://hearinglink.org/hearing-link-wales for more information.

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North Wales Chronic youths

Are you a

young

person with

arthritis…?

Then join us at our FREE My Condition and Me Workshop and find out how to take control: Saturday 5th December 2015 11:00am – 1:00pm at: Aberconwy Mind, The Rabbit Hole Cafe & Wellbeing Centre, 3-4 Trinity Square, Llandudno. LL30 2PY ALSO: Parents - come and meet Contact a Family Cymru and learn a range of helpful skills when meeting education / health / social care professionals. Refreshments and Lunch will be provided!

Booking is essential To book your place or to find out more information, contact: Nia on 07834418461 or e-mail [email protected]

www.arthritiscare.org.uk Registered charity Nos.206563 an SC038693 Floor 4, Linen Court, 10 East Road, London N1 6AD

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Community Led Conversations ‘Talking Points’ offer a different way for people to find out what help might be available in their community to support their health and well-being. Local people from a range of local services will be on hand at community venues offering advice and information about what is available to help. If you or someone you know needs help with daily life, pop into your local Talking Point or phone the Single Point of Access on 0300 456 1000 to make an appointment. ‘Talking Points’ also provide an opportunity for people to: Come along and explain what they feel is missing in their local community that could make a difference to their health and well-being. Get involved and share their knowledge, skills, experiences and time to improve the well-being of others in their community. Talking Points is a new way of working and is currently being piloted in the following local places: Corwen, Llangollen, Denbigh, Rhyl, and Prestatyn. For more information, please contact: Mel Evans, Partnership Projects & Development Manager, Denbighshire County Council on 01824 712 870 Email: [email protected]

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Ruthin and District u3a Ruthin and District u3a was launched in March of this year and now has 215 members. The U3A is a Charity for active retired and semi retired people. There is no lower age limit as long as people are not looking for full time work. The Steering Group applied to the Lotteries Awards for All and has just been awarded £2203 for equipment such as a media projector, laptop, lapel mike and a bingo caller machine. This bid also included First Aid training for some of the group leaders and the rent for 12 months of the monthly meeting place. The Welsh Churches has also just awarded the group £200 for administrative costs such as paper and envelopes. Members can join different interest groups which are all led by members on a voluntary basis. The groups are very diverse and include topics such as forensic psychology, geology, backyard chicken keeping, whist, recorders, French, disco exercise or hill walking. It costs just £15 a year to join and this will give access to any of the interest groups, a monthly meeting, a regular Newsletter and occasional special events. Once a month there is a full meeting where members can get together in a social setting.

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A range of different speakers are organised for these meetings and these have included topics such as the local Community First Responders, Behind the Scenes of Theatre and Television and Life in Japan.

The next full meeting is on November 24th at 10 am in Ruthin Rugby Club where the talk will be on 'The Adventures of Great Uncle Ernest in the Great War'. If anyone is interested in finding out more or would like to join the U3A please contact the Chairperson, Rose Hislop on [email protected] or visit our web site u3asites.org.uk/Ruthin

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Friends of Llangollen Health Centre The new Llangollen Health Centre opened in September and has brought together the town’s GP practice and various services together under one roof and will enable the provision of better, more integrated care for local people. This is an exciting development which creates an integrated focal point for the health and well-being of the community. There is a newly established charity, Friends of Llangollen Health Centre, which replaces the two previous charities “Association of Friends of Llangollen Hospital” and “Llangollen Patients Trust”. This new charity will have the same objectives, i.e. to provide support to service users, patients, volunteers, residents and visitors who use the Health Centre & GP Practice (including Glyn Ceiriog & Plas Madoc). It will organise fundraising events, including running the Friends Café at the centre. Friends Cafe We are finding that patients and visitors welcome the presence of a café in our new Health Centre building. When visiting a consultant it is relaxing to find a cheery, welcoming smile from the café volunteers and enjoy a drink and maybe a snack while they wait for their appointment. We are a happy bunch and only too willing to help in providing what we consider is an important service, which also has the added bonus of providing funds for the benefit of the patients - some of the more healthy patients have added their name to our list of volunteers. We offer a varied supply of tea and coffee, crisps, flapjacks and biscuits, 22

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etc., all served with friendliness, with the likely addition of toast, toasted teacakes, scones, etc. and microwaved items in the near future. Some of the patients sit together and exchange news, as most people know each other in this small town. There are also numerous posters containing information for them to read about DVSC activities and opportunities, including volunteering. ‘I find it a privilege to be able to give something back to society by volunteering to help with service or raise funds for a worthwhile cause’ Audrey Brameller, Friends Café Volunteer. Anyone interested in volunteering at the Friends Café of helping with the Fundraising Activities please contact: Audrey Brameller, Friends of Llangollen Health Centre Tel: 01978 860 684 or email: [email protected]

Unllais New improvement and partnerships development officer Hello. My name is Hannah Luhde-Thompson and I have recently joined Unllais as an improvement and partnerships development officer, covering Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham. I am delighted to join unllais at this exciting time and very much look forward to working with the diverse range of organisations in the fields of mental health & substance misuse across the region. I will try to meet with as many organisations as I can to over the next few months, but if you would like to have my help with a future or current project, please do get in touch. For more information or to organise a meeting, please contact Hannah: email: [email protected] Phone: 01745 827 903 Mobile: 07554 245 696 23

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Try Something New presents:

Colour Therapy and Art Come and join us in a relaxed and friendly environment where, through the medium of art, you can discover how colour can improve wellbeing.

Taking place every Wednesday from the 27th January until 10th February. Sessions start at 1:30pm and finish at 3:00pm.

This group takes place at: Abbey Dingle Care Home Abbey Road Pentre Felin, Llangollen Denbighshire, LL20 8DD

This group is free of charge. Booking is essential as places are limited. To book a place, or find out further information please call 01352 700717 or email [email protected] This group is open to people with dementia and their carers

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Try Something New presents:

Art and Relaxation An opportunity to relax and express yourself using a variety of artistic materials whilst meeting new people in a relaxed and friendly environment with a cup of tea or coffee. Taking place on the third Wednesday of every month on the following dates: February 17th

March 16th May 18th June 15th

April 20th July 20th

Starting at 10:30am and finishing at 12:00pm This group takes place at: St. Collen’s Community Hall, Regent Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire, LL20 8HL Optional lunch available for purchase after the group. This group is open to people with dementia and their carers This group is free of charge. Booking is essential as places are limited. To book a place, or find out further information please call 01352 700717 or email [email protected] Alzheimer’s Society operates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Registered charity no. 296645.

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YMESTYN - REACHING OUT BEFRIENDING SERVICE A small group of volunteers is in the process of setting up a Befriending Service in and around Llangollen. This will be run by volunteers and will be for anyone who is lonely, isolated or socially excluded, for whatever reason. We aim to improve people’s quality of life through befriending. Research shows that reducing isolation and having contact with others can improve mental health. Some of the people who may benefit from the Service may include older people; those who are physically disabled, housebound or bereaved; people with mental health problems; troubled teenagers and parents; people who are new to the area and who do not have any family or friends locally, including refugees; those who are not ’joiners’ and so do not belong to any community or faith groups; people living in poverty. We aim to be inclusive and non-discriminatory. Ymestyn - Reaching Out will come under the auspices of Nightingale House Hospice’s Compassionate Communities Scheme, who will provide us with initial training and insurance, will do the necessary DBS checks and will offer on-going supervision and support. They will be holding a presentation in Llangollen of the Service, probably in the spring 2016, where we hope to recruit volunteers to act as befrienders. This is a scheme which will be run entirely by volunteers, so we will be dependent on local people offering their services. We have managed to acquire some funding but this will need to be on-going, as we will need to have enough to pay volunteers’ expenses. Hopefully the Service will be up and running by the summer. For more information about the project or to get involved, please contact: Cynthia Fenton, Coordinator at [email protected]

For Updates on the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act don’t forget to visit the Hub http://www.ccwales.org.uk/getting-in-on-the-act-hub/ or in Welsh http://www.cgcymru.org.uk/hyb-deall-y-ddeddf/?force=2 For all the updates on the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act as new material is being added constantly. 26

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Parabl Talking Therapy service provides short-term therapeutic interventions for individuals facing common mental health difficulties or challenging life events which may be impacting on your emotional well - being. It is a free service to meet the needs of adults aged 18 and over, who are resident within Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham. The service is for you if you have:

Common mental health difficulties, such as mild to moderate anxiety or depression  Experienced a bereavement  Relationship problems Common psychosexual difficulties 

The service has been commissioned by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to complement other mental health services. The Parabl Partners are Flintshire Mind, Aberconwy Mind, CAIS, Tan y Maen and Ynys Mon and Gwynedd Mind. Other service providers include Vale of Clwyd Mind, Relate and Cruse. We offer a wide range of therapeutic services to meet your needs. Following a comprehensive and supportive telephone assessment your assessor will discuss with you your suitability for a Parabl service. Services we offer include; Self Help – we can forward you self-help guides and signpost you to self-help websites/podcasts.

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The Serenity Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CCBT) programme - an interactive self-help programme which allows you to work through a series of self-help modules in your own time. Modules cover topics such as managing your anxiety and depression and relaxation techniques. Therapeutic Groups - provided over 7-8 weekly sessions. Covering topics such as ‘Stress Management’, ‘Managing Depression’ and ‘Building Self Esteem’ Mindfulness groups – provided over 8 weekly sessions, through practices like yoga, meditation and any other activities encouraging awareness of thought, bodily sensations, and surroundings in the present moment. Individual counseling – up to 6 sessions of counselling to explore presenting issues that are impacting on emotional well-being.

Community Navigator Service Do you know someone who could use a little support? The Community Navigator Service can help to connect people with their local community, and provide support to maintain and improve their health and wellbeing. Run by British Red Cross in Prestatyn, Meliden & by Age Connects North Wales Central in Corwen. To find out more about the Service or get involved , please contact: Prestatyn & Meliden: Kim Mills on 07841 863 661 or email: [email protected] Corwen: Emma Gray on 01745 472004 or email: [email protected]

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www.dewis.wales Quarterly Update

January 2016

Another Year end for SPOA There have been a lot of things happening since our last update. The future for the SPOA sites, in terms of funding and how they will operate is now at the top of everyone’s agenda, we believe that the findings from the evaluation will inform future thinking. DEWIS - THE place for information about wellbeing in Wales has now been launched in North Wales. This has been the result of a successful partnership between our programme and the SSIA DEWIS programme. We are pleased to say that we have built the prototype for Wales. You can read more about DEWIS in this update. Denbighshire SPoA Team

Together SPOA and DEWIS is North Wales response to the duty placed on Local Authorities under the Social Services Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 to deliver Information, Advice and Assistance, but for North Wales, as we stood up and stated at a recent Welsh Government event in Wrexham, we are trying to do this with Health and not just with the assistance of. Our focus now is on the evaluation of what has been achieved to date, and what we believe will be the spring board for the future. All six sites are working closely with our independent evaluators, Wilson Sherriff. The initial findings of the evaluation will be shared at a regional event on the 4th February, please make a note of the diary marker in this update.

I was delighted with the publication in the October edition of the Journal of Integrated Care of our article, ‘Bringing the future to life: Maureen’s postcard to Beryl”= North Wales Single Point of Access Programme’. On the back of this Mel and I were invited to showcase SPoA at the Welsh Audit Good Practice event in Cardiff. There was no better way to do this than to share Phyllis’s story, a real case study from Denbighshire SPoA, which we have included in this update.

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We finish 2015 facing our last lap, regional collaboration funding comes to an end on the 31st March 2016 and this will mark our programme closure. Our legacy will continue in the form of 6 SPOA sites, albeit looking slightly different and at different stages of maturity. I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the North Wales Single Point of Access Programme Team to thank you for your support. Jane Moore Regional Single Point of Access Programme Manager Meet Phyllis – a Denbighshire SPOA case study Phyllis was admitted to hospital for a hip replacement after a fall at home. Phyllis also suffers with lung disease. Phyllis was worried and sad about returning home, as she lives alone and her family live some distance away. The hospital Social Worker contacted the Single Point of access (SPOA) with a request for the Reablement team to support Phyllis on her discharge. A few days later a referral also came into the SPOA for a District nurse to support with dressings. The referral stated Phyllis was to be discharged that day. The benefit of having a coordinated SPOA IT system that records all community health and Social Care referrals meant that Sandra, the SPOA Community Services Partnership Manager (CSPM) was able to to get a full picture on what was happening with Phyllis. Sandra knew that as Reablement support was still being arranged which meant that Phyllis could be returning to an empty house. Sandra’s concern for Phyllis was increased further when she discovered that Phyllis had only lost her husband six weeks ago. Sandra believed that if Phyllis went home to be alone with no support, that her already low mood and anxiety associated with her medical condition could lead to Phyllis phoning the ambulance because she felt unwell which would lead to a re-admission. Sandra decided to arrange for Health & Social Care Support Workers to pop in and see Phyllis at regular intervals over the weekend, to offer reassurance and practical support and advice to facilitate Phyllis’s recovery. Also sitting in the SPOA, is Bex, the Third Sector coordinator who has access to DEWIS, the wellbeing website and directory resource, as such with Phyllis’s

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permission referrals to Cruise and a befriending Scheme were quick and effortless. As a result of responsive actions of SPOA for the weekend and the ongoing plans in relation to third sector support, Phyllis felt confident enough not to need the Reablement service and it goes without saying a re-admission to hospital was averted. SPOA ticks the box For Phyllis Citizens are central First Contact Right Response Focus was on promoting and supporting independence and well-being For Health & Social Care Services Consistent, Coordinated care and support Facilitated discharge without delay and reduced the potential of re-admission kept care package to a minimum Effective use of partner resources Taking an outcomes based approach, understanding what was really mattered to Phyllis and thinking creatively and outside of the box. The best outcome for all was achieved by having a SPOA!!!!!!

www.dewis.wales Dewis Cymru is an online collection of information and resources focussing on wellbeing. The SPoA programme and over nine hundred resources (so far) have worked together with the Social Services Improvement agency and Data Unit Wales to develop the website which is to be launched nationally across Wales in February 2016. More than just a website, North Wales strategic approach to ensuring information is part of people's wellbeing has seen a network of support develop across the region across sectors and different resource types; this has ensured that easy access to quality information is possible from where people go to for support already. For North Wales, Dewis is live, but development continues, so please take a look, have a go and give us your feedback by hitting the ‘feed back’ button on the home page.

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