NEWS
Disclosure & Barring Service - New online Update Service available from 17 June 2013
24/05/2013 11:16:40
I am very pleased to tell you that we will introduce our new Update Service on 17 June. This service will dramatically change the way individuals use their criminal record check and how employers check their suitability. For the first time, individuals will be able to apply to have their criminal record check kept up to date and employers will be able to go online to see if the information released is still current and valid. The Update Service will ultimately reduce the number of criminal record checks people need to have, saving everyone time and money.
More information about the new Update Service and these two other changes is now available from our website www.gov.uk/dbs. Once you have had a chance to read the guidance there, please do contact us if you have any questions. You can get in touch with our Customer Services team on 0870 90 90 811 or at customerservices@dbs.gsi.gov.uk
MHNE report: Policy and Representation Partnership Policy Forum Event
22/05/2013 16:48:52
MHNE Ambassador Yvonne Richie recently attended 'The Challenges and Opportunities of a Living Wage' - an event hosted by VONNE on Wednesday 15th May 2013. Yvonne has written the following short report to update MHNE members and supporters who were unable to attend the event.
News From Open Clasp
22/05/2013 16:00:51
New Swags and Tails scenes filmed
The week immediately following the tour saw us with a new cast filming two new Swags and Tails scenes for the North East Dementia Alliance. Catrina has been busy in April writing the new scripts based on interviews with members of the Bangladeshi community in the West End of Newcastle and with the Travelling community in Middlesbrough. The new scenes will accompany Gloria’s story from Swags & Tails on a new DVD provided by the North East Dementia Alliance to care staff and service providers raising awareness of considerations which should be made regarding minority communities.
Open Clasp’s training pack and DVD for care staff Swags & Tails: Valuing good practice in care, a training tool will also remain on sale throughout the coming year.
Surviving or Thriving Final Report
22/05/2013 14:24:40
This is the fourth study Volsag have� carried out in the last two years as they have tracked the impact of spending cuts on the voluntary and community sector in Newcastle.
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Fifty organisations, based in Newcastle, responded to the survey.� They represented a broad cross section of local organisations, from small neighbourhood groups to large national charities.� The respondents worked across the region covering every local authority.� Between them they supported over 86, 598 individuals and over 1,205 organisations.� They employ 1,316 people and rally over 2,222 volunteers.
Copies of this report can be found at http://www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk/representinginfluencing/our-research
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Young mental health service users feel the impact of austerity across the North East
17/05/2013 22:49:05
As part of Mental Health Awareness week organisations and individuals from across the North East came together for the first ever Parliamentary Outreach debate on mental health at Middlesbrough Teaching and Learning Centre today. The event was hosted by leading mental health charity Mental Health North East in conjunction with the Parliamentary Outreach team. In attendance were the following MPs: Kevan Jones, North Durham, Andrew McDonald, Middlesbrough, Ian Swales, Redcar and Graeme Morris, Easington. The event was chaired by Lyn Boyd, CEO of Mental Health North East, and Vice Chair of Mental Health North East, Alisdair Cameron represented the views of mental health service users and carers. Representatives from youth groups Change Ur Mind and the Youth Parliament voiced their concerns to MPs about the lack of investment in mental health services for young mental health service users. [more]
Time to Change in the North East
17/05/2013 13:15:51
We are looking for 2 volunteers to join a steering group to plan and deliver a large regional Time to Change event in the North East this Autumn.
If you are interested and
• have or have had direct experience of mental health problems
• have experience and skills in event planning or event management
• have capacity to attend up to 6 meetings plus training/planning sessions between May and October
We are particularly interested in having someone on the steering group who has a disability and interest in accessibility issues
If you are interested, please contact .Angela Slater, Equalities Officer, Time to Change by Wednesday May 15th.
Telephone: 07813979080
Email: a.slater@time-to-change.org.uk
The first North East meeting of the group is planned for 10am on Thursday May 23d at Launchpad office in Newcastle Travel expenses are payable
This is a good opportunity to build skills and experience All people who register an interest will be invited to attend our training sessions on speaking out and event planning this Summer
International Clinical Trials Day
17/05/2013 13:09:52
Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Trust is one of many organisations around the country that are supporting “It’s OK to ask” – a new campaign led by the National Institute for Health Research to encourage patients to ask their family doctor, nurse or consultant about clinical research.
Clinical research is the way in which we gather evidence to improve treatments for patients. Promoting, conducting and using clinical research to improve healthcare is one of the key principles of the NHS, and the new Constitution for NHS England contains a pledge to inform patients of research studies in which they may be eligible to participate.
Please come and visit us at one of the following locations and we would be delighted to see you:
James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough – main reception area – Monday 20th May
Monkwearmouth Hospital, Sunderland – coffee lounge – Tuesday 21st May
St Georges Park, Morpeth – main reception area – Friday 24th May
For more information, contact Josh Wood (Clinical Studies Officer) – 0191 223 2740
We are also running a competition – we would like you to send us pictures of you with the ‘OK to ask’ campaign badge and send them to us at josh.wood@ntw.nhs.uk. These will then be sent to the campaign website. The most imaginative picture we receive will win a box of chocolates – for inspiration have a look at some photos taken so far - http://www.crncc.nihr.ac.uk/oktoask/get_involved
Further information on the OK to ask campaign can be found online at www.crncc.nihr.ac.uk/oktoask.
MHNE welcomes MP's intervention on work capability assessments
16/05/2013 22:46:05
Mental Health North East (MHNE) has welcomed the intervention of Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham in the debate on mental health held today (May 16) in the House of Commons.
Mr Jones raised the charity?s concerns that the work capability assessments (WCAs) carried out for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) by Atos are still not suitable for people with mental health problems.
Mental Health North East is deeply concerned about the impact of Atos WCAs, which we believe are not fit for purpose for people with mental health problems,? said Lyn Boyd, CEO MHNE.
The cardiovascular safety of dementia medications: a cross national study
15/05/2013 14:08:18
Two of the most widely available medicines for dementia in the UK are cholinesterase inhibitors and a N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists (NHS, 2013). Both drugs are popular because they have been found to lead to improvements in dementia symptoms (Raina 2008). However, some have raised concerns about the safety for patients. These concerns are partly [read the full story...]
New Evidence Update from NICE
15/05/2013 13:12:40
We are pleased to inform you that an Evidence Update on Self-harm: longer term management has been published.
NICE Evidence Updates help to reduce the need for individuals, managers and commissioners to search for new evidence, and keep health and social care professionals up-to-date with new research. While Evidence Updates do not replace current accredited guidance and do not provide formal recommendations, they do highlight new evidence that health and social care professionals may wish to consider alongside current guidance.
An Evidence Update Advisory Group, comprised of topic experts, reviewed the prioritised evidence and provided a commentary.
Your help in disseminating the Evidence Update to your members would be much appreciated.
We would also welcome your feedback on the Evidence Update, what you like about it and how you think it could be improved. You can send your comments through to contactus@evidence.nhs.uk.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Kind regards,
The NICE Evidence Services team