LINk County Durham

 

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A Community Voice in Health and Social Care

Welcome to our website

LINk News Update

What do you think…? Sedgefield Community Hospital Consultation

If you live in the Sedgefield, Spennymoor, Shildon, Newton Aycliffe area we need your views about a proposal for a new project by the Sedgefield Clinical Commissioning Group. To find out more and answer the consultation questions please click here and return your answers to host@pcp.uk.net by Friday 17 February 2012.

LINk representative for NEAS meetings

LINk are looking to have another representative to sit on the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) Local Involvement Network Liaison Committee. The purpose of the committee is to ensure patients, carers and the public are actively and appropriately represented and involved in the planning and development of services across the North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust’s catchment area.

If you are interested in getting involved, please contact the LINk team on 01325 327431 or host@pcp.uk.net

County Durham LINk working in Partnership with Council for Voluntary Services (CVS'S) in County Durham

Numerous CVS's across County Durham have agreed to provide support to LINk District Repsentative to help them find out more about what the issues are in their area. The role of the CVS is key as they will use their existing networks to reach local people and groups and promote the LINk through holding local engagement events and arranging surgeries to find out what people think about local health and social care services.

To find out more about these partner organisation please click on the logos below to be redirected to their website.

Dates for your Diary

County Durham LINk Surgery dates for the East Durham Area

The LINk representative for the East Durham area will be available for you to visit to share your views, concerns and opinions about Health and Social Care on the following dates

• Thursday 9th February - 1pm to 3pm at Eastley Community Centre, Stockton Road, Seaham, SR7 8DX
• Wednesday 7th March - 10am to 12 noon at Blackhall Community Centre, Heselden Road, Blackhall Colliery, TS27 4LG

County Durham Round Up

The items included in this section are an overview of what's happening in County Durham. The meetings, events and consultations posted here are organised by external parties, therefore we do not accept responsibility for their content or organisation and they are not covered by our expenses policy.

Big Changes for Carers in County Durham

The five district carers centres in Durham Dales, Derwentside, Durham & Chester le Street, Easington and Sedgefield are to merge into one centre. This will have a major impact on the lives of people looking after members of their family with illness or disability.

There will be a series of consultation events held across the county from the 20 - 24 February 2012. The sessions are open to anybody interested in carers services to come and find out about the proposals and to have their say about the new service. Refreshments will be provided at all of the sessions.

For a list of sessions please click here and contact your neatrest carers centre to arrange to attend.

Short survey about Healthwatch

The Healthwatch team would like your feedback on ‘what we do, how we do it and why’. These have been developed with a range of stakeholders, now they need your views to help them refine these messages. Below is the link to the survey. It will be available for one month. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Healthwatch_OC

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Events

Durham Area Action Partnership (AAP) is pleased to announce a programme of safe, welcoming and inclusive events for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people and their friends who live in County Durham, see below:

• 9 Feb- Engaging with Democracy at Durham County Hall - Contact: Emma at GADD 01325 252522

• February- LGBT History Month- http://www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk/calendar/EventsNorthEast.php
• 11 April- Social with refreshments and music at Durham Town Hall
• Contact: Clare at EngAge (Age UK) 0191 3839750 

• 17 May- International Day against Homophobia awareness event Durham County Hall - Contact: Mara at Durham County Council 0191 3833929

• June- University Summer Ball (TBC) -Contact: Russell 07427480590

http://www.durhamlgbta.org.uk/handbook/lgbta-socials/

• 12 July- Social Event, TBC - Contact: Billijean at DISC LGBT health and wellbeing 07826872756

Partners including Gay Advice Durham and Darlington; DISC, Chester-le-Street CVS, Engage, Age UK (County Durham) and Durham County Council are fund-raising to contribute towards the cost of the programme. The events will contribute towards the priorities of the AAP by supporting the voluntary and community sector and making the City Centre a safer place to be. You are invited to contact Jayne Mills at Durham AAP on 0191-301-8871 or jayne.mills@durham.gov.uk

New Craft Group for People with Hearing Loss

At Lanchester Community Centre, Newbiggen Lane, Mondays, 1-3pm. For more information contact DDS on 0191 518 3358, Fax: 0191 5182980, email: admin@ddsupport.org.uk

Getting Better Together

Have your say on the future of services for acutely sick and injured children across Gateshead, Sunderland and South Tyneside. Full details of this consultation are available on NHS South of Tyne and Wear website: www.sotw.nhs.uk/yoursay/consultations/. Alternatively, call 0191 529 7374 for a copy of the consultation document.

EngAge Network Events

Become a ‘Confident Consumer’.
This training helps you identify age discrimination, be more assertive in requesting services and how to get the help that you need. It may help you take a pair of shoes back to a shop, speak up for your group at a meeting, or just feel more confident in expressing an opinion. If you would like to join a training course near you please contact the EngAge Team. It can be delivered to any group or individual as long as they are 50+ and living in County Durham. Individuals can express an interest and will be signposted to the next available course. FREE

Regular monthly social and friendship group for older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people Takes place on the second Wednesday in the month between 11:00am - 1:00pm with a shared lunch at Belmont, near Durham City. Please contact Clare Midgley on 0191 3839750 to discuss your needs.

Contact the EngAge Team on 0191 3839750 or email engage@ageukcountydurham.org.uk  if you would like to find out more.

Acting Together- Get involved in checking services and make a difference!

‘Acting Together’ is the name the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has given to involving people as Experts by Experience in inspections of health, mental health and social care services.  People who have personal experience are making an important impact on how services are checked and are judged to be up to standard.  By carrying out inspections of services with an inspector, they are valued members of the inspection team and are paid for the visits, or other work they do. If you want to make a difference and you have personal experience of services or are a family carer they are keen to hear from you.You can: email ExpertsByExperience@ choicesupport.org.uk or call Kathy Steele on: 07785 622407

New Information Leaflets -

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