Barnet LINk - interim management

This assignment comes to an end in the next couple of weeks - and it has been a whirlwind.

Barnet LINk had struggled to get going under the previous hosting arrangements - I think that is fair to say. CommUNITY Barnet took on the hosting in December 2010 and I was contracted to manage the team until the funding situation for 2011/12 became clearer.

We have had some fantastic feedback from members new and old. The local authority seem pleased to have an energetic and engaged LINk, poised to make a real contribution to the shape of health and social care in the borough.

The initial focus was on membership. We inherited a mailing list of 99 people and organisations. By the end of January 2011 this had grown to over 300.

Welcome events encouraged newcomers to sign up - and demonstrated engagement with current issues - the health and social care bill, care homes and one of the local hospitals becoming a foundation trust.

The steering group met monthly - and we brought in expert speakers to help develop the action plan so that the LINk can prepare to become a local HealthWatch in 2012. One action was to engage with GP consortia development. The LINk will be part of the management group, and will also sit on the Health and Wellbeing board. We endorsed proposals for Barnet to become a pathfinder for GP consortia and wrote a supportive letter to accompany the submission. Every GP in the borough was written to, and telephoned, to promote LINk member events - and also to establish whether patients groups were in existence. The LINk offers support to surgeries wanting to set these up - and can now provide a toolkit.

LINk outreach activities included briefings for networks of voluntary and community groups, development and delivery of publicity materials - including postcards, through which any resident can raise an issue and post it for free to the LINk office. LINk ambassador training creates a new route into local communities. Ambassadors will attend community events and gatherings with 2 roles - to promote LINk membership and also to establish what residents views are of the local health and social care services. We are specifically recruiting ambassadors with community language skills - and will provide supporting documentation in these languages.

A formal LINk workplan process was established so that a mandate from the members could be secured before resources are committed to project work, investigations or formal requests for information.

There was a hit and miss approach to meeting representation - and a summary of the roles and responsibilities of meeting reps was agreed and embedded through training.

Regular communication - through weekly e-newsletters and a bi-monthly newsletter - engaged the members and provided context for some of the changes taking place. After a couple of editions these were seen as important communication vehicles that others wanted to use to get their information across to members. A special edition of the newsletter was produced to cover a members event looking at social care in the borough.

Top all this off with an analysis of the best practice from other LINks and we have left Barnet LINk in a good place for developing and contributing in the future. The local authority have made positive statements about working more closely with the LINk, and the LINk are playing a key role in the development of the Barnet JSNA.

A very satisfying assignment - contact me to find out more.

Recruitment support for BCIL Peer Support Brokers

Barnet Centre for Independent Living goes live on 1st April - providing a one stop shop for vulnerable adults in the borough.

I have been working with Caroline Collier, the BCIL manager, to develop the job description, competency framework and selection tools for the recruitment of peer support brokers. These brokers (equivalent of 4 full time posts - mostly working on a part-time basis) will provide one to one advice, information and advocacy so that a holistic plan of support is developed for each individual. Brokers will have first hand experience of disability or mental health issues.

Caroline was overwhelmed with applications - a good sign! I provided shortlisting support and designed a competency based interview - and also assisted with the appointment decisions.

AKAMAS - Victoria Climbie Conference feb 2011

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

AKAMAS - Victoria Climbie Conference feb 2011

View more presentations from Flourishing.

Aid Excel Support Services

Whoo hoo!

Funding has now been secured for Aid Excel support services - a small voluntary sector organisation in Barnet, providing advice and information for parents of disabled children from BME communities.

Awards for All and Barnet Small Grants Team have made grants to Aid Excel which mean that the range of services on offer can be expanded and more families can be reached through new routes - including a telephone hotline and school based support groups.

The next step is a detailed implementation plan - to ensure that this funding stretches as far as possible. Also, application for charitable status.

Barnet Centre for Independent Living

Did I really not mention the work with Barnet Centre for Independent Living?

This is a new, user led organisation establishing itself in Barnet to deliver Right to Control for disabled adults who meet the criteria - as well as providing advice, information and advocacy for vulnerable adults with a variety of additional needs.

Right to Control merges a number of sources of funding and involves the development of tailored support plans that reflect an individual's interests, needs and aspirations. Peer support brokers will assist in sourcing and securing services and information so that the support plans can be implemented - and positive outcomes achieved. The aim is increased choice and independence for disabled adults in the first instance. Barnet are a trailblazer for Right to Control.

My role was in the recruitment of the BCIL service manager, which included design and implementation of a selection process based on key competencies. During the early days of the induction of the appointed manager there were some service development activities. Now we are in February - the next step is the development of materials to support the recruitment of the peer support brokers.

Mobile skatepark - launched 29th January 2011

So all the funding was secured, insurance issues ironed out, charitable registration achieved - and now Barnet Community Projects has its mobile skatepark. The equipment was demonstrated at a launch event, covered by the local press, on 29th January 2011.

This was a fabulous piece of work - bringing together the local safer neighbourhood team, young people, Barnet's youth and connexions service, Milly Apthorp charitable trust, Barnet Homes, BCVYS and the team at Barnet Community Projects - lead by Steve Neale.

Skatepark sessions will be run during February half term - by trained young people, who will lead the project. After Easter sessions will be available in other parts of the borough.

Great to be involved in the fundraising, publicity, infrastructure, capacity building and governance of this new project.

Updating - Barnet LINk

A long time since my last post - and pretty much flat out on a 4 month assignment for CommUNITY Barnet - as the new hosts for the local involvement network Barnet LINk.

LINks were introduced in 2008 as a replace for the PPI forums. They are volunteer led groups that give residents a voice in shaping, and holding to account, local health and social care services. There are 150 in the country - and Barnet LINk has had a quiet time of it over the last 18 months or so. My role was to reinvigorate the organisation, increase membership and establish it as a credible, active and respected force within Barnet.

So far the membership has trebled (in 2 months). Three LINk welcome events have been held - with speakers including the Chair of NHS Barnet briefing members on the Health and Social Care Bill and the Chair and Chief Executive of the Royal Free Hospital talking on the proposed move to foundation trust status.

There is a major adult social care event planned for March 10th - with speakers including the new director of health and social care and the lead councillor for adult social care. This include communication on the budget cuts to ASS.

A training programme is in place - covering Enter and View (a statutory inspection power), ambassador training (to develop an outreach team) and effective representation at meetings (to cover the roles and responsibilities involved in being a spokesperson at key decision making meetings).

Finally, we are are providing weekly e-newsletters to all members so that they are able to keep in touch with developments.

A hectic schedule of activities - with lots of project research and exploratory meetings taking place behind the scenes.

It all comes to an end on 25th March - when CommUNITY Barnet will appoint staff members to carry on the work.