Learning Disability
Newsletter
Strategy Planners
News
Welcome to our second newsletter for the Learning
Disability Strategy. We want to use this newsletter to
tell you about what is happening to make the
Strategy happen.
The second Strategy Planner’s Forum took place on
15th May 2013 in Blaenau Gwent. Karen Morris and
Helen Thomas gave an updateSpring
on what2013
had
happened since the first meeting.
They reported that:
The Health Care Group have met again and talked
about a traffic light system, which will be used by
staff
to help
them understand what you need when
Spring
2012
you are in hospital. The traffic light paperwork has
now been put on health computers for staff to use.
Ambulance staff have also been told to ask you for
your information. Two nurses will be employed to
help hospital staff to look after you; one will work at
Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny and one at the
Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport. They will be called
learning disability liaison nurses.
The Group for Delivering Specialist Services
have met and is likely to be split into different groups
such as
 parents with a learning disability,
 behaviours that challenge,
 profound and multiple learning disabilities.
What you told us last time about asking for help
was shared with the group for Meaningful Lives who
said “Thank you!”
The Housing and Accommodation Group haven’t
met yet. They want your ideas.
Karen asked everyone to talk about housing and
accommodation (where you live and who you live
with). What you told us will be taken to the Housing
and Accommodation Group.
At the meeting there were lots of people with a
learning disability who live in different types of
accommodation. Everyone was asked what is good
about where you live, what is not so good and would
you like to change anything?
Here are some of the things people said:
“Would
like to live alone but with more opportunity of
contact with others in the evenings and weekends to
overcome the loneliness.”
“I can go to bed and get up when I like”
“Staff
can be overprotective”
“"We don't always live with people we want
to"
“I like the company of the friends I live
with and can have privacy and peace and
quiet when I go in my room”
"Some staff arrive to
work with me and I don't
know who they are they change staff and
don't tell me".
The Director of Social Services for Blaenau Gwent,
Liz Majer, attended to meet everyone and explain the
role of the Partnership Board.
Photographs of
members of the Board were shared with the group.
After lunch the strategy planners changed groups
and talked about how we can tell everyone about
what is happening with the Strategy. There were lots
of ideas including telling other people in the day
centres and clubs, the intranet, newsletter and
facebook.
After some discussion about what the group would
like to be called, the afternoon ended with a vote to
change the name to Strategy Planners Group.
Tell us your
experiences
If you want to tell us your experiences, or you want to
find out more about the Strategy, you can phone
Karen Morris on 01443 864528