North Staffs

Health & Social Care Support Directory 2013 - 14 Covers services within the areas: 3 Newcastle-under-Lyme 3 Biddulph 3 Cheadle 3 Leek

Contents Healthwatch Staffordshire - About us Have your say Expressing Complaints and Concerns Healthwatch Champions North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group Choose Well Healthy Living Choosing a GP GP Surgeries Pharmacies Dentists Opticians & Hearing Centres Are you a Carer?

Independent Living Advice on paying for Care Legal Terms Care in your home Nursing & Residential Care Residential & Nursing Homes Help & Advice

Disclaimer This directory has been compiled to cover health and social care options throughout the North Staffordshire CCG. Whilst we have taken every care in compiling this publication, the publishers and promoters cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies.

All listings are supplied via the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and NHS Choices. Neither Healthwatch Staffordshire nor HealthCare Publications Limited can be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

A note on advertising: We offer businesses the chance to reach potential customers via this publication. It is our intention to clearly indicate that an advertisement is being displayed and no endorsement or approval by the promoters of any product, service or supplier should be implied.

All signposted services are up to date as of November 2013.

Another quality publication by Healthcare Publications Limited.

SIGNPOSTING LOCAL HEALTHCARE

If you require extra copies of this directory or interested in advertising in future editions please contact Healthcare Publications on 0333 444 0214

ABOUT US What is Healthwatch Staffordshire?

Healthwatch is the new, independent consumer champion for health and social care in Staffordshire. Our job is to argue for the consumer interest for all those who use health and social care services in the county. Replacing the Staffordshire LINk’s role, we are backed up by a national body, Healthwatch England.

What powers does Healthwatch have?

• Healthwatch Staffordshire has a seat on the local Health and Wellbeing Board the body that oversees health and social care in the country – and therefore can influence how services are set up and commissioned.

The Healthwatch network is a new kind of consumer champion in health and social care. We will make sure the voice of the consumer is heard and acted upon. With our independent statutory powers, the network as a whole has a fantastic opportunity to make a difference. Healthwatch England looks forwards to making sure the public’s voice is heard loud and clear by those who plan, run and regulate health and social care services.

Anna Bradley, Chair of Healthwatch England

• We have statutory powers to enter and view health and social care services using our trained Healthwatch Champion volunteers who undertake the role of authorised visitor.

• Has a place on the new Quality Surveillance Groups that have been set up in the NHS to monitor provider quality.

Healthwatch Staffordshire is delivered by Engaging Communities Staffordshire (ECS).

ECS is a community interest company that brings public engagement, consultation and consumer advice services together in a central organisation to create evidence and insight to help improve local health and social care services.

What does Healthwatch Staffordshire do?

• Gathers the views and experiences of people within Staffordshire, about their health and social care priorities.

• Produces reports which influence the way services are designed and delivered throughout Staffordshire.

• Provides information, advice and signposting about local services, as well as commissioning the NHS Complaints Support Service.

• Passes information, issues and concerns to health and social care regulatory bodies and escalate recommendations to Healthwatch England.

HAVE YOUR SAY Allowing the public to ‘have your say’ and ‘making your voice count’ are the fundamental roles of Healthwatch Staffordshire. Services should be and will be based on children, young people and adults needs and experiences and accountable to local people. Every voice counts when it comes to shaping the future of services and improving them for today.

We’re here, ready to get started, so come and talk to us. Your words will make a difference and by contacting us with your experiences we will make your voice count.

Healthwatch Staffordshire wants you to have your say in a variety of ways whether its by posting a comment on our website (www.healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk), following us on Twitter @HWStaffordshire, liking us on Facebook at Healthwatch Staffordshire,making a complaint using our independent NHS complaint support service, or, by using our Free phone number 0800 051 8371.

What matters is making your voice count and your local Health and Social care services are guided and shaped by your feedback.

Health related care is provided by the NHS. Social Care is the responsibility of the Local Authority and is provided by a range of organisations.

Healthwatch Staffordshire would like to know what Health and Social Care issues are important to you, your family and friends.

Tell us what you would like Healthwatch Staffordshire to do for you: 1. Are you happy with the Health and Social care you are receiving?

Healthwatch Staffordshire Call us on 0800 051 8371 Or visit our website www.healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk or email at enquiries@healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk Follow us @HWStaffordshire or like us on Facebook at Healthwatch Staffordshire If you have any questions or queries with regards to Engaging Communities Staffordshire Visit our website at www.engagingcommunitiesstaffordshire.co.uk or email at contactus@ecstaffs.co.uk Follow us @ECStaffs or like us on Facebook

2. Do you have a relative or friend living in a Care Home? Are you/they happy with the care they receive?

Please tell us of your positive or negative experiences.

3. Can you get an appointment with your GP (Doctor) when you need to?

4. Have you had to stay in hospital recently, if so, what was it like?

5. Do you or a relative suffer from a long term illness; are you / they happy with the help and support you / they receive?

6. Do you know what services are available and how to choose the right one, when you need urgent care?

Thank you for giving us your feedback. This will help Healthwatch Staffordshire to continue to prioritise its work.

EXPRESSING COMPLAINTS & CONCERNS

If you want to express a concern or make a complaint about any aspect of NHS Treatment or adult social care you have received from the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Partnership Trust, please contact.

General Practitioners (GPs) If you want to make a complaint or express a concern relating to your GP Practice, your first port of call would be to contact your GP directly. If you wish to take your complaint or concern further, CCGs are also interested in knowing about patients’ concerns (as CCGs commission GP Practices) and are willing to receive complaints about the provider services they commission. These concerns would be directed to the Commissioning Support Unit (CSU) PALS service.

The CSU PALS will try to resolve concerns, will support patients to make formal complaints where necessary and will refer eligible patients to the NHS Complaints Support Service.

Please contact: Commissioning Support Unit PALS: Tel: 0800 030 4563

Complaints Team, Staffordshire and Stoke-onTrent Partnership NHS Trust, Morston House, The Midway, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 1QG Tel: 0845 602 6772 Email: complaints@ssotp.nhs.uk

If you want to express a concern or make a complaint regarding any aspect of NHS Treatment or social care which you have received from the North Staffs Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, please contact: North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, Harplands Hospital, Hilton Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 6TH Tel: 0800 389 9676 / 01782 275031 Email: complaints@northstaffs.nhs.uk

Text Phone: 075 406 68541 or Email: pals@staffordshirecss.nhs.uk or feedback@staffordshirecss.nhs.uk

If you are unhappy with any aspect of your care whilst attending the University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS) then you should contact UHNS Provider PALS service. PALS is an impartial, welcoming, open and confidential service for people who would like information or advice, or would like to comment about any aspect of the services provided by University Hospital. Please contact.

UHNS PALS: Tel: 01782 676450 / 01782 676455 Email: patient.advice@uhns.nhs.uk

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of a decision taken, you can contact NHS England, who will try and do everything that it can to respond well. If you have a complaint concerning the treatment or service provided by the NHS please contact: NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch B97 9PT Tel: 0300 311 2233 (Mon-Fri 8.00 – 18.00) Web: www.england.nhs.uk/contactus/complaint/ Email: England.contactus@nhs.net

EXPRESSING COMPLAINTS & CONCERNS If unhappy in the way which the NHS has handled a complaint you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, please contact by: Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP Tel: 0345 015 4033 Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk

If you are unhappy about the way Staffordshire County Council has delivered social care services, and would like to express a complaint or concern, please contact.

The Monitoring Officer, Staffordshire County Council, Peel Building, St. Chads Place, Stafford, ST16 2LR Tel: 0300 111 8000 Email: customer.feedback@staffordshire.gov.uk

NHS Complaints Support Service “The NHS Complaints Support Service is there to provide advocacy support to people who wish to make a complaint about the service – or lack of it – that they have received during a Health Service delivery circumstance.”

Delivered by POhWER, advocates will support an individual through the complaints process. They will explain the options available and support you to pursue your chosen course of action.

ECS/Healthwatch Staffordshire will be working alongside POhWER in order to provide the advocacy service to those who wish to engage with health care services in Staffordshire.

They do not however investigate or encourage complaints, nor do they offer legal or medical advice.

The NHS Complaints Support Service is free, independent and confidential.

What can they do?

• Provide individuals with a Self Help Information pack to help them find their own way through the complaints process • Explain how the NHS complaints procedure works • Listen to a complaint and discuss options available • Help individuals to write letters regarding complaints • Attend meetings and give support • Speak to other agencies on your behalf when requested • Provide information on other services an individual may wish to access • Help to obtain medical records Unit 25 & 32, Staffordshire University Business Village, Dyson Way, Staffordshire Technology Park Stafford ST18 0TW Email: pohwer@pohwer.net Website: www.pohwer.net Tel: 0300 456 2370

HEALTHWATCH CHAMPIONS Become Involved Anyone can become involved with Healthwatch and contribute to its activities because everyone’s views matter. You can do as much or as little as you like – from filling in a survey, attending the occasional meeting about an issue of personal interest, signing up as a Healthwatch Member or becoming a Healthwatch Champion

What are Healthwatch Champions?

Healthwatch Champions are volunteers who act as the voice of the local community. They talk to local people about the quality of health & social care in their area and are committed to supporting Healthwatch Staffordshire to improve services.

This role is vital to the improvement of local services by prioritising the issues that really matter to you in your own local area.

Healthwatch Champions can undertake as much or as little as they like from a range of Champion specific roles.

Role of a Champion include: • Be the eyes and ears of local people and raise issues of concern.

• Make recommendations on how to improve local services.

• Tell people about Healthwatch and encourage them to become involved.

• Promote Healthwatch events and projects to local people.

• Liaise with other people/groups involved with engagement work.

• Attend meetings, groups & events as a Healthwatch Member, representing your own views based on personal experience.

• Talk to patients about their experiences of using health and social care services.

• Visiting health & social care providers, as part of our Enter & View portfolio and activity.

How to become a Healthwatch Champion No qualifications are needed to become a Healthwatch Champion; just a willingness to listen and talk to a range of individuals, an open mind and a desire to raise the voice of local people.

Champions who are authorised by Healthwatch Staffordshire will undertake relevant training and some roles will require a Disclosure and Barring Service check (previously CRB check).

You can become a Champion by: Contacting Healthwatch Staffordshire on 0800 051 8371 or emailing at enquiries@healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk From here we will send you an information pack with additional information about Healthwatch Staffordshire. This will include a role descriptor for Champions and an application form for you to complete and return to us.

It is only with your support that Healthwatch Staffordshire can make a difference to the quality of local services.

Anyone can apply to become a Healthwatch Champion, however if you wish to take a less active role you can sign up to be a Healthwatch Member where you receive regular updates and newsletters.

NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE As part of the changes to the NHS brought about by the Health and Social Care Act 2012, Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) ceased to exist on the 31 March 2013.

From April 2013, groups of General Practices known as NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) commission health services for their local populations. Commissioning health services involves identifying the health needs of the population and ‘buying’ the appropriate high quality services necessary to meet those needs within the budget allocated.

CCGs are membership organisations and therefore member GP practices will be central to our work as the North Staffordshire CCG, There are 33 member GP practices and 136 GPs catering for the population of around 213,000 across the two distinct localities, including: Newcastle-under-Lyme • Newcastle • Kidsgrove • Keele • Silverdale Staffordshire Moorlands • Biddulph • Cheadle • Leek The CCG has established four key strategic goals which form the focus for the initial years of its existence. These goals are: • To increase Life Expectancy and Reduce Inequality • To improve prevention, early detection and effective management of those most at risk.

• To enhance quality of life and improve health outcomes for people with long term conditions • To ensure that people receive the right care in the right place.

CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP Getting Involved with the CCG North Staffordshire CCG believes that engagement is crucial, and tries to ensure that the voices of patients and members of the North Staffordshire public are taken into proper consideration when the Clinical Commissioning Group makes important decisions about health.

It is vital that as many people as possible are involved in the process, if it is to be effective. It’s especially important for people who traditionally have difficulty being heard, such as those who are very elderly or disabled.

There are a number of ways that you can support North Staffordshire GPs and the Clinical Commissioning Group to shape local healthcare services that meet the needs of local people.

The easiest way for individuals to get involved is to join the Patient Membership Scheme. Anyone is entitled to join if they are registered with a doctor within the Newcastle-under-Lyme or the Staffordshire Moorlands regions. The Patient Membership Scheme is designed to give people and organisations the opportunity to have more say in the NHS and actively participate in designing and shaping healthcare services.

North Staffordshire Patient Participation Groups Consisting of a group of volunteer patients, the Practice Manager and one or more of the GPs from a practice, Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) meet on a regular basis to discuss the services on offer and how improvements can be made to benefit all parties.

PPGs help practices to put both the patient and healthcare at the heart of everything they do.

Often the action taken by the PPGs all depends on the local needs of individuals in the locality.

In the North Staffordshire CCG the majority of GP Practices already have an existing PPG. Anyone registered with that practice is entitled to become a member. If you would like to know more about your practice Patient Participation Group and how you can get involved you should contact your GP practice directly for further details.

For more information about NHS North Staffordshire CCG visit:www.northstaffsccg.nhs.uk Write to:NHS North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group Morston House The Midway Newcastle-under-Lyme Staffordshire ST5 1QG Tel: 0845 602 6772 Email: nsccg@northstaffs.nhs.uk

CHOOSE WELL

Choose Well Don’t be a time loser, be a time chooser, and make sure you get the right treatment, in the right place, at the right time. Your time is a precious thing. Hundreds of people spend hours at Accident and Emergency each week for minor illness and ailments when other services would have been more appropriate.

Choose Well – Facts and Figures • 51.4m GP consultations are for minor ailments alone, which would clear up by themselves, or with a little help from an over-the-counter remedy from a pharmacy, this is 18 percent of the GP workload nearly half of these consultations are generated by people aged 16 – 59 years.

• Up to 40,000 GP visits per year are for dandruff; 20,000 go to their local surgery for travel-sickness and 5.2 million with blocked noses.

• Two million people who go to A&E could either self-care or have been treated elsewhere in the community 12 percent of people admit to having used A&E in the past even when they knew there was nothing seriously wrong with them.

• The estimated cost of treating people who go to A&E but who could have either self-treated or gone else where, is £136 million a year this is the equivalent cost of 6,500 nurses.

The following pages will provide details of where and when to access the right health services in North Staffordshire and what your choices are.

CHOOSE WELL A&E 999

Open 24/7, 365 days a year.

The A&E department in North Staffordshire is at: University Hospital of North Staffordshire –Newcastle Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 6QG.

NHS WALK-IN CENTRE

Walk-in centres treat minor illnesses and injuries that don’t need a visit to A&E. Hanley Health and Welling Being Centre, 69/71 Stafford Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 1LW Telephone: 0300 123 6759 Open 8.00—20.00, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

GP

Our GP surgeries, also have trained nurses who can give advice, take tests, diagnose and be able to treat many illnesses that used to be only dealt with by doctors - making the level of service you can expect from your GP surgery even better than ever.

PHARMACIST

Go to a pharmacist if you have the symptoms of a cough, cold or think you’ve got the flu. A pharmacist is the best place to go as they can usually provide you with the help and information you need on the spot.

NHS 111 NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, and is free to call from landlines and mobiles and offers confidential health advice and information.

SELF – CARE

Ensure your medicine cabinet is well stocked with • Anti-diarrhoeal medicine • Paracetamol or aspirin • Rehydration mixture • Indigestion mixture • Thermometer • Plasters

ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY The Emergency Department is for ambulance traffic and critical or lifethreatening situations only, and you should only go there or call 999 if immediate emergency care is needed.

MINOR INjURY UNITS Newcastle-under-Lyme – Haywood Hospital—Minor Injuries Unit, High Lane, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 7AG Telephone: 01782 715 444 Staffordshire Moorlands – Leek Moorlands Hospital, Ashbourne Road, Leek, ST13 5BG. Telephone: 01538 487103 / 0300 123 1894

OUT OF HOURS URGENT CARE If you live in North Staffordshire you should contact Staffordshire Doctors Urgent Care on 0300 123 0814 / 0300 790 0247

GP SURGERY Your local GP surgery provides a range of services including – • General medical advice and treatment for an illness or injury that won’t go away • Routine health checks – Travel advice – Prescriptions • Help managing long-term medical problems • Immunisations and tests • Referrals to a specialist or a hospital

PHARMACIST You can speak to any pharmacist for advice on how to treat lots of minor injuries and common complaints such as coughs, colds, bites, stings, aches and pains. They also offer help with healthy living issues such as losing weight or giving up smoking.

NHS 111 Is a new national telephone service if you need medical help fast, but it’s not life – threatening. NHS 111 provides a new way to ensure people receive the right care, from the right person, in the right time and place.

SELF CARE Many patients make appointments to see their Doctor or Nurse, when they could be using a well stocked medicines cabinet or visiting a pharmacist to treat their symptoms – and getting the same help or advice a lot quicker. Self care is the very best choice you can make for treating very minor illnesses and injuries.

HEALTHY LIVING The choices we make about how we live can have a significant effect on our health. Eating a healthy diet, doing regular exercise, not smoking and not drinking too much alcohol can help you stay well and enjoy a long life.

Keeping fit and healthy can be a challenge if you are living with a long-term condition, but it will make a big difference to your wellbeing. If you’ve been thinking about making changes to your lifestyle, such as stopping smoking, losing weight, eating healthily, drinking a little less alcohol, or doing more exercise, there’s plenty of help and support available.

Talking to your GP and other healthcare workers, including pharmacists, is the first step. They’ll help you look at your lifestyle and suggest changes that are suitable for your condition and any treatment you’re having. Your health or care worker can also let you know about local services that can help you.

Get active, feel fitter, live longer Whatever your age, there's strong scientific evidence that being physically active can help you lead a healthier and even happier life.

Adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. Young people (5-18) should do 60 minutes every day.

If you do this, it can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by up to 50% and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%.

Rethink your drinking Drinking too much alcohol could increase your risk of getting 14 major diseases, including mouth and throat cancers, liver cirrhosis, strokes and mental health problems.

Alcohol is believed to be responsible for as many as 22,000 premature deaths in England and Wales every year. But it’s not just binge drinkers who are at risk: regularly drinking more than the recommended limit can cause significant health problems.

Stop Smoking for good For example, if you want to start exercising but you're unsure how to, your GP can put you on the Exercise on Referral scheme. These schemes are run with local gyms and fitness centres and can include swimming. Ask at your GP practice for more information.

Your GP can also help you if you want to stop smoking, for instance by enrolling you in a clinic where you’ll get support from other people who are also trying to stop. Nicotine replacement therapy and other stop smoking treatments provided by your GP can also help you resist cravings and boost your chances of quitting successfully.

You're never too young or too old to switch to a healthier lifestyle. Children who learn healthy habits at a young age will benefit from them throughout their life. And giving up bad habits can improve your health at any age.

Giving up smoking is probably the best thing you can do to improve your health.

Research shows that smoking is responsible for almost one in five of all deaths in the UK. This means that smoking causes an estimated 110,000 deaths a year.

Smokers are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack as people who have never smoked.

Smoking also increases your risk of developing many cancers and lung disease.

CHOOSING A GP Choosing a GP can seem a daunting task, especially if you have just moved into an area and don't know anything about the local health services. But there are some easy ways to find the doctor to suit you. It's important to be registered with a doctor because you'll need them to refer you for specialist hospital and community treatment services.

How do I register?

A surgery may refuse an application to join its list of patients if: You don't reside in the surgery area It has formally closed its list of patients, eg when a practice has more patients than it can deal with or not enough doctors - this is less common than it used to be.

If your application is refused, the surgery must write to you and give the reasons for this How do I find a surgery?

Most surgeries operate a fairly strict catchment area system, and only those who live within the area may be able to register.

This isn't to be awkward, but ensures a GP can visit a person at home in an emergency in reasonable time.

This is straightforward and far easier than most people realise. Simply take your NHS medical card along to your chosen surgery. You will then be asked to sign a registration form.

Not all NHS trusts issue medical cards. If you don't have one, the receptionist will give you form GMS1 to fill in.

Once you've completed and returned the forms, your local NHS will transfer your medical records to your new surgery and write to you to confirm your registration as a patient with the surgery.

Many surgeries ask a new patient to attend a ‘registration medical’ that checks your general health.

What if I can’t get an appointment?

If you can't get a doctor's appointment or have a non-urgent health problem or query, you can contact a nurse by ringing 111 at any time.

Try to avoid attending A&E for minor complaints

GP SURGERIES Your local GP surgery provides a range of services, including general medical advice and treatment for illnesses or injuries that just won’t go away.

Your local GP surgery provides a wide range of family health services, as well as advice on health problems they can also help with.

Vaccinations • Examinations and treatment • Prescriptions for medicines • Referrals to other health services and social services • Screening Management of long term conditions preventative care Please note that GP surgeries in Blythe Bridge are covered by Stoke-on-Trent CCG. However there are listed in this directory as they are located in the Staffordshire Moorlands district. Patients living in Blythe Bridge should contact NHS Stoke-on-Trent CCG, 79 London Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 7PZ Tel: 01782 298002 Newcastle-Under-Lyme

Address

Telephone

Staffordshire Moorlands

Address

Telephone

PHARMACIES If you have the symptoms of a cough, cold, or think you’ve got the flu a pharmacist is the best place to go, as they can usually provide you the help and information you need on the spot.

They can also offer help with healthy living issues such as losing weight or giving up smoking.

For opening times and NHS SERVICES available from your Pharmacy Please scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit www.nhs.uk

Newcastle Under-Lyme

Address

Telephone

Staordshire Moorlands

Address

Telephone

DENTISTS Always ask your dentist whether the treatment they're recommending is available on the NHS and how much it will cost before you go ahead.

Emergency Dental Service Dental Access Centres are available to treat patients who need emergency treatment. This service gives priority to pain relief and urgent care. Not all dentists take on NHS patients, you should check before hand.

Emergency Dentist out of hours: 111 • Emergency Dentist normal working hours: 111

Newcastle-Under-Lyme

Address

Telephone

Staordshire Moorlands

Address

Telephone

OPTICIANS & HEARING CENTRES Regular eye tests are important because your eyes don’t usually hurt when something is wrong. Many eye conditions can be treated if found early enough. A sight test is a vital health check for your eyes. It can pick up early signs of conditions that can affect the eyes before you’re aware of any symptoms, Including: Diabetes • Macular Degeneration • Glaucoma

Newcastle-Under-Lyme

Address

Telephone

Staffordshire Moorlands

Address

Telephone

Hearing Centres

Address

Telephone

ARE YOU A CARER? A Carer spends a significant proportion of their life providing unpaid support to family or friends. This could be caring for a relative, partner or friend who has a long term illness or disability including mental illness, alcohol or drug misuse or those that are elderly, forgetful or frail.

Caring can be a very difficult , demanding and all-consuming task, no matter how close you are to the person you care for.

Caring can affect your health making you feel tired, frustrated, stressed and feeling guilty leaving you with no time to yourself. In fact 52% of carers need treatment for stress related problems and many carers feel they have to give up work because of the effects caring has on their life.

You are not alone! It is estimated there are around 6.5 million Carers in the UK today. You are certainly not alone, but you still need to take care of yourself as well as the person you care for.

Thankfully, armed with the right support and information caring can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. Just follow a few simple tips that can make a real difference.

• Ask for Help: We all need help from time to time and carers are no exception. Help is out there you only need to ask!

• Know your rights: It sounds simple, but knowing what you’re entitled to and what support is available can help a great deal.

• Tell your GP: Your GP practice can record that you are a carer to ensure you get your annual flu vaccination and additional support as a carer.

• Have an assessment: This can sound a little daunting at first, but ensuring that you and the person you care for get an assessment of your needs through the Local Authority can give you access to a whole host of additional practical help and support.

• Be a little selfish! We all need time to ourselves, but it’s particularly important for carers.

This could be as simple as setting some me time aside for a relaxing bath or a night out.

There are an estimated 80,000 Carers in Staffordshire, help and support is available locally from the North Staffs Carers Association.

If you’re a carer and you need someone to talk to contact:

We at North Staffs Carers Association are there to help and benefit informal, unpaid Carers in the North Staffordshire area.

North Staffs Carers is a registered Charity, which provides information, training and ongoing support, in the most appropriate way, to Carers of all ages living in the districts of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire Moorlands and Stoke-on-Trent.

The Carers Centre, Fenn House, Duke Street, Fenton, Staffordshire ST4 3NR

Telephone: 01782 793100 · Fax: 01782 330792 • Website: www.carersfirst.com

INDEPENDENT LIVING Assistive Technology can help vulnerable people and their carers live more independently in their own homes.

Telecare which is part of assistive technology, can support people whose sight, hearing or cognition may have deteriorated. This could be due to physical or mental conditions which may have a long-term effect on their health and wellbeing.

There are many Telecare devices which automatically alert a 24-hour monitoring centre or your chosen carer, should you need assistance.

There are also Telehealth solutions which monitor medical conditions in your own home, speak to your GP to find out more about Telehealth.

Telecare Technology Can: • Raise an alarm in case of a fall or emergency.

• Raise alerts for floods, smoke, carbon monoxide.

• Support a medication regime.

• 24-hour reassurance for family and carers in the knowledge that they will be alerted in the event of an incident.

Telecare may be of benefit to: • Older, infirm or disabled people • People who have been discharged from hospital and need additional support at home • People with sensory impairments • Vulnerable people of any age living alone Telecare also offers support and reassurance to carers in the knowledge they will be alerted in the event of an incident. In this way, Telecare can be of assistance to carers of people with dementia, physical disabilities, learning disabilities and longterm medical conditions.

Aids and Adaptations If you or a member of your family has difficulty living in your home due to a long-term illness or disability, you may be able to get help by adapting your home to better meet your needs. You can apply to your local council for a disabled facilities grant. The grant helps you adapt your home to make it suitable for a disabled person. Depending on your income, you may need to pay towards the cost of the work to the property.

You could get a grant from your council if you’re disabled and need to make changes to your home, for example to: • widen doors and install ramps • improve access to rooms and facilities - eg stairlifts or a downstairs bathroom • provide a heating system suitable for your needs • adapt heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use How can I find out more about the aids and adaptations that would help me?

Contact your social services department at your local council about what difficulties you are having at home. They will send an occupational therapist to carry out an assessment and provide advice on which equipment or housing adaptation needs suit you best.

ADVICE ON PAYING FOR CARE Care and support services are means-tested and are not free to everyone. Most people have to pay something towards their own care and some will have to pay for all of the costs. Who pays depends on what your needs are, how much money you have, and what level and type of care and support you require.

You may need to pay for all of your own care, or you may be entitled to local authority funding, NHS care (free) or have entitlements to welfare benefits to help pay for your care and support.

For most people needing social care services, the first place to start is by asking your local authority for an assessment of your social care (care and support) needs. As part of this, the local authority may also carry out a financial assessment. This assessment will determine whether the local authority will meet all the cost of your care, or whether you will need to contribute towards your care cost or whether you will have to meet the full costs yourself. Some of the rules for this financial assessment are applied differently based on whether you need care in your own home or care in a residential home.

There are several options for funding care, and understanding them, and which ones apply to you can be complicated. These options depend on your need for care and support, as well as your personal and financial circumstances.

Get personal advice on care funding The cost of care and support is likely to be a longterm commitment and may be substantial, particularly if you opt for residential care. If you or a member of the family need to pay for care at home or in a care home, it’s important to understand the alternatives. This makes advice tailored to your individual needs vital.

You can get advice from: Your local authority – through an assessment of your care and support needs as well as advice on which services are available locally.

Financial advice from a qualified, independent source – there are independent financial advisers who specialise in care funding advice. They are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and must stick to a code of conduct and ethics and take shared responsibility for the suitability of any product they recommend.

LEGAL TERMS Every day people make decisions about lots of things in their lives. The ability to make decisions is called mental capacity. People may have difficulties making some decisions either all or some of the time. This could be because they have a learning disability, dementia, a mental health problem, or could be the result of a head injury or a stroke or a temporary condition such as an illness, accident or the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Listed below are details about some of the legal terms and topics you may come across. You may need to contact a solicitor who can give you impartial advice which you may have to pay for, or you can contact an advocate who can advise on your behalf.

Lasting Power Of Attorney: allows you to appoint someone you trust to make decisions about your personal welfare, including healthcare and your financial affairs.

The Court of Protection: can issue Orders directing the management of a person’s property and financial affairs if you are incapable of managing your own affairs and do not have a Lasting Power of Attorney.

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards: protects people in residential care or hospital who are unable to make decisions for themselves due to a brain disorder. If any of these people need to be restrained, restricted or deprived, in order to give them physical care or keep them safe, a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards authorisation may be required.

The Mental Capacity Act: • The act’s purpose is to allow adults to make as many decisions as they can for themselves.

• To enable adults to make advance decisions about whether they would like future medical treatment.

• To allow adults to appoint, in advance of losing mental capacity, another person to make decisions about personal welfare or property on their behalf at a future date.

• To allow decisions concerning personal welfare or property and affairs to be made in the best interests of adults when they have not made any future plans and cannot make a decision at the time.

• To ensure an NHS body or local authority will appoint an independent mental capacity advocate to support someone who cannot make a decision about serious medical treatment, or about hospital, care home or residential accommodation, when there are no family or friends to be consulted.

• To provide protection against legal liability for carers who have honestly and reasonably sought to act in the person’s best interests.

• To provide clarity and safeguards around research in relation to those who lack capacity.

CARE IN YOUR OWN HOME If you are finding it difficult to manage at home you could consider using the services of a home care provider. Home care providers employ care assistants who can help you with bathing, washing and dressing.

The staff who work for these agencies are trained in personal care and safety procedures, moving and handling, hygiene and infection control. If you require nursing care at home, many agencies employ registered nurses.

This is only one option of supporting yourself with care at home. Another could be to employ a personal assistant.

A list of the care agencies registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), who are located in the North Staffordshire CCG areas can be found below.

Organising your own home care If you are thinking about arranging your own home care it is a good idea to ask any agencies you approach the following questions: • • • • • • • •

Are there different rates for weekends/evenings?

Are there any extra charges i.e. for the carer's travelling expenses?

What sort of services do you provide?

Will somebody visit me before the service starts?

If you provide me with a service, can I contact you out of office hours? If so, how?

Are your carers trained?

Do you take up references on your carers?

Are you registered with the Care Quality Commission?

To check up-to-date information on the providers of homecare in your locality visit www.cqc.org.uk or scan the QR CODE with your Smartphone.

Care Provider

Address

Telephone

NURSING & RESIDENTIAL CARE There are many types of residential care homes available.

These include permanent care homes for older people, homes for younger adults with disabilities and homes for children. They may be privately owned or run by the voluntary sector or local authorities. You may want to consider in detail the many options for residential care before you make a decision.

Older People Care homes for older people may provide personal care or nursing care. A care home which is registered to provide personal care (see the section on care home regulation, below) will offer support, ensuring that basic personal needs, such as meals, bathing, going to the toilet and medication, are taken care of. In some homes more able residents have greater independence and take care of many of their own needs.

Some residents may need medical care and some care homes are registered to provide this. These are often referred to as nursing homes. Some homes specialise in certain types of disability, for example, dementia.

Adults Aged 18-65 There are also residential care homes that provide care and support for younger adults with, for example, severe physical disabilities, learning disabilities, acquired brain injury, progressive neurological conditions or mental health problems. Care can be provided for adults with more than

one condition and some homes have expertise in providing care for adults with alcohol or drug dependency.

These homes offer permanent residence or provide care for a temporary period until the adult is able to live independently or move to a different type of accommodation.

Choosing between residential care and independent living Social services normally encourage younger adults who they assess for support to be as independent as their circumstances allow. The care plan for adults with disabilities will consider what independent tasks they can carry out and how they can be helped to achieve more. Even if adults have very severe disabilities their needs are reviewed from time to time to check whether residential care or a very high level of support is still appropriate.

Supported living may be an option for younger adults. This allows people to live independently in the community but with basic support. The support offered includes help with setting up a home and managing finances, and assistance with cleaning and shopping.

For older people there are various alternatives to residential care. These include sheltered housing and extra care housing schemes, which offer independence with an increased level of care and support.

For many people there is also the choice of living independently at home with community care support.

NURSING & RESIDENTIAL CARE Choice of Accommodation The law says that where the local authority is funding accommodation it must allow the person entering residential care to choose which care home they would prefer. Social services must first agree that the home is suitable for the person’s needs and that it would not cost more than they would normally pay for a home that would meet those needs. If the person chooses to go into a more expensive home, a relative or friend may be able to ‘top up’ the difference in cost.

Choosing a Care Home Care homes may be arranged through the local authority but many people will want to arrange them independently. It is a good idea to visit several homes before making a choice. Make sure you spend enough time in each home to get a good idea of what it is like.

Respite and Short Term Stays Residential care home stays don't necessarily have to be permanent. Temporary stays can be arranged for respite care (in which you take a break from caring for somebody else), or as a trial period before a permanent stay.

Temporary stays can give you flexibility when covering unexpected events, such as: • Palliative care (which manages or reduces pain) after a hospital stay or illness • Support for newly disabled people and their carers • Enabling someone to continue living independently if they live alone and suddenly require care • Giving someone a chance to try potential future homes What your choices are: A list of all nursing and residential care homes within your locality can be found on the following pages. Every care home in England must be registered with the national regulatory body Care Quality Commission (CQC).

They inspect each care home on a regular basis and write an inspection report for you to read. It is advisable to read this report before making a final decision.

RESIDENTIAL & NURSING Newcastle-Under-Lyme

Residential

Address

Telephone

Nursing

Address

Telephone

RESIDENTIAL & NURSING Staordshire Moorlands

Residential

Address

Telephone

Nursing

Address

Telephone

To check up-to-date information on the Nursing and Residential care homes within your locality visit www.cqc.org.uk or scan the QR CODE WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE

HELP & ADVICE Information and Advice Service

Information and advice officers are trained to provide information on a vast range of topics from benefit entitlement to housing and home safety to long term care. General advice on how to deal with issues with utility companies, telesales calls and doorsteps callers or simply find a tradesperson is also available.

Covers Newcastle-under-Lyme, the Staffordshire Moorlands, and Stoke-on-Trent Age UK North Staffordshire, 83-85 Trinity Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 5NA Tel: 01782 204995 or Age UK North Staffordshire - Newcastle Office, 4 Merrial Street, Newcastleunder-Lyme, ST5 2AD, Telephone: 01782 238282 or Age UK North Staffordshire, Leek Office, Lion House, 4 Russell Street, Leek, ST13 5jF, Tel: 01538 387732

Approach provides services to meet the needs of older people with dementia or mental health needs, and adults who are socially disadvantaged. We work mainly in North Staffordshire and the City of Stoke-on-Trent Approach, Cauldon Chambers, 10 Stoke Road, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2DP Tel: 01782 214999

Helping people with a learning disability to speak up and make decisions about what is important to them.

Lines are open 9am – 5pm Monday – Friday, 0808 808 1111

Call the Carers Direct helpline if you need help with your caring role and want to talk to someone about what options are available to you. If you are busy at certain times of day, you can send us a message to ask us to call you back for free at a time that is convenient to you.

This service is available for people living in or caring for someone in England. Lines are open 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday (except bank holidays) 11am to 4pm at weekends.

Calls are free from UK landlines and mobiles or you can request a free call back.

Call Carers Direct on 0808 802 0202

Asist works alongside people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities or mental health conditions. They support for people who have difficulty speaking out, so that they can have an equal voice in the choices and decisions that affect their lives.

Asist, Winton House, Stoke Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2RW Tel: 01782 845584, Website: www.asist.co.uk

Staffordshire Parent Partnership Service is a free, impartial and confidential service for parents and carers of children (0 – 19) with special educational needs. It provides information and support on all aspects relating to a child's education. Training for parents is offered through the SkillShare project.

Tel: 01785 356921, Email: spps@staffordshire.gov.uk

The Family Information Service can provide you with the information you need to make important family decisions. Whether it’s a quick call to check something, or a more detailed discussion to find the right type of childcare.

Family Information Service, Staffordshire County Council, Tipping Street, Stafford, ST16 2DH Tel: 0300 111 8007 • Email: fis@staffordshire.gov.uk

Free, confidential, impartial and independent advice. We can offer help with a range of problems, including debt, benefits, housing, employment, consumer, relationships and discrimination.

Newcastle-under-Lyme Citizens Advice Bureau, 25-27 Well Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1BP Tel: 0844 4111 444 or 0844 499 4115 Leek Citizens Advice Bureau, 20 St. Edward Street, Leek, ST13 5DS Tel: 0844 4111 444 Cheadle Citizens Advice Bureau, Harborne Road, Cheadle, ST10 1jY Tel: 0844 4111 444 Biddulph Citizens Advice Bureau, 10 Tunstall Road, Biddulph, ST8 6HH Tel: 0844 4111 444

HELP & ADVICE North Staffs Users Group is a pressure group for people living in North Staffordshire who have personal experience of mental distress or illness. We work together to try to get the best local mental health services, whether these are provided by hospitals, GPs, Social Workers. Community Nurses or Voluntary Services.

North Staffs Users Group, The Dudson Centre, Hope Street, Hanley, Stoke on Trent ST1 5DD Tel: 01782 683043M Website: www.nsug.co.uk

The MS Society is the UK’s leading MS charity, who provides information and support to people with Multiple Sclerosis.

Free MS Helpline, The helpline provides support to anyone affected by MS in the UK. Lines are open 9am – 9pm Monday – Friday, Tel: 0808 800 8000 M.S Society – North Staffs Branch, 33 Marychurch Road,Bucknall, ST2 9Bj Tel: 01782 503855, Website: www.mssociety.org.uk/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/MSSociety, Twitter: @mssocietyuk

The Newcastle Community & Voluntary Services (NCVS) offers organisation advice, funding advice, training, help and support to all new and existing voluntary and community groups throughout the Newcastle-under-Lyme area.

Newcastle Community and Voluntary Service, 12 Andrew Place, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1DL Tel: 01782 629269, Website: www.nulcvs.info NCVS has now since merged with VAST however NCVS still operates as a charity in its own right.

You can contact VAST at The Dudson Centre. Hope Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST1 5DD Tel: 01782 683030 / 0300 3038608

Support Staffordshire is the countywide service for voluntary and community organisations in Staffordshire, providing advice on funding, volunteering, training and organisational development services. Support Staffordshire - Staffordshire Moorlands provides support for organisations throughout the Moorlands district.

Contact the Central Triage and Signposting Helpline on 0300 777 1207 or Support Staffordshire Staffordshire Moorlands, Bank House, 20 St Edwards Street, Leek, ST13 5DS Tel: 01538 381356 or 9 High Street, Leek, ST13 5DZ, Tel: 01538 398240 Email staffordshiremoorlands@supportstaffordshire.org.uk

The Staffordshire Neurological Alliance exists to provide a united voice for those affected by any of the 80 or so neurological conditions and address the wide disparity in provision across the county.

Staffordshire Neurological Alliance, 4 Bracken View, Brocton, Stafford, ST17 0TF Website: www.staffsneurologicalalliance.org.uk/

The Stroke Association is there to provide information, advice and support for people with strokes and their carers. This service is available for all individuals who live in Stoke-onTrent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and the Staffordshire Moorlands.

The National Stroke Hotline provides help and support to anyone affected by strokes in the UK. Lines are open 9am – 5pm Monday – Friday, 0845 3033 100 Stroke Association – Stoke-on-Trent (Covers the whole of North Staffordshire) Winton House, Stoke Road, Stoke-On-Trent, ST4 2RW, North Staffs Stroke Support Group Cobridge Community Centre, Bursley Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 3DQT

DEAFvibe aims to support people with a hearing loss as well as their families, friends and carers in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

DEAFvibe, PO Box 3511, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 9EF, Website: www.deafvibe.co.uk

Have your say on Health and Social Care.

Healthwatch Staffordshire • Tel: 0800 051 8371 • Website: www.healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk Email : enquiries@healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk

Making your

voice count