Stoke on trent signposting directory 2014 by Healthcare Publications

Stoke-on-Trent

Health & Social Care Signposting Directory 2014 Stoke-on-Trent

Issue 1 April 2014

A note on advertising: Healthcare Publications 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.

CONTENTS Contents Healthwatch Stoke-On-Trent Clinical Commissioning Group Complaints, Concerns and Compliments Healthy Living Choosing a GP GP Surgeries Pharmacies Dentists Opticians and Hearing Centres Advice on Funding for Healthcare Personal Health Budgets Advice on Funding for Social Care Independent Living Are You a Carer? Care in your Own Home Choosing Between Residential, Nursing and Independent Living Choosing the Right Care Home Residential and Nursing Care Appointment Reminder Notes

Disclaimer This Directory has been compiled to signpost primary health and social care providers throughout Stoke on Trent.

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 Stoke on Trent nor HealthCare Publications can be held responsible for any errors or omissions. All signposting services are up to date as of April 2014.

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.

Another quality publication by Healthcare Publications

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

HEALTHWATCH STOKE-ON-TRENT What is Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent?

Healthwatch is the independent consumer champion for health and social care in Stoke-on-Trent. We cover services provided by Hospitals, Care Homes, GP Surgeries, Community Care, Dentists, Opticians, Pharmacies, supporting patients and service users of any age.

Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent can help you and your family get the best out of local health and social care services. We were set up by Government to make sure you can have a voice in influencing and challenging how health and social care is delivered where you live.

What do we do?

• Gather views from people within Stoke-on-Trent about their experiences in health and social care. • Share with decision makers what local people feel should be the priorities for their health and social care services. • Provide information and signposting about local services and how to complain about, or compliment a service. • Identify through local meetings and community events what “hot topics” patients are raising and use this to inform the work of Healthwatch. • Capture anecdotal and formal stories or experiences and use them to identify trends in healthcare locally. • Work closely with providers to ensure that the patient voice and patient experience is at the centre of everything they do. • Signposting you to independent complaints advocacy if you need support to complain about a service you’ve received. • Conduct Enter & View Visits to health and social care premises across the city to look at services you have raised concerns about. Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent has a seat on the statutory Health and Wellbeing Board which oversees the delivery of the city’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy. We try to ensure that patient and public involvement happens in the shaping of anything which is included in the strategy and to ensure that you have a chance to put forward your view as well. We carry out out our functions in an inclusive way, championing diversity so that we enable user and carer involvement on behalf of the whole community.

If you would like to know more about Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent and how we could help you, please email: info@healthwatchstoke.co.uk or call 01782 683080 You can also find our website at www.healthwatchstoke.co.uk Have your say

Ensuring that you, as a member of the public can have your say is a fundamental role of Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent. Every service, for children, young people and adults should be based on your experience and needs, and should be accountable to you. We will help to ensure that what you think is heard and considered in the shaping of services.

However, to do that we do need to know what you think! Come and talk to us, phone us, email us, tell us your experiences, and whether you wish to do this anonymously or provide your contact details we will listen to what you have to say. We will let it inform our thinking and the messages we give to health and social care commissioners.

You can join in by telephoning on: 01782 683080 Email us on: info@healthwatchstoke.co.uk Follow us on Twitter: @HealthwatchSoT Visit our website: www.healthwatchstoke.co.uk

HEALTHWATCH STOKE-ON-TRENT Healthwatch Representative: This role is ideal for anyone who wants to get a little more involved, perhaps representing Healthwatch at local meetings, conducting face to face or telephone surveys, sitting on committees or at events and promoting the work that we do.

Healthwatch Enter & View Team: If you care about services and the way they are delivered, you may wish to be trained as an Enter and View representative to visit hospital wards, Nursing or Residential Homes, GP’s, Dentists, Opticians or Pharmacies. Training is thorough and supportive and reports you write on your findings make recommendations which support the improvement of the service.

How else can you get involved?

Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent works through the dedication of its staff and volunteers. If you would like to get involved as a volunteer we would welcome a conversation with you. There are all sorts of different roles and activities, and the time commitment you can make is really to suit you.

What are the different roles?

Sign up for our Newsletter: If you just want to receive information about Local Healthwatch and what it is doing just contact us to be added to the mailing list for our monthly newsletter.

Healthwatch Messenger: This role is ideal for those of you who are involved in your local community either through work, social or hobby groups and feel it would be useful to share with your community what Healthwatch can do for them. It also works well if you already have a community role as part of your job, perhaps as a Youth Worker, Community Health Worker or any role where you regularly meet members of the public and chat to them and would be interested in sharing information about Healthwatch with them or bringing views from them about health or social care services. Interested? Give us a call to find out more on 01782 683080

Healthwatch Sub-Group Members: All the work we do at Healthwatch Stoke is shaped and informed by patients and service users, and to ensure that this continues we have sub-groups for each health theme i.e. Social Care, Secondary Care, Primary Care, Public Health, Mental Health including Learning Disability, Children and Young People. If you might be interested in driving and shaping the work of Healthwatch in any of these areas contact us to find out more about getting involved.

Healthwatch Management Board: If you have an interest in shaping the strategic direction of Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent you might be interested in applying to join our board if we have any vacancies. You can find more information about this on our website www.healthwatchstoke.co.uk

All our volunteers are offered the opportunity to go through an induction process to ensure that they are doing what works best for them and feel supported in that role. Expenses are paid for all activities agreed with the Healthwatch team. 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 – just contact us to see what sort of involvement fits with your lifestyle, we would welcome a chance to chat with you.

You can join in by telephoning on: 01782 683080 Email us on: info@healthwatchstoke.co.uk Follow us on Twitter: @HealthwatchSoT Visit our website: www.healthwatchstoke.co.uk

Stoke-on-Trent

STOKE-ON-TRENT CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP Get involved

There are lots of opportunities for anyone registered with a GP in Stoke-on-Trent to get involved and have their say on local health services.

Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Group is responsible for commissioning most of the healthcare for the people of Stoke-on-Trent. Our members are the family doctors who work in the GP practices throughout the city.

We commission these services by working with other local organisations within the NHS, partners such as the council and voluntary groups, some private organisations and with local people patients, carers and the public.

Have you ever considered how to provide healthcare for a city with 279,000 people? How would you prioritise investment and ensure services were the best they can be? That is the role of Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Group.

We are ensuring health and care services effectively meet the needs of the city’s population. It’s a complex process. Responsibilities range from knowing, in great detail, the city’s unique needs and deciding what the most urgent priorities are. We need to buy a vast range of products and services, ranging from medicines to major surgery. And we need to manage how services are provided by a large range of organisations, both within the NHS and outside. We aim to ensure all levels of healthcare in Stoke-on-Trent are of the high quality people deserve. And we need to be certain that everyone has equal access to health, recognising that everyone is unique. We also need to be absolutely certain we are getting the best value for money.

Most of all we need to make sure that we maintain constant communication with the people of the city. We need help from as many people as possible to make sure people in the city get the best possible NHS services. Contact: 01782 298002 www.stokeccg.nhs.uk

They Include:

Become a member

Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Group Patient Membership Scheme

Everyone registered with a GP in Stoke-on-Trent is entitled to join the patient membership scheme, known as “Our NHS”. The current members regularly receive information about local health developments. They also have a chance to take part in consultations and activities that can make a real difference to how health services are delivered in Stoke-on-Trent. And they will get feedback on the results of these consultations so you know if other people share your views and if your views are contributing to change.

There is no set time commitment and no cost. You can opt to only receive the information that interests you.

How do I become a member?

Become a member by; completing our online membership registration form or complete a membership form that can be obtained from your local GP Practice. Contact: Nikki Critchlow Community Relations Manager Email: nikki.critchlow@staffordshirecss.nhs.uk Tel: 0845 602 6772 ext 1530 for additional scheme details. www.stokeccg.nhs.uk/become-a-member

STOKE-ON-TRENT CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP Patient Congress

The Stoke-on-Trent Patient Congress is the level of patient participation requiring greatest commitment. The Congress is chaired by the CCG board member for Patient and Public Participation, Margy Woodhead, and has around 20 members.

Patient Participation Groups

All of the 53 GP Surgeries that are part of the Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Group have a Patient Participation Group (PPG). Anyone registered with that practice is entitled to become a member.

Members of the PPGs have the opportunity to work with doctors and practice managers to:

• Influence decisions about services and facilities • Help practices make the best use of resources • Improve communications between staff and patients • Make sure patient views are properly represented

You will also have an opportunity to take part in practical tasks such as carrying out surveys or giving advice.

If you want to get involved you should contact your GP Practice. For more information telephone 0845 602 6772 extension 1530

They meet on a regular basis and are drawn from a cross-section of the city’s population. Congress members will normally be expected to have some previous involvement with a local voluntary organisation, condition support groups, or be able to show an active interest in local health issues. Information about some of the current members is given below.

The role of the Congress is to ensure the patient voice is at the centre of the CCGs Strategic decision- making by interacting at all levels within the Organisation through their regular bi-monthly meetings with CCG Staff and Clinicians – but also by sitting on many other committees within the CCG such as Planning and Prioritisation and Quality.

Members need to show they can communicate effectively and have the necessary skills to represent the patient voice at a strategic level, and are therefore required to go through an interview process before being appointed.

Congress members are appointed for a 24 month period, are required to give a regular time commitment, and are paid an honorarium for their commitment, attending and contributing to meetings and expenses.

There may occasionally be vacancies for members of the congress which are advertised on the CCG website.

To contact the Patient congress please email: patient.congress@stoke.nhs.uk

Social Media Links @NHSStokeccg www.stokeccg.nhs.uk

COMPLAINTS, CONCERNS AND COMPLIMENTS

Stoke-on-Trent

Here at Healthwatch we understand how daunting and potentially complicated complaining can be, so we have put together the list below of organisations which can help. We advise that ordinarily you would complain to the provider of the service first, this is called ‘local resolution’. This guide is intended to aid you if you need to move the complaint upwards. Advocacy services may also be available to assist you through your complaint, for free.

We all talk about complaints and concerns but sometimes you want to compliment someone on a good service or great care, and we here at Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent would like to encourage you to take the time to tell the service if you have a good experience too! After all, we are only human and sometimes we just need that pat on the back.

We at Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent are here to help. Tel: 01782 683080 Email: info@healthwatchstoke.co.uk

PRIMARY CARE

This includes your GP, Dentist, Optician, or Pharmacist.

If you wish to raise a concern or complain about any of these services, you can do this either by: Contacting the service direct and following their internal complaints process, or if you prefer not to do this you can start the process by: • Contacting NHS England who commissions these services and going through the complaints process with them. NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT Tel: 0300 311 22 33 Email: England.contactus@nhs.net

SECONDARY CARE

This includes Hospital Trusts, Mental Health Trusts, Ambulance Trusts, Community Health Trusts and Walk-in Centre.

If you want to raise a concern or complaint about any of these services you can do this by either:

• Contacting the service direct through their local complaints contacts (details below).

University Hospital of North Staffordshire Patient Liaison Service (Wards, outpatient and A&E services) City General, Hartshill Road, ST4 6QG Tel: 01782 676 450/01782 676 455 Email: patient.advice@uhns.nhs.uk

North Staffs Combined Healthcare Trust (Harplands Hospital and Community Mental Health Services) Tel: 0800 389 9676/01782 275 171 Email: listening@northstaffs.nhs.uk

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Partnership PALS (Community Hospitals and Services such as District Nurses, Community Heath Visitors, School Nurses)

Morston House, The Midway, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1QG Tel: 0800 783 2865 Text Number: 07734 068459 Email: customerservice@ssotp.nhs.uk West Midlands Ambulance Service Patient Liaison Service

NHS Foundation Trust, Millennium Point Waterfront Business Park, Waterfront Way Brierley Hill, West Midlands DY5 1LX Tel: 01384 246 370 Email: pals@wmas.nhs.uk

• Or, if you would prefer not to contact the provider, then you can contact the Clinical Commissioning Group below who commission the above services. Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Group

Tel: 0800 030 4563 There is also a 24 hour answer phone service. Email: pals@staffordshirecss.nhs.uk Text: 075 406 68541 • Fax: 01782 298 228

If you are still dissatisfied, or have no resolution, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman (see next page).

COMPLAINTS, CONCERNS AND COMPLIMENTS ADVOCACY PARLIAMENTARY AND HEALTH SERVICE OMBUDSMAN

If you remain dissatisfied with the response to your complaint, you have the right to ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to review your case within twelve months of making your initial complaint.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP Tel: 0345 015 4033 Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

SERVICES COMMISSIONED BY STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL

If you would like to give feedback about social care services for children or adults provided directly by the city council or by another organisation commissioned by them, you can contact us in one of the following ways: • Fill in our online form at www.stoke.gov.uk/comment • Send us an email to speakup@stoke.gov.uk • Phone us on 01782 235921 Write to us at: Customer Feedback Team Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Floor 2, Civic Centre Glebe Street, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 1HH If you need help to give us your feedback, we can put you in touch with organisations that can support you.

What is advocacy?

Advocacy is taking action to help people to say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain services they need. Advocates and advocacy schemes work in partnership with the people they support and they support their voice. Advocacy supports people to have a strong voice, to speak up about matters that are important to them and promotes independence and choice.

ADVOCACY AT POHWER

“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 complaint process. They will explain the options available and support you to pursue you chosen course of action. They do not however investigate or encourage complaints, nor do they offer legal or medical advice.

POhWER hold a regular drop in service on the first Tuesday of the month at:

The Bentilee Neighbourhood Centre, Dawlish Drive, Bentilee, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST2 0EU Tel: 0300 456 2370 Email: pohwer@pohwer.net

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OMBUDSMAN

If you are not satisfied by the resolution to a complaint offered by the council, the Local government Ombudsman is there to help. Tel: 0300 061 0614 Website: www.lgo.org.uk Text back service – text “call back” to 0762 480 3014

Stoke-on-Trent

You should only attend A&E for serious and life-threatening conditions that need immediate medical attention

If you are injured or unwell there are a number of different NHS services you can access. If you are unsure if a service can treat your condition just call 111 and ask. www.stokeccg.nhs.uk

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.

You can also ask your GP about the Lifestyle service.

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.

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.

Stop Smoking for good

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. 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.

How do I register?

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.

What if I have a complaint or concern about my GP or Practice?

First raise it with the staff member concerned or the Practice Manager.

It may just be an issue of poor communication. Ask at your practice for a copy of their Complaints process to follow.

If you are not happy with how they respond to your concerns then you can write to NHS England and they will allocate someone to look into your complaint.

Write to

NHS England PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT. Tel: 0300 311 22 33 Email: england.contactus@nhs.net

If you want to help improve services in your GP practice you can join a Patient Participation Group.

Ask at the practice for details of how to join yours.

GP SURGERIES Surgery

Address

Postcode

Telephone

GP SURGERIES Surgery

Address

Telephone

PHARMACIES Your Pharmacy is there for you. Community Pharmacies sit right at the heart of our communities and are trusted professionals. An estimated 1.6 million people choose to visit a Pharmacy each day, of which 1.2 million do so for health-related reasons such as for their medicines and advice and to buy over the counter and other healthcare products. Community Pharmacies are perfectly placed to reach out to people everywhere so that they can maintain good health and wellbeing. Many have extended opening hours and these are indicated in the column marked EO. HLP - Healthy Living Pharmacists â&#x20AC;˘ EO - Extended Opening Pharmacy / Chemist

Address

HLP

Telephone

PHARMACIES Are you thinking about changing your lifestyle to improve your health?

‘Healthy Living Pharmacies’ really make a difference to the local health population. Pharmacists and their teams want to engage and deliver healthy lifestyle advice to the population of Stoke-on-Trent. These Pharmacies are highly trained in public health and can offer help and advice on stopping smoking, eating healthily, reducing alcohol intake and taking more physical activity. There are usually campaigns running in the Healthy Living Pharmacies which will help you. HLP - Healthy Living Pharmacists • EO - Extended Opening Pharmacy / Chemist

Address

HLP

Telephone

DENTISTS

Dentist

Address

Telephone

NHS DENTAL CHARGES Band 1 course of treatment

£18.50

This covers an examination, diagnosis (eg X-rays), advice on how to prevent future problems, a scale and polish if needed, and application of fluoride varnish or fissure sealant. If you require urgent care, even if your urgent treatment needs more than one appointment to complete, you will only need to pay one Band 1 charge.

Band 2 course of treatment

£50.50

This covers everything listed in Band 1 above, plus any further treatment such as fillings, root canal work or if your dentist needs to take out one or more of your teeth.

Band 3 course of treatment

£219.00

This covers everything listed in Bands 1 and 2 above, plus crowns, dentures and bridges.

OPTICIANS AND HEARING CENTRES Regular eye tests are important because your eyes don't usually hurt when something is wrong. A sight test is a vital health check for your eyes that can pick up early signs of eye conditions before you're aware of any symptoms – many of which can be treated if found early enough.

What your eye test will show

A sight test will show if you need to: Get glasses for the first time or change your current glasses

A sight test will also include a general health check that can pick up early signs of eye disease before you’re aware of any symptoms. Some health conditions can affect the eyes such as: Diabetes, Macular Degeneration or Glaucoma

Your Sight Test

It’s recommended that adults have their eyes tested every two years, unless their ophthalmic practitioner advises them to have a sight test more often than that.Your employer may pay for this test for you so ask for advice on this, and if you are over 60 your test is free of charge. Opticians

Address

Telephone

Hearing Centres

Address

Telephone

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J H E R L C N O S Z L E P H U L Y T H B X G O S W M B W G C P T T O H D C W N Y Z W A V

H N U O C I C R T W W D Q M V B F

ADVICE ON FUNDING FOR HEALTHCARE 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.

The main sources of support are the NHS and your local Social Services department, depending on your circumstances.

NHS care

The NHS is responsible for funding certain types of healthcare and equipment you may need. In some situations, the NHS is also responsible for meeting care needs. This is usually when someone’s need is mainly for healthcare rather than social care. NHS care could be provided in hospital but it can also be in someone’s own home or elsewhere in the community.

When care is provided through the NHS there is no financial assessment and no care charges to pay. However, people are only eligible for NHS care in certain circumstances.

NHS continuing healthcare

If the person you care for has very severe and complex health needs, they may qualify for NHS continuing healthcare. This is an ongoing package of care that’s fully funded by the NHS.

Nursing care

If someone goes into a residential care home but needs some element of nursing care, they’ll get a payment from the NHS to help pay for their nursing care. This is called a registered nursing care contribution (RNCC).

Intermediate care

Some people can be eligible for intermediate care from the NHS. This is provided on a short-term basis and is intended to help people recover from an injury or illness and stay independent. Intermediate care is often provided to elderly people who are being discharged from hospital, and may help someone to keep living in their own home rather than moving into a care home.

Aftercare

People who were previously detained in hospital under certain sections of the Mental Health Act will have their aftercare services provided free.

PERSONAL HEALTH BUDGETS Personal Health Budgets

Personal health budgets are being introduced by the NHS to help people manage their care in a way that suits them.

They have been piloted in a number of places across England and, from April 2014, anyone receiving NHS continuing healthcare will have a right to ask for a personal health budget.

What is a Personal Health Budget?

A personal health budget is an amount of money to support your identified health and wellbeing needs, planned and agreed between you and your local NHS team. The aim is to give people with long-term conditions and disabilities greater choice and control over the healthcare and support they receive.

Personal health budgets work in a similar way to the personal budgets that many people are already using to manage and pay for their social care.

Together with your NHS team (such as a GP) you will develop a care plan. The plan sets out your personal health and wellbeing needs, the health outcomes you want to achieve, the amount of money in the budget and how you are going to spend it.

You can use a personal health budget to pay for a wide range of items and services, including therapies, personal care and equipment. This will allow you more choice and control over the health services and care you receive.

You don’t have to change any healthcare or support that is working well for you just because you get a personal health budget, but if something isn’t working, you can change it.

Who can have a personal health budget? The first group to be able to ask for a personal health budget, from April 2014, will be people getting NHS continuing healthcare, which is NHSfunded long-term health and personal care provided outside hospital.

Local NHS organisations will be free to offer personal health budgets to other people if they think an individual will benefit. It is the Government’s long-term aim, to introduce a right to a personal health budget for people who would benefit from it.

Can I have a personal health budget as well as a personal budget for social care and support?

Yes. If you already have a personal budget for care and support from social services and your NHS team agrees, you can also have a personal health budget and ask for both to be combined.

Do I have to have a personal health budget?

No. If having a personal health budget does not work for you, your local NHS will provide the care you need as it has always done.

What is the difference between a personal health budget, a personal budget, an individual budget and a direct payment?

A personal health budget is for your NHS healthcare and support needs.

A personal budget is for your social care and support needs.

An individual budget includes your social care and support needs plus other funding, such as independent living.

A direct payment is one way of managing these budgets, where you get the cash to buy the agreed care and support you need.

Key points

• Personal health budgets should help people get a better service from the NHS. They should not make things worse.

• You do not have to have a personal health budget if you do not want one.

• You should have as much control over decisions as you want.

• NHS and social care organisations should work in partnership with you and with each other.

• If you are not able to have a personal health budget, you can still speak to your NHS team about how your needs can be met in another way that is more personal to you.

ADVICE ON FUNDING FOR SOCIAL CARE If someone isn’t eligible for free care from the NHS, their main source of support will be social services. In this case, there are rules that determine whether or not they have to make a financial contribution. These rules vary depending on whether the care is provided in a care home or in their own home.

Local authority community care

If you or the person you're looking after has difficulty with their personal care, they should consider getting support from social services by having a community care assessment of their needs.

Your income (including any benefits) and capital will be taken into account when calculating whether you have to pay anything towards the care that you or they will receive.

In some cases a person may have a mixed package of care, including some that is NHS-funded and some that is provided by social services, for which they may be charged.

Normally, an assessment is carried out before a service can be provided by the social services department of a local authority. However, if the services are needed urgently, the local authority can provide a service without carrying out the assessment.

The local authority uses the community care assessment to decide whether a person needs a community care service and, if they do, whether it can be provided by the local authority.

The assessment considers what types of services are needed by the person being assessed.

A wide range of services could be needed, from aids and adaptations in the person's own home to care workers or residential care.

Where there are disputes about the process of the assessment or the care plan, there are ways that decisions can be challenged. For more information on challenging decisions, speak to your local Healthwatch team.

The local authority is obliged to carry out a community care assessment when they become aware that someone may be in need of community care services. This may mean that an assessment is offered even if you or the person you look after have not specifically requested one.

Direct payments

If you are assessed as needing community care services and qualify for social services funding, they must offer you direct payments as an option.

If someone isn't able to manage their own direct payments, it's possible for another person to manage the direct payments on their behalf.

Direct payments are part of a move towards ‘personalised’ social care so that people have more choice and control over the support they get, letting you choose and buy the services you need yourself, rather than having it arranged for you by social services.

It's important to know that if you receive a direct payment to pay a care worker or personal assistant, you become an employer and have legal responsibilities.

Direct payments can be made to: • Disabled people aged 16 or over (with short or long-term needs)

• Disabled parents for children’s services

• Carers aged 16 or over (including people with parental responsibility for a disabled child) • Elderly people who need community care services

Choosing direct payments

The choice of direct payments is voluntary. If you decide to have direct payments, you can change your mind about this at any time. If you no longer want direct payments, contact your local social services and ask them to arrange services instead.

It's possible to try direct payments by asking social services for a direct payment for some of your support while you continue to get your other support directly from social services.

Direct payments can only be spent on things that will meet the assessed needs of the person getting them. If you spend a direct payment on something that doesn't meet your needs, social services can recover the money from you.

Everyone who gets support from social services should have their needs reassessed at least once a year.

To contact your Local Authority Department for an assessment, to be re-assessed or for further information please call 0800 5610015 • Email: social.care@stoke.gov.uk

INDEPENDENT LIVING Suggestions for making life easy:

External Adaptations

• Handrail at front or rear entrance of dwelling • Provision of whirly clothes line or path leading to clothes line • Widening of paths around the property • Defining steps for people with visual impairments • Outdoor lighting • Paved areas for wheelchairs

Around one in five adults in the UK is disabled, and more than 1 million of those live alone. With the right support and facilities, leading an independent life with a physical or learning disability is now more achievable than ever. 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 are 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 on 0800 5610015 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.

General Internal Adaptations • • • •

• • • • • • •

Additional stair rail Changing door knobs to lever handles Lowering of Yale locks Re-siting of electrical sockets at a convenient level Additional power points Provision of intercom & door unlock systems Provision of rocker light switches Adjustments to or additional lighting Relocation of clothes hanging rails Accessible window openings Provision of letter cages or delivery shelves in entrance hall

Kitchens and Bathrooms

• Lowering or replacement of high wall hung cupboards • Additional storage space in kitchen • Lowering of cooker mains switch • Installation of extractor fan with accessible controls • Level access shower • Overbath shower • Provision of non-slip/tactile surface • Provision of storage space for wheelchair • Ramps • Special baths • Special toilets • Step in shower • Widening doors for wheelchair access

Major Adaptations

• Bathroom extensions (ground floor showers & W.C’s) • Bedroom extensions • Hardstandings • Major internal rearrangements • Re-design or re-organisation of existing kitchen • Stairlifts • Vertical through floor lifts

ARE YOU A CARER? A carer is anybody who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty or disability. All the care they give is unpaid and about one in ten of us is a carer. Many carers don't see themselves as carers and it takes carers an average of two years to acknowledge their role as a carer.

It can be difficult for carers to see their caring role as separate from the relationship they have with the person they care for, whether they are a parent, son, daughter, sibling or friend and many people do not see themselves as carers. They simply may think of themselves as a friend or family of the person they care for.

It is because of this that they often don’t realise that there is help available to them as well, such as how to get: • Assessments • Direct payments • Home care • Housing adaptations • Funding for short breaks or respite

Some carers can suffer from poor health because of the demands of their caring role. For example, back pain can result from lifting or moving the person being cared for. It may also be difficult to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine while caring.

Without the right support, being a carer can be an extremely stressful role.

• 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 yours and their needs. Your 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 27,000 Carers in Stoke-on-Trent (2011 Census).

Help and support is available locally from the North Staffs Carers Association. If you’re a carer and you need someone to talk to: 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 Newcastleunder-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

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. A list of the care agencies registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) who accept enquiries and who are located in Stoke-on-Trent can be found on the following pages. Other care providers in surrounding areas outside Stoke on Trent may also provide services in the City.

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? If you provide me with a service, can I contact you out of office hours? If so, how? Are your carers trained? Are you registered with the Care Quality Commission?

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

CARE IN YOUR OWN HOME

Care Provider

Address

Telephone

CHOOSING BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL, 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 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 AND INDEPENDENT LIVING 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. 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

CHOOSING THE RIGHT CARE HOME All care homes vary in their quality, and it can be hard to know what qualities to look for when choosing a home. A good care home will probably do the following:

• Offer new residents and their families or carers a guide (in a variety of accessible formats) describing what they can expect while they’re living there. Ideally, residents of the home would have helped to produce the guide

• Have a majority of staff who've worked there for a long time. They know the residents well, and are friendly, supportive and respectful

• Involve residents, carers and their families in decision making, perhaps through regular meetings with staff

• Support residents in doing things for themselves and maximising their independence, including keeping contact with the outside community

• Offer a choice of tasty and nutritious food, which residents may have helped to prepare

• Take into account the needs and wishes of all residents, and provide a variety of leisure and social activities

• Be in a clean, bright and hygienic environment that's been adapted appropriately for residents, with single bedrooms available. A good environment encourages residents to personalise their room

• Have staff who respect residents’ privacy and knock before they enter someone’s room

• Be staffed by well-trained people, for example, nurses trained in dementia care • Respect residents’ modesty and make sure that they look respectable, while recognising residents’ choice about what they wear • Be accredited under the Gold Standards Framework for end of life care

A bad care home might do the following: • Have a code of practice and a set of aims, but doesn’t make them a priority

• Offers little opportunity to listen to residents, with most decisions made by staff

• Have residents’ care plans that are out of date, and don’t reflect their needs accurately. This means that some residents aren't getting the support they need with their healthcare and personal care

• Give residents little privacy. Staff often enter residents’ rooms without knocking, and they talk about residents within earshot of other people

• Have staff who don’t make an effort to interact with residents, and leave them sitting in front of the TV all day

• Be in a poorly maintained building, with rooms that all look the same and have little choice in furnishings

• Need cleaning, with shared bathrooms that aren't cleaned regularly

• Deny residents their independence, for example, by not allowing someone to feed themselves because it takes too long As a resident in a care home, you should expect: • The right to be treated politely and with dignity

• The right to privacy for yourself, and your relatives and friends when they visit

• The right to deal with your own finances and spend your money how you choose

• The right to eat food that's prepared in line with your faith, and to worship when and where you want to

• The right to choose the food that you eat, and to be given the time and space to relax and enjoy your meal

• The right to choose when you get up in the mornings and go to bed at night

• The right to complain if you're unhappy with your care

RESIDENTIAL AND NURSING CARE Residential Homes

Address

Telephone

RESIDENTIAL & NURSING CARE Residential Homes

Address

Telephone

Nursing & Residential Homes

Address

Telephone

APPOINTMENT REMINDER

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Another quality publication by Healthcare Publications

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

NOTES

.............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. ............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. Another quality publication by Healthcare Publications

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