Health & Social Care Signposting Directory 2014 (Walsall)
Issue 1
CONTENTS Contents Healthwatch Walsall Get Involved Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group Choose Well Healthy Living Choosing a GP GP Surgeries Pharmacies Dentists Opticians Advice on Funding for Healthcare Personal Health Budgets Advice on Funding for Social Care Direct Payments Independent Living Are you a Carer? Care in your Home Choosing between Residential, Nursing & Independent Living Choosing the Right Care Home Residential & Nursing Homes Help & Advice
Disclaimer This Directory has been compiled to signpost primary health and social care providers throughout Walsall. 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 Walsall 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. Healthwatch Walsall does not promote or endorse any of the businesses advertised within this directory but would like to thank them for their support in making this publication possible.
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HEALTHWATCH WALSALL Healthwatch Walsall the public voice for health & social care users Healthwatch Walsall is independent, speaking for communities and individuals in Walsall. We can challenge commissioners and providers to make improvements important to people and support them in promoting best practise. We also help individuals understand what choices are available to them and help them to get information and advice.
What we do: We listen to the concerns and aspirations of Walsall people to find out their experiences and ensure that they are used to inform decisions made about their services. Healthwatch Walsall's main objective is to engage with the public to find out the issues that matter most to them. We hold & attend meetings & events around the Borough and work with partners to ensure that we reach different sections of community. We collect views and opinions through dialogue and through surveys. This enables us to build an evidence base to speak for the public. We work constructively with commissioners and providers of services to ensure that the issues we raise are responded to and have an impact on the way services are delivered in Walsall.
Healthwatch Walsall has: • The power to request information from service providers and commissioners. • The right to carry out Enter & View visits to services and make recommendations for improvements. • The power to report concerns to the Care Quality Commission and/or Healthwatch England. A place representing the public voice on the local health and wellbeing board, along with Walsall Council, Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS England.
Working on the issues that matter Healthwatch Walsall’s assembly has identified the key issues for its workplan in the coming months and has been developing its work programme to ensure that these issues are explored thoroughly and the public are able to have their say. Three workstreams have been set up to oversee this work, as follows: • GP Performance – To look at the performance of GP Practises across Walsall and the extent to which the methods of assessing and measuring performance reflect the priorities and expectations of patients. • Integration of Health & Social Care – To look at the extent to which health & social care services are integrated from the service users’ point of view and where improvements could be made, with a particular focus on preventing and reducing periods of hospitalisation. • Accident & Emergency & Urgent Care – To look at issues relating to the use of Urgent Care services and the extent to which the use of those services match the needs and expectations of patients and the public An ongoing sub-group has also been set up, building on the work of a pre-existing LINk sub-group. The LINK Legacy (Social Care) Sub-group will examine the consistency and quality of care in Care and Nursing Homes. It will gather public and service user opinion and highlight issues of concern and good practise, seeking to work in partnership with commissioners and providers.
GET INVOLVED You could become an Assembly Member 1.Have you been volunteering to work with health or care providers trying to improve services? 2.Can you commit to attending regular (monthly) usually evening meetings to share your experiences and opinions? As an Assembly Member you can help to set our priorities and plan our work. You will have certain responsibilities and a commitment to attend and participate in meetings. You will need to show that you have a record of attendance and participation in similar meetings or groups elsewhere.
Three ways you can get involved in Healthwatch Walsall’s work: You could be a Volunteer. If you would like to help us: • Publicise our work • Meet people to talk about their experiences • Visit care homes and other health or care establishments to check standards of care and services (training will be provided) • Tell people about Healthwatch • Ask people's opinions • Take part in events, helping us to promote Healthwatch • Other activities depending on your skills and interests
You could be a supporter If you just want to know what's going on in health & social care locally and want to be kept informed or occasionally come to meetings on topics that interest you. You can join our mailing list, to be kept informed of events and activities, and asked to take part in surveys and give your views. You will be entitled, but not required, to attend assembly meetings and can participate in discussions, or join sub groups looking at specific health or care services.
If you want to get involved in Healthwatch Walsalls work contact: Healthwatch Walsall on 01922 614144 or email at info@healthwatchwalsall.co.uk From here we will send you an information pack with additional information about Healthwatch Walsall. It is only with your support that Healthwatch Walsall can make a difference to the quality of local services. Anyone can get involved with Healthwatch Walsall. Healthwatch Walsall The Hub, 17 Lichfield Street Walsall WS1 1TU Email: info@healthwatchwalsall.co.uk Website: www.healthwatchwalsall.co.uk HWWalsall
WALSALL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group is a new and exciting NHS organisation made up of Doctors, Nurses, Managers and Lay Advisors. As a group, we will use our knowledge of local health needs to make sure that public money is spent wisely on purchasing and planning safe, high quality health services for you, the patients. Walsall CCG is responsible for managing some £346 million of your money, and we have to ensure that every penny is spent wisely and effectively to deliver the safest, highest quality healthcare possible for the people of Walsall. We will use the money to commission care from a wide range of providers, including Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust, Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership and the Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. We will be responsible for making sure that these organisations, and anyone else providing healthcare services for local people, keep their patients safe and deliver a high standard of care. As clinical leaders we are committed to working in partnership with patients, the public, healthcare providers and other commissioners to achieve health and wellbeing improvements for the people of Walsall.
Our Values Respect and value people: Individuals are at the core of what we do. Listen to local people: We are committed to involving patients, clinicians and communities in the design and improvement of their services. Clinical leadership: We recognise and embrace the need for clinical leadership in service planning and redesign to ensure highest levels of quality and efficiency. Clear accountability and transparency: We value feedback and a clear sense of personal accountability and responsibility. Innovation: We will make best use of all new technology, particularly striving to be at the forefront of innovation in exploitation of information technology. Prevention: We will prevent poor health starting early with families, children and young people.
Getting Involved with the CCG Patient Representative Group (PRG) - Chairs training and development programme. In order for patients to have a strong and effective voice in Walsall the CCG has invested in providing a supportive training programme for Chairs of our PRGS. Over half of our GP Practices have a patient representative groups and this provides not only a vital voice but also a feedback mechanism in the way that the services that we commission are being delivered to our communities. Walsall CCG wish to strengthen this key community asset through this free training programme to further enable our PRG Chairs and Vice Chairs to meet the new ways of working. The Patient Reference Group (PRG) Chairs training programme has been going in Walsall since November 2012. There have been 3 programmes so far and each programme covers six sessions. These sessions include: • The changing face of the NHS • The role of a Patient Representative Group (PRG) Chair • Communication skills • Personal effectiveness for chairs • The basics of commissioning • Implementing the learning Contact us Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group Jubilee House Bloxwich Lane Walsall WS2 7JL Telephone us: 01922 618388 E-mail us: getinvolved@walsall.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. 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.
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 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
Aldridge
Address
Telephone
Bentley
Address
Telephone
Bloxwich
Address
Telephone
Darlaston
Address
Telephone
Great Barr & Pheasey
Address
Telephone
Shelfield, Pelsall and Rushall
Address
Telephone
Streetly
Address
Telephone
GP SURGERIES
Walsall Central
Address
Telephone
Willenhall
Address
Telephone
PHARMACIES Make sure you have repeat prescriptions If you or someone you care for requires medicines regularly, make sure you order and collect repeat prescriptions in good time to ensure you or your family have enough medicine to last i.e. weekends, Bank holidays and breaks away. Many of the calls to out of hours health services are for emergency repeat prescriptions when people have run out of their medication - a situation that could be avoided with some forethought and planning. By thinking ahead for your regular medication you are helping our busy out of hour’s doctors and nurses.
Pharmacy / Chemist
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
Pharmacy / Chemist
Address
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
Opticians
Address
Telephone
Hearing Centres
Address
Telephone
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.
Personal Health Budgets
The main sources of support are the NHS and your local Social Services department, depending on your circumstances.
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.
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 are being introduced by the NHS to help people manage their care in a way that suits them.
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.
PERSONAL HEALTH BUDGETS Can I have a personal health budget as well as a personal budget for social care and support?
An individual budget includes your social care and support needs plus other funding, such as independent living.
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.
A direct payment is one way of managing these budgets, where you get the cash to buy the agreed care and support you need.
Do I have to have a personal health budget?
• Personal health budgets should help people get a better service from the NHS. They should not make things worse.
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.
Key points
• You do not have to have a personal health budget if you do not want one.
What is the difference between a personal health budget, a personal budget, an individual budget and a direct payment?
• You should have as much control over decisions as you want.
A personal health budget is for your NHS healthcare and support needs. A personal budget is for your social care and support needs.
• 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.
• NHS and social care organisations should work in partnership with you and with each other.
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 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 0845 1112922 or 01922 652922
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
General Internal Adaptations 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 01922 652922 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.
• • • • • • • • • • •
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 practically 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 20,000 carers in Walsall, help and support is available locally from Walsall Carers Centre. Support for carers in Walsall Walsall Carers Centre is a good starting point for carers seeking help. They give free help to carers living or caring for someone who lives in Walsall. They can help with up to date information on: Services, benefits and issues that affect carers. We can also provide home visits to carers and Carers Caseworkers to address specific needs/issues.
They also offer help regarding the following: • Emergency Back Up Plans (Carer Emergency Cards) • Young Adult Carer Service (for 18-25 yr olds) • Carers Needs Assessments • Carers Needs Funds • Support Groups and Activities Walsall Carers Centre Crossing at St. Pauls/Darwall St Walsall WS1 1DA Tel: 01922 610810 E-mail: info@walsallcarers.org Web: www.walsallcarers.org
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 are located in Walsall can be found on the following pages.
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.
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.
NURSING & INDEPENDENT LIVING Respite and short term stays
What your choices are
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.
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).
Temporary stays can give you flexibility when covering unexpected events, such as:
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.
• 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
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 bad care home might do the following:
A good care home will probably do the following:
• Offers little opportunity to listen to residents, with most decisions made by staff
• 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
• Have a code of practice and a set of aims, but doesn’t make them a priority
• 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:
• 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
• The right to be treated politely and with dignity
• Have staff who respect residents’ privacy and knock before they enter someone’s room
• The right to eat food that's prepared in line with your faith, and to worship when and where you want to
• 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
• 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 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 HOMES
Residential Homes
Address
Telephone
RESIDENTIAL & NURSING HOMES
Residential & Nursing Homes
Address
Telephone
HELP & ADVICE Our advice helps people resolve their debt, benefits, housing, legal, discrimination, employment, immigration, consumer and other problems and is available to everyone regardless of race, gender, sexuality, age, nationality, disability or religion. Main Bureau opening times: 9 – 5 MONDAY TO FRIDAY 139-144 Lichfield Street, Walsall WS1 1SE Tel: 01922 700600 • www.walsallcab.org.uk A wide range of services for people aged 50+ across the whole of the Walsall borough. Get up to date information and access leaflets on a wide range of topics including; benefits, housing, health and residential care. Please contact Lesley Shaw - Information & Advice Manager 10 The Bridge, Walsall WS1 1LR Tel: 01922 638 825 • Email: lesley@ageukwalsall.org.uk www.ageuk.org.uk/walsall Owning and managing around 19,000 properties across Walsall, whg provides affordable, good quality homes and community-based services to the local community. We house almost 40,000 people, which is around one fifth of the borough’s population. Call us: 0300 555 6666 Our Customer Contact Centre is open 8am-8pm Monday - Friday 8am-1pm on Saturdays All of our offices are open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday Central Walsall 100 Hatherton Street, Walsall WS1 1AB Skills Centre Hollemeadow Avenue, Leamore, Walsall WS3 1JD Willenhall Housing Office Beechwood House, 22 New Road, Willenhall WV13 2BG Darlaston Housing Office 45 King Street, Darlaston, Walsall WS10 8DE Blakenall Housing Office Blakenall Village Centre, Thames Road, Blakenall, Walsall WS3 1LZ Brownhills Housing Office 13 Silver Court, High Street, Brownhills WS8 6HA Running a voluntary or community group? Our team at Walsall Voluntary Action are here to help you! Walsall Voluntary Action is the “one stop shop” for the voluntary sector. Owned and run by local voluntary organisations, our job is to support, promote and develop voluntary and community action across the Borough of Walsall. Walsall Voluntary Action, Jerome Chambers, 16 - 16a Bridge Street, Walsall, WS1 1HP Tel: 01922 619840 • Email: reception@walsallva.org.uk www.walsallva.org.uk
HELP & ADVICE A free floating support service that helps people with household related paperwork with household related paperwork, support with budgeting and benefit forms. We also assist with health and well-being plans, basic household tasks and emotional support. Users of the facilility can be visited at home or come to the WBSC centre. Walsall Black Sisters Collective 17-19 Wednesbury Rd, Walsall WS1 3RU • Tel: 01922 616996
Midland Mencap is a charity which works and campaigns for accessible and inclusive services and a better quality of life for everyone with experiences of Learning Disability. We are a person centred organisation with experience in helping individuals and families use an individual budget to purchase or access support for adults, children and young people in transition. Midland Mencap (Head Office), 171 Alcester Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 8JR Tel: 0121 442 2944 • Email: info@midlandmencap.org.uk www.midlandmencap.blogspot.co.uk
VoiceAbility delivers NHS Complaints Advocacy across Walsall. The NHS Complaints Advocacy Service is a free and independent service that can help you make a complaint about a National Health Service (NHS). You might decide that you need support to make a complaint. VoiceAbility advocates can work with you to ensure you understand your options and help you to achieve the outcome you are seeking. You can ask for an advocate to assist you at any point in your complaint. If you would like an advocate to work with you, please contact our dedicated NHS Complaints Advocacy helpline. NHS Complaints Advocacy PO Box 16733, Oldbury B69 9FJ Tel: Helpline Number: 0300 330 5454 Textphone Number: 0786 002 2939 Email: nhscomplaints@voiceability.org
We offer a range of daytime and evening activities which are all user-led. These can enable people to gain confidence and move from using services to actively representing themselves and other service users in service management, to delivering services. Through this, people start to regain control of their lives. Walsall Service Users Empowerment Unit 1, Talisman House, 47 Bath Street, Walsall WS1 3BX Tel: 01922 644983 • www.walsallsue.org.uk
HELP & ADVICE Walsall Parent Partnership Service (PPS) is a statutory service providing information advice and support to parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs (SEN). We're also able to put parents in touch with other local and national organisations. We have a role in making sure that parents' views are heard and understood and that these views inform local policy and practice. We are based within Walsall Council; at 'arm's length'. We provide confidential and impartial support. 30 Station Street, Walsall WS2 9JS Tel: 01922 650330 or email parentpartnership@walsall.gov.uk www.walsallparentpartnership.org.uk We're experts in providing support for people with hearing loss and tinnitus. • • • • •
We We We We We
provide day-to-day care for people who are deaf and have additional needs. supply communication services and training. offer practical advice to help people protect their hearing. campaign to change public policy around hearing loss issues. support research into an eventual cure for hearing loss and tinnitus.
Action on Hearing Loss 29-31 Lysways St, Walsall, WS1 3AG Email: referrals@hearingloss.org.uk • Tel: 01922 648034 www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk At WSB we understand that having a sensory impairment can be isolating. Our Community Officer is available to give advice to anybody in the Borough living with a visual impairment, you do not have to be registered. She is able to give advice and information on a whole range of topics including: • Welfare benefits • Aids and equipment • Adaptations • Relevant agencies and support groups • Social groups We realise that visual impairment does not only affect the individual, but their friends, families and carers can be greatly affected too. Our Community Officer can give support and advice to anyone who has been touched by visual impairment. Hawley House, 11 Hatherton Rd, Walsall, West Midlands WS1 1XS Tel: 01922 627683 Rethink Mental Illness has a number of helpline and advice services, which offer practical and emotional support and signposting to those experiencing severe mental illness, their carers and relatives. We provide a range of services nationally, including advocacy, carer support, crisis services and more. 28 Glebe St, Walsall WS1 3NX • Tel: 01922 627706 www.rethink.org
HELP & ADVICE Empower women to access activities and vocational and recreational services. To encourage and support personal development in chosen areas To provide access to lifelong learning and enable women to participate actively in the community. • A variety of vocational and recreational courses to meet your individual needs; • Support and assistance to remove isolation and promote wellbeing; • Information and guidance to assist women in making life enhancing choices and provide opportunities to make new friends in a friendly environment; • Assistance with childcare & costs to remove barriers that prevent access to enable you to fulfill your potential. Opening Hours Monday - Friday 09.00 - 18.00, Saturday 11.00 - 16.00 AAINA Asian Women's Centre The Women's Centre, Bath Road, Caldmore, Walsall WS1 3BS Tel: 01922 644006 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 Providing information and support to people with dementia and their carers/families across Staffordshire. • Community Support • Day Centres • Dementia Cafés West Midlands Area Office 8-9 Windsor Court, Trent Valley Road, Lichfield, WS13 6EU Tel: 01543 255 955 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 Website: www.mssociety.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/MSSociety • Twitter: @mssocietyuk We want to hear your views on Health & Social Care Services in Walsall. Compliment or Complaint? The Hub, 17 Lichfield Street, Walsall WS1 1TW Tel: 01922 614144 Email: info@healthwatchwalsall.co.uk www.healthwatchwalsall.co.uk
APPOINTMENT REMINDER Appointment with
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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
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If you require extra copies of this directory or interested in advertising in future editions please contact Healthcare Publications on 0333 444 0214