Name of group
|
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Aims &
Key tasks
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Enable service users to have a voice and feed back to commissioners and decision makers to help improve services for service users and carers
Give service users a say
To
identify and respond to any gaps identified in the system
Advocacy and mentoring
Signposting to other services or support
Training, education and volunteering
opportunities
Representation
Training, education and volunteering
Routes into social inclusion
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Who the service is for
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Adults over 18, service users or ex service users
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Meeting details
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Service User Forum – every second Thursday
Carer Forum usually have 2
Joint meetings with the service user Forum a year.
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Who we communicate with
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DSU and relevant groups
Service user groups
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How we communicate
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Quarterly reports to ACG and ATG
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Membership of group
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Any current or ex service user
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Advisors to the group
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Andy Hackett, Service User Involvement Officer
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Relevant support groups
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PTO
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The NUCF Forum was set up to ensure that there was a
mechanism for feedback to commissioners and decision makers on the issues that
affect service users and carers, and their experiences of service provision.
More recently, the Forum has become integral to the System Modernisation
Project and feedback and involvement into this project is shaping the way that
services will be commissioned in the future.
This includes writing the Service User Principles and Vision
that will be included in service contracts through System Modernisation, and which
regular audits will take place against through the Forum.
Another key task of the Forum has been to help train service
users and carers to become representatives on various meetings and steering
groups, and ongoing training (including Stronger Voices and Train the Trainer)
will develop this key task further over the coming year.
In terms of peer led initiatives and support, the Forum has
been successful in establishing and coordinating the following peer led support
groups:
- Trading Places, this was the north east winner in the group category of the Tackling Drugs Changing Lives Awards in 2007 and short listed to the final 3 in the Community Care Awards 2006 (Drug and Alcohol Category). Recently, a joint bid was successful with Helix Art’s to run a local arts project for a year
- Plummer Court Advisory Group, which helps feedback to the service users in the detox or titration part of Plummer with advice, information and signposting
- Bridge View Support for You Group, which helps service users going through titration by offering them help, information and advice as well as signposting to other relevant services or activities
- Hepatitis C Support Group, which meets weekly and organised a local event on World Hepatitis Awareness Day to help raise awareness and reduce stigma. A complementary therapist is also available at this group to help reduce the side effects of treatment.
In all groups, training, education and activities have
enabled service users’ pathways into social reintegration.
The success of the groups has been largely due to service
users taking the lead in developing a needs led response to a gap that they
have identified. The various groups have been supported by staff in various
agencies in a partnership approach, along with the Service User Involvement
Officer who will provide ongoing coordination and support. All groups will soon have completed their
terms of reference and group information pack and this will be circulated in a
fuller document once complete.
Future development
The Forum will remain an independent group to feedback to
DSU and any Strategic groups. Any service user development or initiatives will
be coordinated through the Forum across the whole Newcastle system through the User Involvement
Worker, supported by the Drug Strategy Coordinator.
The Service User Involvement Strategy will be updated and
revised.
Expenses will be paid as per the
Newcastle Expenses Policy.
