Notice Board

Sexual Health Commissioning Strategy 2010-2013
The Manchester Sexual Health Commissioning Strategy sets out NHS Manchester’s commissioning priorities for sexual health services over the next three years.

The strategy describes where we are now as a city in terms of sexual health and what steps we will take over the next three years to meet the needs of our communities. Those involved in developing the strategy would like to thank all those who contributed to the strategy and who took time to offer their feedback during the consultation period.

Download the document from the >NHS Manchester website<.

or email talkinghealth@manchester.nhs.uk
Link: NHS Manchester website - Sexual Health Commissioning Strategy

Asset Based Approaches
 There have been a number of documents published recently promoting so called "asset based ideas", such as the "big society", co-production, participatory appraisal and timebanking. This paper gives a brief summary of local groups in Manchester that are exploring asset based approaches and provides hyperlinks to key publications.

Download: asset_based_approaches_a_sample_of_the_literature.doc

Manchester Stroke Questionnaire
Throughout June and July 2010 NHS Manchester and Manchester City Council will be working with local GPs to carry out a survey of people who have had a stroke and/or their carers to guide the development of stroke services in Manchester.  If you are a stroke survivor / carer / group  this is an opportunity to give feedback. If, by the end of July, you have not received a questionnaire, contact Val Bayliss-Brideaux on 0161 765 4168 or email talkinghealth@manchester.nhs.uk. Help will be available with to complete questionnaires if needed.

Marmot Review
Sir Michael Marmot's review "Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England Post 2010" has been officially launched. Its purpose was to the health inequalities challenge facing England with evidence as to how this should determine future policy and practice. The Marmot Review website includes not only the report itself but also videos and presentations from the recent conference in London.

Link: Marmot Review website
Link: Marmot Review conference presentations

Reforming Adult Social Care law
As noted back in February, the Law Commission (Government's advisory body on legislative reform) has prodced proposals for a single act to govern Adult Social Care in England & Wales. In theory, this will bring clarity to the system of adult social care, but there is a question of how it will fit with personalisation and individual budgets. The consultation section on the Law Commission's website now includes a range of resources for users, carers and voluntary groups. (Consultation ends in June 2010).

Link: Law Commission Consultation
Link: Law Commission Consultation leaflet for the voluntary sector (PDF)

NICE Guidance for Patients and Public
NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) is well known as the organisation which makes recommendations about which particular treatments should be available through the NHS. Since most of this guidance is for professionals, NICE also produces Plain English versions for patients, carers and members of the public. NICE has now introduced a search facility on its website for all these documents making it easier for people to find information they need to make informed choices about treatments. Follow the link below to view the search facility.

Link: NICE Guidance for Patients and Public

Manchester Community Central
MACC is proud to announce the launch of Manchester Community Central, the new support service for Manchester's voluntary and community sector. This is a new service being delivered in a partnership between MACC, Voluntary Action Manchester and Community Network for Manchester. We believe this represents a big opportunity for improving the infrastructure support for Manchester's diverse voluntary and community sector. Click on the link below to download our first ever press release!
Download: manchester_community_central.pdf

Adults Plan 2009
The Adults Health and Wellbeing Partnership's Partnership Delivery Plan sets out how local agencies will work together to increased life expectancy and reduce health inequalities. You can download a copy from our reports section usng the link below.
Link: Health and Wellbeing - Reports

Personal Health Budgets
The Department of Health has published a new leaflet which aims to provide basic information about the new "personal health budgets" system and how to obtain further information.
Link: Department of Health

Health Inequalities - National Support Team review
During March 2009, Manchester was visited by a National Support Team from the Department of Health to assess local progress in tackling health inequalities in the city. These visits are something the Department of Health often uses to provide support and challenge at a local level and involve spending a few days talking to a range of people around a particular topic: there was one about childhood obesity in 2008, for example. MACC is usually included in the list of organisations to be interviewed in these visits - because of our knowledge of local services, our contact with a wide range of voluntary sector organisations and service user groups and our overall perspective on community engagement. Each NST visit ends with a closing session where the team feeds back all that it has heard, highlighting what seems to be working well and giving recommendations for further development. Click on the link below to download the slides from the health inequalities session.
Download: nst_health_inequalities_visit_-_march_2009.pdf

Campaign against the abuse of adults
At the Manchester conference on adult abuse held in February, the Manchester Safeguarding Adults Board launched a local campaign to stamp out adult abuse. It has been endorsed by broadcaster Joan Bakewell and former Manchester City footballer Alex Williams. The former goalkeeper said: “All adult have the right to live their life free from neglect or abuse -the abuse of vulnerable adults is criminal."

In 2007/2008 there were 486 investigations of adult abuse across Manchester City with an anticipated rise of 20% in 2008/2009, which includes physical abuse as well as neglect, financial and emotional abuse. Victims include people with mental health problems, those with physical disabilities as well as the elderly.

Broadcaster and older people's champion Joan Bakewell said: “Many people don't realise that the elderly and other vulnerable members of our society can be subject to many different kinds of abuse, including emotional, physical, sexual and financial abuse and neglect." She added:”The aim of this campaign is to raise people's awareness of the potential for this abuse and ensure that they know how to help to prevent it taking place. It is essential that support and protection is available."

Councillor Basil Curley, Executive Member for Adult Social Care for Manchester City Council said: “The abuse of vulnerable members of our community is something that should never be tolerated. Raising awareness is key to stamping out abuse and I really hope more people come forward as a result of the campaign."

If you or someone you know is a victim of adult abuse call 0161 255 8250 (Adult Social Care) or 0161 872 5050 (Greater Manchester Police)

Manchester's Multi-Agency Policy and Procedures on Safeguarding Adults is now available in the Safeguarding Adults Resources section of the MACC website - click on the link below.
Link: Safeguarding Adults Resources

Third Sector Strategy Update
Work is progressing on the development of a Third Sector Strategy for Manchester. The group leading on this work has now produced a short briefing outlining the progress made so far. Click on the link below to download a copy. Alongside this, the first data have been released from the survey of voluntary and community sector organisations carried out during Autumn 2008 to establish a picture of what the "environment for a thriving Third Sector" might look like - including a "headline report" on Manchester. The briefing and the report are available to download on our Third Sector Strategy page: click on the link below to visit the page.
Link: Third Sector Strategy

Manchester Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
The JSNA is a new document which gathers together a great deal of data about needs in Manchester. JSNA's are initiative started by Central Government - and is really about ensuring needs assessment has been carried out so that it informs the commissioning processes across both health and social services. 
It has been developed by the Joint Health Unit in partnership with Manchester NHS, Children's Services and Adult Social Care. As this is the first JSNA it really provides a baseline reference document - so it includes a policy update and local data. It also contains some initial recommendations. It's clearly shaped by the current Children and Young People's Plan and will inform future versions along with plans for Manchester NHS.  
For voluntary sector groups it provides useful data in terms of evidence of local needs and gives some insight into likely commissioning priorities over the coming years.
The full JSNA and a summary version are now available on the City Council website here:
Link: Manchester JSNA

NHS Manchester Commissioning Strategic Plan
On 26th November, NHS Manchester launched their first Commissioning Strategic Plan - this essentially sets out the big priorities for the local NHS over the next 5 years. These are at first glance unsurprising - life expectancy, reducing under 18 pregnancy, tackling childhood obesity, etc, - but the fact that these have now taken centre stage in the Primary Care Trust's plans and budgeting is a considerable shift towards a preventative health economy. The full document is now available on the NHS Manchester Website and includes some interesting initial observations about the need to engage local voluntary sector organisations in the delivery of these preventative services.
Link: NHS Manchester Commissioning Strategic Plan

MyManchesterServices
Manchester City Council has launched a new section on its website called "MyManchesterServices". This is aimed at adults who need advice, information, health and fitness activities, social opportunities or other services to help improve their quality of life. You can build up a list of services and opportunities near you. If you register with the site you can save your search and return to it at any time, making this your personalised directory.
(If you would like your organisation to be added to this directory you can contact the team by email at: mymanchesterservices@manchester.gov.uk.)
Link: www.manchester.gov.uk/MyManchesterServices

DAST newsletter
The Drug and Alcohol Strategy Team at Manchester City Council (known as "DAST") has released the first edition of a new quarterly newsletter for groups in Manchester interested in issues for carers and families of people with substance misuse problems. This edition includes a questionnaire to gather the views of carers and service users which will inform the DAST's future work.
Download: catalyst_july08.doc
Link: About DAST

Worforce Development Funding Guide
Skills for Care, Skills for Health and Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) have produced a workforce development funding guide aimed at employers in the social care and health sector. Click on the link below to download a copy.
Download: nw_hsc_funding_guide.doc

CRB Checks for Volunteers
In June 2008, the Office of the Third Sector released guidance to make clear what groups using volunteers need to do about Criminal Records Bureau checks. This is intended as a reply to concerns that some volunteers are being put off by the CRB check process. Obviously, organisations do need to manage risks in people doing voluntary work with children or vulnerable adults and there are some legal requirements but this new guidance tries to explain where a formal CRB check fits with other steps such as interviewing, training and getting references.
Link: Guidance on CRB Checks for Volunteers (pdf)
Link: Criminal Records Bureau

Flouridation in Greater Manchester
As you may have heard in the media, discussions are currently taking place about water flouridation across Greater Manchester. This is partly in response to the very poor levels of dental health in the area. The debate is still in its early stages and there is a legal requirement to undertake public consultation before any action is taken. Manchester Health Watchdog have produced an information update which is available >HERE<.