Cumbria LINk our work

Our Work

Our role is to represent the views of the people of Cumbria, so it’s the issues that matter to you that will determine our priorities.

We are able to contact individuals through our membership database and a wide range of Third Sector organisations and groups through the various networks we have established connections with. The more people that join our LINk the stronger and more influential it becomes.

Here are some of our current work topics:

Personalised Care

We held an event on 20th April at Reghed near Penrith from which we received very good feedback. A report form this event will be available shortly.

If there is anything you would like to contribute over concerns about personalised care then please contact us.

More information is available on the Cumbria County Council Website about personalised care, please follow the link to find out more.. http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/adultsocialcare/iCT/default.asp

The South Lakeland Autism and Asperger's Support Group answersome frequently asked questions about direct payments. Please follow the link to find out more http://www.southlakesautism.co.uk

Dentistry

We know that many people in Cumbria are still without an NHS Dentist, the situation seems worse in West Cumbria. We are meeting with the people who commission dental services to find out what they are doing to improve the situation.

We are also interested to know about your experiences. Do you know what to do if you have no dentist but need emergency treatment, have you used the emergency dental centres, are you on the waiting list for an NHS dentist, if you have an NHS dentist are you happy with the service they provide.

If you are not on the waiting list for an NHS dentist you must complete a registration form to be added to the waiting list. You can download the registration form by following this link. http://www.cumbria.nhs.uk/pct/patientinfo/dentist.aspx

An update from the Cumbria LINk on dentistry

Starting in 2008 a community group came together to agitate for an improvement in dental provision in West Cumbria. They contacted the Healthcare Commission, the Strategic Health Authority, local politicians and the Primary Care Trust. The answer that came back from the authorities was that new provision was in hand but that it would not be implemented until 2009 which seemed to be a long time ahead.

But here we are now in 2009 coming to the end of the first quarter and the new Cumbria LINk has taken up the issue of dentistry Cumbria wide especially in areas where provision is particularly poor. So far we have had a formal meeting with David Tyson the dental lead for the PCT where he spelt out the timetable for new dental provision to be undertaken by the Oasis Dental Group.

The Cumbria LINk also has a representative on the Oral Strategy Group of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of the County Council which recently also met David Tyson. Rather than harp on about the past we decided to talk about what looked like a very positive future. We talked about the new funds that have been made available for dental provision and we also talked about the timetable by when the new surgeries especially in West Cumbria would be open and ready for business.

Initially it is intended to contact people on the Dental Database who do not have a dentist at the moment. We have been assured that a joint letter from the Primary Care Trust and the Oasis Dental Group will be going out to these people at the end of April.

They informed us that weekly meetings take place to ensure the timetable doesn't slip. Both the Cumbria LINk and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee will naturally take up the issue if it appears that this is not happening.

Disposable Incontinence Pads

Incontinence is a condition that affects a number of people and in Cumbria our health services provide a continence service to help people manage the condition and make sure that they get the right treatment and support. You have told us that some people are finding it difficult to manage with the allocation of free disposable pads.

We conducted a survey contacting the service users and carers to find out their views. The report for this survey can be downloaded here or you can contact the LINk support team to request a copy. The response from NHS Cumbria (PCT) was that they would like to involve more people in the future around service development and that if people are struggling with their current supplies they should request a re-assessment.

If you would like more information about incontinence the continence foundation web site contains a wealth of information on the subject. http://www.continence-foundation.org.uk/

West Cumberland Hospital

There are plans to build a new hospital in West Cumbria, we would like to hear from you with your initial comments on what you feel are the key problems or issues with the hospital as it is now and what new facilities/features you would like to see in the new hospital.

Watch this short video clip http://tv3cumbria.weebly.com/

A short survey is available for you to download, complete and return to us by email or post.
link@cumbriacvs.org.uk
or
Cumbria LINk
Cumbria CVS Carlisle Office
27 Spencer
Carlisle
CA1 1BE

West Cumberland Hospital Focus Group

Three meetings were held in Workington Egremont and Whitehaven and interested local people invited to discuss the plans for the refurbishment/rebuild of the WCH. To look at the report that came from these meetings please click on this link. If you would like to have your say or get involved then please get in touch with us at the Carlisle office.

Closer to Home Consultation

In early summer this year there will be a consultation in the south of Cumbria called Closer to Home. The vision of the NHS in Cumbria is for people who need health care to get the best possible treatment and support as close as possible to their own homes. When people do need specialist care, hospitals would offer faster access to first-class services.

They say they can only do this by making changes to the way care is delivered both in hospital and in the community and by making sure that these improvements make the best of our staff, equipment and money.

There will be opportunities for people to get involved in early discussion about Closer to Home in South Cumbria as well as the opportunity to influence the consultation itself.

You can find out more information about Closer to Home by following this link: http://www.closertohome.org.uk/

Contribute to our Work Plan

If you have an issue that you would like the Cumbria LINK to consider when planning its work, please tell us what it is.

Developing health and social care services around you

Our Work