Our Work
The LINk's 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 the LINk'scurrent work topics:
Barrow Community Gym
Through the Listening to Communities Project, Cumbria LINk became aware of ongoing concerns about the possible changes to Barrow Community Gym. Discussions have taken place with staff and members of Cumbria Mental Health group in Barrow, the Gym Steering group, and staff from Cumbria PCT.
The Cumbria LINk Governing Body agreed that it would be useful to carry out visits to the Community Gym on those days when it is really busy, and also when not too busy and talk to a range of service users. This would include some of the Cumbria Mental Health Group service users, and others who use the gym for different purposes, gathering their views about the service as it is now.
On Wednesday the 1st September Janet Pitman, Ruth Peter, and David Stringer interviewed a total of 17 individuals who were all present that morning to make use of the gym facilities for a variety of reasons. The team arrived at 10.00am and left the building when it closed for lunch at 12.30pm.
On Thursday the 2nd September David Stringer, Evelyn Bitcon and Neil Hughes attended the gym from 10.00am to 12.30pm and returned at 1.30pm to continue the interviews. Evelyn stayed later than others and spoke to more people who were using the gym later in the afternoon.
Key recommendations from the report:
- Clients want to keep the staff and the services they presently have, but not necessarily in the same location
- Clients want to expand the services to include walking, cycling and use of the swimming pool as a group.
- Clients would like to see the return of the chair based exercises and Tai Chi.
- The Community gym concept is unique, and different to physiotherapy, clients want no time limits placed on the number of sessions people need to benefit from this service.
- Clients are meeting Health and Wellbeing targets by losing weight, boosting confidence, and generally increasing awareness of looking after themselves, therefore recommend this service is maintained and expanded.
- ‘No decision about me without me’ was quoted by clients who strongly stated that their opinions should be taken into consideration when making decisions around the future of the gym and that they want to be kept informed truthfully about the process of considering the future of the gym
- Contact to be made with those people who no longer use the gym to find out why.
To view the full report follow this link
A Report into the Investigation and Management of a
Serious Untoward Incident relating to the North
Cumbria Breast Screening Programme in June 2010
Executive Summary
A review of breast imaging carried out at North Cumbria University Hospitals
Trust has identified 16 cases of breast cancer. There is evidence that
consultant radiologists at North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust failed to
follow current best practice. Six women have still to be reassessed.
To view the full report follow this link.
Cumbria LINk Visiting Team activities
The Cumbria LINk Visiting Team worked in partnership with Cumbria County Council’s Adult Social Care to carry out scheduled monitoring visits to some of Cumbria’s residential care homes.
These visits were based around speaking to residents to gather their views on what it is like to live in their residential care home. They give a unique person-centred view on residential care for the elderly.
The reports from the visits can be viewed below. These reports reflect a snapshot of the views of people present on the day of the visit. They are not intended to be used as a guide/recommendation for people choosing a care home.
Stobars Hall 19th October 2010 (58 Kb pdf)
Grange Bank Residential Home 21st October 2010 (54 Kb pdf)
Silloth Nursing Home 3rd November 2010 (86 Kb pdf)
Five Oaks Retirement Home 2010 (50 Kb pdf)
Virginia Lodge Care Home 8th November 2010 (62 Kb pdf)
Chichester Hall 17th November 2010 (47 Kb pdf)
Lunesdale House 14th December 2010 (206 Kb pdf)
Twin Oaks 2nd February 2011 (53 Kb pdf)
Clarendon Grange 3rd February 2011 (47 Kb pdf)
The Pines 8th February 2011 (43 Kb pdf)
Consultation on Proposals to Close Ravensfield Care Home in Keswick
Cumbria LINk held a drop in session in Keswick on 16th September to listen to local peoples views on the proposals to close Ravensfield Residential Care Home. Over 30 people came in to talk to LINk representatives and LINk representatives spoke to a further 10 local residents on the streets. None of the people we spoke to supported the reasons for the proposed closure and local people were keen to explore other solutions.
Click here for our full report (pdf 125K).Personalised Care
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.. 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 www.southlakesautism.co.uk
Dentistry
Over the past two years we have been watching what is happening with the dentist situation in Cumbria. We have seen four new dentist practices open in West Cumbria and one in Kendal. There are more about to open in Carlisle.
We raised the issue of no dental practice in Longtown, north of Carlisle and managed to get NHS Cumbria (PCT) to add Longtown to their tender document.
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.
Contact us either by phone or by email with your experiences.
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. www.cumbria.nhs.uk/YourNearestServices/Dentist/Home.aspx
Dental Direct Database
If you live in the area covered by Cumbria PCT and wish your details to be placed on the dental direct database for allocation to an NHS dentist, please follow this link to download the form and return the completed form to us.
NHS Dentists - Mystery Shopper Exercise
During July and August 2010 Cumbria LINk members took part in a mystery shopper exercise to find out if people were given correct information about how to register with an NHS dentist.
As a result of the report published by Cumbria LINk, NHS Cumbria has made some changes. These changes will make it easier to get information about registering with an NHS dentist.
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. www.continence-foundation.org.uk/
West Cumberland Hospital
The plans to rebuild and refurbish the hospital are now underway. The LINk has set up a Task Group of interested people to watch what is happening at the hospital, gather people's views and make recommendations to the Trust.
Watch this short video clip tv3cumbria.weebly.com/
We ran a survey in May 2010 at the hospital where we asked patients and visitors for there views on the disruption caused by the demolition work being carried out, the changing of the one way system etc. The results from this survey can be downloaded here or you can request a copy by contacting the LINk Support Team at the address below or e-mailing link@cumbriacvs.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. Email: link@cumbriacvs.org.uk
The minutes of the AGM held in October 2009 can be viewed here as well as the Annual Report:
- AGM October 2009 (34Kb pdf)
- 2009 Annual Report (1.9Mb pdf)
- 2010 Annual Report (2.01Mb pdf)
- 2011 Annual Report (1 Mb pdf)
Click on the logo to get Adobe Acrobat Reader free 
