Learning Disabilities Partnership Board Away Day

Read the feedback here from one of our WCN Representatives on the Learning Disabilities Partnership Board, on the Board's Away Day on Monday 14 March 2011.

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) Steering Group

Read the feedback here from our joint WCN/LINk representative on the JSNA Steering Group, from the meeting on the 18 January 2011.

OIder People's Commissioning Partnership Board

Read the feedback from the meeting on 1 December 2010 of our representative David Hogarth here.  There were discussions on the Social Care Consultation and the Review of Preventative Services, as well as a discussion about supporting carers.

Health and Wellbeing Business Group

Read the feedback from the meeting on 17 November 2010 of our Representative Janice Webster here.  There were discussions on Housing Strategy, Overcrowding and the development of a new Wellbeing Service which needs the help of WCN members.

Health and Wellbeing Board

Read the feedback from the meeting on 11 October 2010 of  our Representative Mariam Al-Hasani here.

Health and Wellbeing Business Group

Read the feedback from our representative, Janice Webster, on the meeting on 30 September 2010 here.

Learning Disabilities Partnership Board

Read the feedback from one of the WCN representatives from the Learning Disabilities Partnership Board meeting on 13 September 2010 here.

Older People's Commissioning Partnership Board

Read the notes here of the 1 September meeting of the Board made by one of our representatives, David Hogarth.

Health and Wellbeing Business Group

Read the report of our representative, Janice Webster, on the 14 July 2010 meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Business Group here.

Learning Disabilities' Partnership Board

Read the report of the Board's 12 July meeting, from your WCN representative Mandy Crowford, here.

 Older People's Commissioning Partnership Board

Read the notes here of the discussion at the 9 June meeting of the Board about older people's safety, made by one of our representatives, David Hogarth.

Health and Wellbeing Business Group

Our Representative is Janice Webster (Advocacy Plus)

May 2010

I gave a brief update on the WCN, and then made these main points on behalf of WCN members:

• Community groups need a greater understanding of how commissioning works, as pointed out in the WCN annual report
• Community groups need to be actively involved in delivering the NHS Health Checks programme on reducing cardiovascular disease
• Community groups need to know more about the Church Street Masterplan. Members should contact the WCN to receive a copy of the Plans.

Read the full May 2010 feedback report 

17 March 2010

This was my first time at the Business Group meeting.  I was given 20 minutes to talk about the WCN, so I gave a full introduction, and presented our 3 priorities:

• To influence the Joint Involving People Strategy
• To be involved in Commissioning and Contracting
• To focus on people who are especially affected by health inequalities (eg BME communities and older men)

Other things I talked about included:

• Getting community groups involved in the PCT's Major Health Campaigns on smoking, drinking and obesity.
• Getting the WCN included in Draft Adults and Community Services Commissioning Plan.
• Stressing the need for training for the voluntary sector on the new Equalities Bill

Read the full March 2010 feedback report

 Older People's Commissioning Partnership Board

Representative: David Hogarth (Neighbourcare Maida Vale and St John's Wood)

June 2010

The main item on the agenda was the Older People’s Joint Commissioning Strategy, which had been launched on 24 May 2010. All the other items discussed were more or less closely linked to it. Points of interest included:

• The Choice and Control (Personalization) agenda will mean many older people having personal budgets - it will be important to make sure people know what is available from WCN members.
• The Residential and Nursing Home strategy may also create opportunities for WCN members.
• The inclusion in the Strategy of intergenerational projects and more opportunities for volunteering may also create opportunities for WCN members.
• We were told about the current Older People Preventative Service Review 2010 and the consultation on the Falls Prevention and Bone Health Strategy. Interestingly, there is nothing in the Strategy about either falls prevention or noise prevention.

Download the full feedback report

Health Inequalities Group

Mariam Al-Hassani (SMART Muslim Women) is the WCN Representative on this group.

27 April 2010

This was my first meeting of the Health Inequalities Strategic Implementation Group.  There were three main topics discussed:

• Review of GP services, including possibly abolishing GP catchment areas.  (At present GPs only accept patients from a specific geographical area called their 'catchment area'.)  Some options may be piloted in Westminster.  To take part in the national consultation on abolishing catchment areas go to:

• Trends in health inequalities in Westminster: the gap in life expectancy between the richest and poorest has got wider in recent years
• Efforts to detect and reduce heart disease in deprived areas through 'Health Checks' in pharmacies, GP surgeries and community centres.

I raised questions about how the voluntary and community sector could contribute more in these areas.

Read the full feedback report