Kent Acquired Brain Injury Forum
Minutes
Wednesday 8th April 2009 at 3.00 pm
East Kent Hospital School Service, City View
Canterbury, Kent, CT2 8PT
In attendance:
Mr Robert Aylott |
Solicitor |
ASB Aspire LLP |
Mr Ian Bates |
Rehabilitation Centre Owner |
Quality Respite Care |
Miss Donata Buonassisi |
Trainee Solicitor |
Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP |
Ms Jan Cartmell |
Service Manager |
The Regard Partnership |
Ms Nicky Coffey |
Associate Director |
South East Coast Specialised Commissioning Group |
Mrs Ros Eastwood |
Head Teacher |
East Kent Health Needs Education Service |
Dr Gerhard Florschutz |
Director |
Raphael Medical Centre |
Ms Rikki Gandolf |
South East Regional Co-ordinator |
Headway UK |
Ms Mandy Heather |
|
|
Ms Tanya Hodnett |
Centre Manager |
Blackheath BIRU |
Ms Lucy James |
Nursing |
The children’s Trust, Tadworth |
Ms Marsha Langley |
|
|
Mr Roy Marcus |
Brain Injury Case Manager |
|
Mr Tony Merriman |
Solicitor |
Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP |
Mrs Wendy Morcom |
Legal Executive |
Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP |
Mrs Pam Munro |
Founder and Volunteer |
Headway Tunbridge Wells and District |
Ms Lyn Park |
Driving Assessment and Advice |
West Kent NHS Primary Care Trust |
Mr Dennis Smith |
President |
Headway Tunbridge Wells and District |
Mrs Linda Theoff |
Brain Injury Case Manager |
East Kent Hospitals Trust |
Mr Marcus Van Hagen |
|
The Huntercombe Group |
Apologies:
Ms Tracey Allport |
|
|
Ms Maxine Barker |
|
|
Mr Tanesh Bhugobaun |
Registered Manager |
Raphael Medical Centre |
Mrs Liz Bray |
Head of Nursing |
The Children's Trust, Tadworth |
Ms Claire Carter |
Occupational Therapist |
Strode Park Foundation |
Mrs Sophia Chung |
Executive Director |
S C Support & Care Services Ltd |
Miss Becca Coffey |
PA to Frances Pierce |
Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP |
Ms Sally Collins |
Speech & Language Therapist |
Strode Park Foundation |
Ms Di Drummond |
Manager |
Headway Centre Tunbridge Wells & District |
Ms Pattie Ducie |
|
Kent Social Services |
Ms Delia Elliman |
Independent Case Manager |
Case Management Services |
Ms Laura Gordon |
Long Term Conditions Team |
South East Coast CSIP (Care Services Improvement Partnership) |
Ms Kelly Hamer |
Legal Executive |
Brachers |
Mr Tony Hart |
Head of Vocational Rehabilitation |
Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation, Brain Injury Centre |
Mrs Jenny Mazur |
Parent of son with ABI |
|
Ms Denise McKeown |
Partner |
McMillan-Williams |
Ms Aggie Moreno-Lopez |
|
|
Ms Mandy O’Brien |
Brain Injury Case Manager |
|
Ms Frances Pierce |
Partner (KABIF Chairwoman) |
Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP |
Ms Mary Ryan |
Vocational Assessment Manager / Occupational Psychologist |
Royal British Legion Industries Vocational Assessment Centre |
Ms Patti Simonson |
Head of Social Work |
Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability |
Mrs Jenny Stockley |
Consultant Paediatric Neuropsychologist / Director |
Jennifer Stockley Limited |
Mr Simon Truett |
|
Medway Primary Care Trust |
Anuraj Varshney |
|
|
Miss Sue Ware |
Independent Speech & Language Therapist |
|
1. Welcome and Introductions
The Chair Ros Eastwood welcomed all attending and explained that due to Frances Pierce being away, she would be chairing the meeting.
The Chair explained that once a year KABIF holds a networking meeting so this meeting would be different to previous meetings and the objective was to get a better idea of what members do day to day.
2. Position of Chairman
Frances Pierce has emailed everyone about stepping down from the position of chairman. Should anyone want to be a part of the new steering group, they are welcome to join or email Frances if they would like to take over as chair. Frances would be continuing as a member of the steering group and as an ambassador for KABIF.
3. Approval of Minutes of Meeting Held on 3rd December 2008
Minutes of the meeting held on the 3rd December 2008 were approved as drawn.
4. Matters Arising from the Minutes of 3rd December 2008
No matters arising
5. Neuro-Rehab Stakeholders Group and NSF Update – Nicky Coffey
Nicky Coffey reported on the new NHS initiative, that they are commissioning works and how they are to be managed. Nicky Coffey explained that we rarely see PCT’s, faces change and there is a lack of good consistency. Everything has been looked at and they have come up with a new structure.
Nicky Coffey apologised for Simon Truett’s absence and explained they were about to start a new neuro-rehab agenda. The strategy includes a new collaborative basis across PCT’s as they are not currently joined up as they could be. Nicky Coffey will continue to provide updates and explained that their group consisted of a mixture of NHS managers and any other professionals that would be useful, including voluntary sector groups. Membership will be as broad as possible and they will communicate with those professionals not directly involved. Nicky Coffey finished by saying that social services will have to be involved throughout the whole process.
6. Simon Truett
Simon Truett of Medway PCT was unable to attend but Nicky Coffey summarised his new role and aims.
Simon Truett, from April will be the new commissioner covering the whole of Kent and will be involved in the Health, Work and Wellbeing initiative being promoted by the government. Simon Truett will also be involved in targeted care for minority groups, and trying to reduce the number of mild injury patients that are missed.
7. Mapping Exercise/Website Update – Tony Merriman
Tony Merriman explained that he has had two meetings with Chris Merriman since the last KABIF meeting and they are working together to make the website more user friendly.
Chris Merriman is currently away but is still working on the servers and adding to the website.
Tony Merriman explained that the site will be up and running even as it is being improved and the aim is to have information which will not only help professionals but also brain injury sufferers and their carers.
Tony Merriman suggested everyone check the website from the perspective of an individual looking for a service and is suffering with brain injury and also if any professional details are missing, to let Tony Merriman know so that they can be added to the site.
8. Headway (Kent) – Pam Munro
Pam Munro on behalf of Di Drummond confirmed that on the 18 May 2009 at 7.30pm they will be holding their Annual General Meeting. The will also be a Kent Adult Social Services talk at the Tonbridge Grammar School for Boys in the Drama Theatre.
Headway’s web site has an up and coming events page for anyone who would like to find out what events are coming up. The website address is http://www.headway.org.uk/
9. Towards Independence – Ros Eastwood
Ros Eastwood explained that the leaflet has now been produced for young people with injuries and how they can work towards a more independent life.
KABIF members made suggestions for places where the leaflet would be useful to brain injury. The suggestions included Canterbury Headway and Southeast, Headway UK and East London, a link included on the Headway website, Citizens Advice Bureau, Banstead, The Priory and Blackheath.
10. Health Network – Dennis Smith
Dennis Smith confirmed that there is a new PCT service called CareCall. It is a telephone service which has been experimented elsewhere quite successfully. It is a free telephone support service run by nurses and is designed to assist individuals with their long term conditions.
The service is available to anyone over the age of 16 if they are registered at their local practice and a number of GP’s are already supporting the scheme. All patients at participating surgeries will receive a letter offering them the service and they can opt out if they so choose.
The service is available from 8am to 8pm during weekdays and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays and people will feel that they can call whenever they are not feeling well.
This is still a pilot scheme in West Kent and will be reviewed in 18 months time but it could be a real benefit to the NHS.
Dennis Smith confirmed he is on the committee and will check whether they have professionals who are experienced with Brain Injury and also whether they intend to update their database on a regular basis so as to have an up to date list of patients who are participating.
11. Tea & Coffee Break
There then followed a break for tea and coffee. Refreshments were kindly provided by The East Kent Hospital School Service.
12. Any Other Business
a. Dr Gerhard Florschutz from The Raphael Centre
Dr Florschutz made the important point that the problem with the health system at the moment is the link between neurosurgery and neuro-rehabilitation. The Raphael Centre is trying very hard to develop new care streams.
It is almost as if we have two different services at the moment. There is the NHS and there are the more private medical practitioners and services and there is a real need for more interaction and communication between the two.
13. Close
Return to Minutes of Meetings.