Blackpool LINk

Blackpool LINk has the right to 'enter and view' hospital care and we did just that in March 2010 on Wards 11 & 18 at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Following the visit we made the following recommendations:

• Improve meals provision by using colour coded trays and ensuer that all those who serve meals wear disposable aprons. Details of patients who refuse meals for any reason should be given to the senior nurse in charge.
• A strategy should be developed for improving communication with patients about their treatment and progress so that patients are not unduly anxious or concerned.
• Staff training and awareness raising should take place with regard to issues around respect and dignity, as well as appropriate levels of staff noise during the night.
• Cover should be provided for staff to attend training courses which will aid their professional development

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust took on board these recommendations and incorporated them into an Action Plan.

We have since met with representatives from the hospital and undertaken another enter and view to see how the recommendations have been implemented. There were many positive comments from patients on each of the two wards. Communication regarding treatment seems to have improved as has staff training issues.

There is still room for improvement and we are continuing to monitor progress. 

Blackpool LINk received issues from LINk members, service users and carers around the impending changes to Mental Health Day Services. The Advisory Group believed that the lack of consultation, communication and clarity around the changes of service providers, and the effect on individuals, increased the fear and vulnerability of the service users.

The LINk raised these issues with Blackpool Council and received a quick response. Some of the issues were felt to have been dealt with, but the Advisory Group believed that poor management and monitoring of transitional arrangements remained an important issue. The LINk used its powers to refer this ongoing problem to the Adult Social Care and Housing Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

That committee agreed that a full scrutiny review would be undertaken to enable the matter to be fully investigated and responded to. The review's final report makes nine key recommendations relating to: Contractual Issues, Impact on ServiceUsers, Communication with Service Users, Service User Assessments, and Transitional Arrangements.

Councillor Mrs Kath Rowson, the then Chairman of Adult Social Care and Housing Overview said

“A special thanks to the service users for their openness in highlighting their concerns, particularly the service user who took the time to attend a working group meeting, allowing Members the opportunity to listen first hand to the concerns and to discuss openly the view of the transitional arrangements from a service user’s perspective.”

Medicines Management at NHS Blackpool asked Blackpool LINk to undertake an independent consultation to understand the views of people who use Pharmacy Services in Blackpool. We got our membership involved in the design of the survey as well as asking for their responses.

Questionnaires were sent out to the wider membership, visits made to local pharmacies and the general public were consulted. 120 responses were returned. The report was sent to NHS Blackpool and was well received.

Melanie Preston, Head of Medicines Management and Lisa Drinkwater, Medicines Management Advisor, said :

“The views of patients as captured in the Pharmacy Consultation will be used to ensure that service users’ views are reflected in the Pharmacy Needs Assessment and help inform future services. What is particularly useful in this piece of work is the patient involvement in the design of the survey as a result of the significant input from Blackpool LINk”.

Thanks to our hard work in building up our network, we are able to reach a large number of people. 155 local organisations are part of the LINk, each with its own membership. Our current statistics are as follows:

Total number of individual members as of 31/03/2010: 219
Total number of organisation members as of 31/03/2010: 158
Number of active individuals on the Advisory Group: 8
Number of active organisations on the Advisory Group: 8

125 individuals and 25 organisations directly took part in Blackpool LINk activities in 2010/11.

In March 2010 Blackpool LINk hosted an all day event in partnership with Blackpool Council and Blackpool Safeguarding Adults Board to raise awareness to the general public on support available to protect vulnerable adults from abuse, exploitation and/or mistreatment.

The morning consisted of a drop in session where members of the public could come in, access information and talk to local voluntary and community organisations that provide support and help to vulnerable adults.

In the afternoon, a drama group “AFTA Thought” played out three realistic interactive scenarios:-

• a new employee care worker at a care home who witnesses another member of staff
• bullying the residents
• a lady who cares for her husband and is finding it very hard
• a lady with mental health problems, who is moving into new accommodation

Positive feedback was received from attendees and partners at the event.
“The multi agency working WORKS! There are people out there to turn to”
“The reality of the situations shown plus the hidden agendas of the underlying problems.....was very thought provoking”

Our Issues Group meets every six weeks to discuss topics that are being raised by local people and organisations. Often, what's needed is more information. The LINk has the influence to get that information quickly – always within 20 working days.

Information we've asked for and received includes:

• The amount of care homes and actual beds available to people with dementia;
• Detailed information on the role of the Alcohol Liaison Service at the hospital;
• Details of the support and services available for people who are feeling suicidal, and how service users are involved in the design of those services;
• Information collating initiatives across Blackpool dealing with teenage pregnancy;
• Details of services to be offered at the new Whitegate Health Centre;
• The cancellation of eye appointments, medication not being available in blister pack sand small print on labels when attending Blackpool Victoria Hospital.