Resources

Care Act information for organisations and providers - visit http://www.local.gov.uk/care-support-reform (link opens in a new window)

Personalised care and support planning tool from Think Local Act Personal (opens in a new window)

This checklist is a useful resource to help you avoid falling. Download my fall-free risk assessment checklist

Four out of five people are happy with their GP surgery's opening hours, and Sunday appointments are not in demand, suggests research in the British Journal of General Practice.

The figures come from a survey of more than 800,000 patients across England.

The government wants GP practices to team up to offer services over seven days of the week in their local area, saying it will reduce pressure on A&E.

But doctors' leaders say the move is not the best use of NHS resources. Read full story at the BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-34732926

A jury has found a doctor guilty of the manslaughter by gross negligence of a six-year-old boy.

Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba, 38, of Leicester, was accused of medical failings in the death of Jack Adcock after he was admitted to Leicester Royal Infirmary on the morning of 18 February 2011 with severe vomiting, diarrhoea and breathing difficulties. She was found guilty on Wednesday by a 10-2 majority verdict after the jury deliberated for nearly 25 hours. Full story from The Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/nov/04/leicester-doctor-convicted-over-death-of-six-year-old-boy

Sarah Maguire BA (Hons), M.A, CIPD, Fellow of Centre for Welfare Reform

Sarah has worked with people with learning disabilities for almost 30 years. Her work began supported people with challenging needs to move out of long stay institutions in the 1980’s.  Sarah has worked as a training manager where she pioneered new initiatives to take training into the work place. Following completion of her MA in Applied Psychology of Learning Disability Services, Sarah worked as an Operations Director of a large national learning disability charity developing direct payments and supported living services for adults with learning disabilities. Sarah currently works as the Director of Quality and Safeguarding for Choice Support where she continues to support people to take control of their lives.  Sarah is part of the steering committee for the Driving up Quality Alliance and is a founder member of the Association of Quality Checkers which will launch in 2015.

Principal Housing Disability & Social Investment Consultants Ltd - An independent consultant & Chartered Surveyor with over 20 years experience successfully navigating the housing systems in the public, private and independent sectors; I am delighted to volunteer to support the work of the YOU KNOW network. Mark began his career in surveying, moving through  banking and finally on to a variety of senior housing and support roles with registered housing associations including Golden Lane Housing and Royal Mencap Society.

Gav and Karen,  experts in nothing but experience of lots. Gav and Karen have both previously worked in Adult Social Care and have tried to change the system from the inside.  We have experience in negotiating and managing the journey through adult care to health including continuing health care. This includes using and managing a direct payment using a personal budget within adult social care and we now manage a personal health budget with a staff team creatively support planning to get the best health and well being outcomes for a good life from our perspective. We have some knowledge of the legal frameworks around assessment including the care act and positive risk management and the right to take risks.  We also have a great support network and connections to lots of like minded people who want to change the system pro actively rather than reactively.

Hello I am Andrew Bright and I have been working to promote Self Advocacy for 23 years starting out as the co-ordinator for People First London Boroughs. In 1997 I began working as an Information Worker for Values into Action where I developed my training skills and in 1998 I became an Official Consultant for the National Centre for Independent Living. By 2000 I had set up my own Training Company Bright Enterprises delivering training around Training the Trainers, Self Advocacy and Empowerment which I believe are very important.

In 2007 I started working for Thera as a Service Quality Director. My job is to make sure that people get the best and most empowering support from Thera North. I use my experience of having a learning disability to do this. I am also a keen champion for people having opportunities to do great things with their lives and in 2012 I helped to develop Dolphins Den a Thera Trust Project to encourage and mentor people with learning disabilities to set up their own enterprises. I am here to give people a voice and encourage people to be active members in their Thera company, their communities and the world in general.