Welcome
Welcome to your fortnightly Social Prescribing Link Worker e-bulletin. In this email you will find practical information and resources from across the region and nationally.
For more general news, please subscribe to the monthly 'People and Communities' newsletter. If you'd like to sign up please email gmhscp.pcca@nhs.net and we will add you to our mailing list.
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Introducing Ali Hussainshah who joins us as project support officer from Oldham Council. Ali will be supporting the whole 'People and Communities' programme of work, and will work closely with Charlotte on the Link Worker Peer Support Network, so no doubt you will meet him, virtually for now, very soon.
In the meantime you can reach him on: ali.hussainshah1@nhs.net
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We are also excited to welcome Julie McCarthy who joins the team on secondment from GMCA to progress arts and health and young people’s social prescribing.
You can reach Julie at julie.mccarthy@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
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Greater Manchester colleagues, including Rochdale Link Worker Graeme Hill, joined the Royal College of Psychiatrists at the All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health on 9 June to discuss the benefits of social prescribing for mental wellbeing and how we can ensure its growth and sustainability.
We recognise that we also need to build and grow our invaluable community groups, organisations and activities to ensure there's plenty of support available locally. As those who use Petrus' PIER, a community allotment in Rochdale, explained to MPs and Lords, social prescribing makes a real difference to happiness by seeing them for who they are and want to achieve - not as a patient, case or number. Going to the allotment has connected them into their community, gives them a reason to leave the house, keep them busy, build friendships, learn new skills, take on responsibilities and feel well.
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Greater Manchester’s Nature for Health (green social prescribing) Programme is off to a busy start. The programme is being delivered through Petrus in Rochdale, Lancashire Wildlife Trust in Bury, Salford CVS in Salford, Sow the City in Manchester and City of Trees delivering a GM wide stakeholder group and resource exchange. All sites have been readying themselves, recruiting and putting in the right systems to enable referals and start delivery.
The Greater Manchester Nature for Health programme is a two-year programme being delivered through NHS England and Improvement’s national Green Social Prescribing Test and Learn programme. The programme will test and learn how to scale up green social prescribing and provide quality nature-based interventions for mental health whilst targetting those disproportionately impacted by Covid-19. There will be more information communicated shortly on how you can get involved. In the meantime, if you’d like more information do contact Jon Grace, Programme Manager at jon@the-bureau.org.uk
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Nominations are now open for the Greater Manchester Health and Care Champion Awards 2021.
The awards are a unique opportunity to recognise those people who really have gone above and beyond to care for and support the people of Greater Manchester over the last year. The awards are open to all individuals or teams, paid or unpaid, who work in the health or care sector in Greater Manchester or through broader work to help improve the health and wellbeing of others.
Award categories include recognising our key worker and community champions, innovators, volunteers, leaders at any level and those who have helped improve the wellbeing of those around them during such a challenging year.
Nominations can be completed online and must be returned by the deadline of 6 August 2021.
Find out more here
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The draft NHSE/I social prescribing link worker competency framework is available for testing and feedback until Friday 16 July. Please test the framework with your colleagues and employer and email any feedback to england.socialprescribing@nhs.net.
This workshop will give delegates an understanding of how sport contributes to positive mental health, whether that’s by building resilience against mental ill-health, intervening early at times of risk or responding to a diagnosis.
Find out more here
Any new link workers who haven't yet joined the Greater Manchester team for one of these sessions is urged to do so at 10am on 6 July. Open to those new in post for training in the basics. We will cover local and national support, cover requirements for link workers including outcome measures, SNOMED codes, personal centered approaches and more....... Find out more and register here: New Link Worker session
NHSE/I's next webinar event will focus on social prescribing for people with a learning disability and the role for social prescribing link workers. Important as for many, this past year, has meant a significant and often traumatic loss of routine, activities and social connections and relationships.
To find out more register your attendance click here.
Join GMCVO for a lunchtime workshop led by Ambition for Ageing who will share learning from a project connecting with isolated older people in Bangladeshi communities in Manchester. Rabbi S Grant, Director of Community Services for the Binoh of Manchester will speak about working and engaging with Orthodox Jewish Communities in Greater Manchester
More information here
Members of the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group based at the University of Manchester will present an overview of a research project examining the impact of COVID-19 on 102 diverse older people aged 50+ living in Greater Manchester from multiple ethnic and identity groups. The presentation will review the way older people managed everyday life under three successive lockdowns, highlighting pressures facing particular groups, including South Asian women, and single men.
For more information, click here
Looking at how transport for Greater Manchester can support our clients with more bespoke transport offers. Book your place here
The Black Health Improvement Programme (BHIP) is a culturally appropriate education, training and support for primary care staff and other healthcare professionals. The programme is free and will help your team build their knowledge about Black cultural, religious and racial literacy. There are a number of training sessions in July, and August:
July 5 at 1pm and 5pm, 8 July at 1pm, 12 July at 5pm, 19 July at 1pm, 28 July at 1pm
August 2 at 1pm, 9 at 5pm, 12 at 1pm, 16 at 1pm and 5pm, 25 at 1pm
To book your session, please email bhip@cahn.org.uk.
A three session-course on the essential skills and knowledge for link workers designed for link workers to adapt their holistic way of working to an online setting in the context of the recovery period of COVID-19. Bromley by Bow will cover the following topics based on remote working, and working during COVID-19 crisis and recovery period. It will be particularly helpful to recently appointed and early career link workers.
This training is composed of 3 x 2h live sessions + 3 pre-recorded tutorials on 6 July, 13 July and 20 July. To find out more click here.
Social prescribing covid-19 coding guidance - update. Following the end of shielding on the 1 April NHSE/I have issued an updated guidance document. This document also outlines coding in relation to the Investment and Impact fund in primary care, including the instruction that HWbC and care coordinators should code their respective activity using role-specific SNOMED codes, not social prescribing SNOMED codes.
A helpline is available for advice and referral for targeted intervention or appropriate services - 07553 870198.
Unity radio, a local and independent radio station broadcasting across Greater Manchester on 92.8FM is giving young people a chance to get involved in djing, writing, presenting on its radio production and creatie media courses.For those aged 18-30 living in GM and not in education or employment.
Find out more at unityradio.fm or by emailing courses@unityradio.co.uk
GamCare is working to raise awareness, address stigma and reduce gambling related harms experienced by women. The signs such as debt, depression and anxiety may not immediately suggest gambling is the cause. The number of women gambling is rising at twice the rate of men. GamCare offers free training, information and advice, networking and support to women.
If you're interested in finding out more, you can contact Rachel Simm at rachel.simm@gamcare.org.uk
Macmillan Solutions provides practical and emotional support to people affected by cancer across Greater Manchester via a team of 70-100 locally recruited volunteers. The type of help provided is needs lead, but usually comprises befriending, transport, small household jobs, shopping, phone support, gardening, accompanying people to appointments, decluttering, decorating, referral and support into other services and a Recording Memories service. Small acts that make a big difference.
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"Throughout the pandemic we have adapted to continue to deliver our service to lonely and vulnerable people, ensuring that they could safely access treatment and diagnostic services as soon as these were available and get telephone support or meet outdoors if they needed a listening ear.
"All our volunteers receive bespoke training and come from a wide range of backgrounds meaning that we can often respond effectively to the cultural and language needs of people referred to us. We are always looking for more volunteers to join our team. Our volunteers are well supported and find the opportunity to help others is great for their own health and wellbeing."
For more information visit macmillansolutions.org.uk or call one of the volunteer support workers to make a referral on 0161 830 7003 | 0785 068 6366
A new online peer support group has been established for people living with or caring for someone with dementia who identifies as LGBTQ+. A safe and friendly space for people to express themselves and support each other, sharing experiences and concerns with like-minded people.
Meeting the first Tuesday of every month 2-3:30 from 3 August, via Zoom: Meeting ID: 93789107813, passcode: pqzBR2
To find out more, email Maggie.Hurley@ageukoldham.org.uk
Anecdotal evidence tells us that LGBTQ+ people living with dementia face particular challenges when accessing services.
Further information and resources you might find helpful:
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