The South Glos Post

A local health and social care watchdog group composed of service users is holding a stakeholder event on Thursday this week (15th September) in Emersons Green.

South Gloucestershire and Bristol Local Involvement Networks (LINks) are linking together to become the joint Local HealthWatch ‘Pathfinder’ (one of 75 announced by the Department of Health on 3rd August 2011).

The LINks will are to evolve to become the Local HealthWatch in October 2012 and will be tasked with providing a collective voice for users of health and social care services and their carers.

Becoming a Pathfinder will ensure that South Gloucestershire and Bristol LINks are at the forefront of becoming a network of networks for collecting the views of local communities which will be used to advise the new Clinical Commissioning groups on the shape of local services to ensure that their future plans are informed by the views of the community.

Find out more about the meeting and how to book a place »

South Gloucestershire Council’s Celebrating Age Festival draws to a close this week but there is still time for over 50s to take part in a free ‘good health day’ on Thursday 30th June.

The event, aimed at people who are interested in maintaining good health and keeping active, is being held at Yate library between 11am and 3pm.

On offer will be information from more than 30 organisations and health professionals.

You can have a free blood pressure check, get information about the council’s handy van service for minor repairs to your property, find out about our programme of walks in your area and for older people who find it difficult to cut their toe nails, you can get them done for free if you turn up at the library on June 30th. Free eye screening is also available.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

Latest provisional figures from the Office of National Statistics show that the number of 15-17 year old conceptions in South Gloucestershire has fallen from 141 conceptions in 2008 to 130 conceptions in 2009. This figure is against the background of a long-term fall in the rate of teenage pregnancies in the district, down 18.9% over the past eleven years, better than the national rate of 18.1%.

The good progress reducing teenage pregnancies in South Gloucestershire reflects the strong partnership effort across a wide range of local agencies to provide better education and information to young people about relationships and sexual health, and to provide better access to local sexual health services. Reduction of teenage pregnancy remains a priority for the council and there is a determination across local agencies to further reduce this figure.

Cllr Sheila Cook, executive member for children and young people, said: “I am delighted that the work done by the council and its partners is having a positive effect in reducing teenage pregnancies.”

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

South Gloucestershire Council is improving the support it provides to the district’s carers with increased investment and a range of innovative ideas.

There are an estimated 20,000 carers in South Gloucestershire and the council recognises the huge contribution they make. The council, in partnership with NHS South Gloucestershire, has developed a Joint Carers Strategy that is designed to provide the very best support to carers. This strategy has been carefully developed incorporating feedback and comments from carers themselves.

The strategy aims to empower carers by extending more choice and control to them. One way of achieving this is to give carers direct payments so that they can arrange and pay for services, such as a carers’ break, how and when it suits them, rather than the council commissioning a service it thinks carers need.

Carers are also being helped in developing their own support networks –where carers themselves have a greater say in running and influencing the groups. The council has set aside nearly £100,000 to help set up these carers groups.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council