The Carers, Families, and Friends Community of Interest meeting is usually a very well planned occasion but as everybody started to arrive… people just kept pouring in! We had to rush around to get more chairs and we kept our fingers crossed we had enough tables! Phew.. we just managed to fit everyone in and start the meeting. Note to self…………… bigger room next time!
The meeting was chaired brilliantly by Paul Sanguinazzi, Head of Involvement and minutes by Jane Danforth, Involvement & Experience Officer. Paul went through the meeting ground rules and I had to smile as he put both of his phones on silent mode as did Jane who then set out her iPad, her iPhone, her Blackberry, her laptop and portable Wifi unit. Between Paul and Jane they had enough IT equipment to a run a 7 hour conference!
The meeting was really well attended by good spread of Carers, Families, Staff and Voluntary Group Representatives. It was lively meeting where we talked about the future of the Carers, Families, Friends Community of Interest and a discussion about merging it with the Carers Strategy Meeting as similar topics are covered in both. As there is always a large attendance at meetings in the North of the County it was agreed by all to continue holding some meetings in the North and possibly rotating the venues between Newark, Mansfield and Bassetlaw to enable carers from all areas to have access to the Carers, Families, Friends Community of Interest. We would be able to do more work on projects together and share more of our work. More about this in future blogs!
Author: Andrea Emmens – Family Interventions Co-ordinator
We are now looking forward to our Carers, Family and Friends Conference
Tuesday 7 July 2015, The Goosedale Conference Centre, Goosedale Lane, Papplewick, Nottingham NG6 8UJ 10.00 to 15.30
If you would like to join the Community of Interest for Carers, Families and Friends Contact Jane Danforth jane.danforth@notttshc.nhs.uk
Tel: 0115 9529430 or 0115 9691300 Ex 11130
I must congratulate all those involved with the Carers COI. You have really built it into an excellent, hardworking and influential group. I am not a carer thank goodness but I do care about carers. Also I must pay tribute to Jane Danforth, whom has put her heart and souls into this group as she does in everything she undertakes. Even in her support for a failing Premiership Football team equally as I do in a failing Championship team. Help us both.
Hi Michael, you made me smile today, thank you for that!
The group is going from strength to strength. I am in the process of working with carers, families, friends, partners and staff to launch the refreshed Carers, Families and Friends strategy 2015-18. Based on the success of the last version it is clear there is a lot to do to gain the recognition that carers deserve as equal partners in care.
Look out for the flyer on our blog soon for the launch of this strategy July 7th 2015 2015 at Goosedale Conference Cente.
Thanks for your quick reply, it’s great to know we are reaching out to our colleagues and friends via our blog bringing us all a little closer together.
Jane