West Somerset
Disability Association

Hello everyone! Autumn is really here, now.  Enjoy Halloween and Firework Night and if you don’t like them, then enjoy the brisk weather and seasonal colours.  We have included a copy of our ‘Protection of Vulnerable Adults’ policy for your information with the newsletter.  The next meeting is in the Seahorse Centre on Monday 24th November at 2.00 pm.  As usual, sign the attendance book and if you visit The Seahorse Centre at other times sign in at Reception and wear a visitor badge.  There is no smoking allowed inside or in the vicinity of the building. 
Our address: The Seahorse Centre, Stephenson Road, Minehead, TA24 5EB

West Somerset Disability Association Trustees
Martin Greenwood; Peter and Heidi Morse; Sue Horne; Tim Poat; Terry Venner.

Transport
Dave Willett organises a taxi for partially-sighted people to come to the Monthly meetings.  This must be booked with him. If you can’t make it, PLEASE RING HIM, to cancel it. 
If you cannot access other transport you can register with Atwest community transport 01643 707090 and use the SLINKY bus to come to meetings.  You must have a bus pass.
PLEASE HELP US TO HELP YOU!!!  Transport queries about outings should be addressed to the Events Committee.

Useful Telephone Numbers
West Somerset Disability Association Committee Members
President:  Jean Gilbert  01984 641197
Chairman:  David Kendall  01643 863505
Vice Chairman: Mary Court   01643 702129
Secretary:  Marlene Saunders 01643 702972
Accts/Treasurer: Molly Newstead  01984 634739
Transport for the monthly WSDA meeting only:
   David Willett  01643 708592
Welfare:  Margaret Bruford  01984 656367

Events Committee:
   Shirley Williams  01984 632265
   Sandra Kendall  01643 863505
   Peter Kilner  01643 821464

IT Tutor   Chris Brinkman  01643 708025 Mobile 07971 285878
Seahorse Centre IT room   01643 702021 or 07971 285878   Messages (Reception)  01643 705000
E-mail: wsomersetdisability@tiscali.co.uk or wsomersetdisability@yahoo.co.uk
Web Site: www.westsomersetdisability.org.uk

Computers
The newsletter is also on our website with news of our activities and forthcoming events.  Please tell us your e-mail if you have one, as an e-mailed newsletter is free but we must pay to post them.  Help us to help you!
If you would like computer training, please let us know or talk to Chris our IT instructor.  You must be a member of our association (£10.00 per annum) before you can have lessons, which cost £2.00 per hour.  If anyone has a problem with their computer at home and would like help from Chris, he will tell the committee of the problem and they will then decide what to do.

Disability Advocacy Service
The service is provided by A4e.  Contact Jackie Churchill at 07841250277.  The A4e website is www.a4e.gov.uk.  Their address is A4e, 2nd Floor, Victoria House, Victoria Street, Taunton, Somerset TA1 3JZ. The service will offer help if you need assistance with care arrangements, equipment, housing, blue badges, etc. 

President’s Report
Jean recently had an operation for a cataract and she does not feel able to give a report this month.  Best wishes for your quick recovery.
Chris

Chairman’s Thoughts
It has been an enjoyable year, being your Chairman but I am not sorry to be handing over the reins to David.  Good luck!
Finally I would like to thank you to everyone for your support in the last year.
All best wishes
Gordon

Vice-Chairman’s Report
Hello Mary here
Congratulations to David and the other members of the new committee and the Events Committee.  The updated committee is listed on the second page of the newsletter.  I do hope that we all get along and the members and committee work together harmoniously.  If anyone has any problems, come to me or any other committee member and we will try to help smooth things out for you.
Barbara Mullen from Magna Housing should have come to give us a talk but she did not manage to come.  Shauna Roberts from Social Services visited to observe our meeting.
The votes for the new committee were counted by Susan Horne, one of our Trustees, who was a neutral person.  Many of the papers were not easy for her to decipher but as far as was possible to tell, the result is an accurate reflection of the wishes of the members.
Mary

Treasurer’s Report
The raffle raised £45.00 and we collected £7.56 for the Almoner’s Fund.   £11.40 in loose change was given to us by one of our members.  Thank you to everyone who contributed.
David

Events’ Committee Report
This is the new Events Committee:
Sandra Kendall 01643 863505, Shirley Williams 01984 632265 and Peter Kilner 01643 821464
Forthcoming Trips and Events
Tuesday 25th November: Christmas Shopping at Clarks Village, Street
Tuesday 16th December: Christmas Dinner at the Allerford Inn, Norton Fitzwarren.  The cost will be £10.00 for members.
Saturday 20th December: One of Ireland’s favourite Singers, Curtis Magee, at the Royal Ordnance Factory Social Club, Puriton, near Bridgwater.
There is the possibility of a trip to an Ice Show in Exeter next year, some time between 17th and 22nd February to see Holiday on Ice.  Anyone interested should contact Sandra or Shirley, whose phone numbers are listed above and on page 2.

Announcements
Speakers at our monthly meetings:
November 24th: Roy Gosden will bring his dog Sky and he will talk about hearing dogs for the deaf.
December: no meeting
Next year’s speakers have not yet been arranged.

Articles, letters and e-mails
Visit to Bristol Hippodrome
I was one of the people who were able to go to the Bristol Hippodrome Theatre to see Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  I had never been to that Theatre before and I was very impressed.  It was wheelchair friendly and the staff were great.  The stage and sound were fantastic, binoculars were provided in case someone had a problem.  It was a very interesting show and somewhere I would love to go to again.  As always we were well looked after on the bus and I understand that those who were able to have the fish and chip meal thoroughly enjoyed it.  I would like to thank those who organised it all and also helped me.
Pat Graddon

ICE ‘IN CASE OF EMERGENCY’

We all carry our mobile phone with name and numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these number belong to our closest family or friends.

If you were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn’t know whom to call.  Hence the ‘ICE’ Campaign.  The concept of ‘ICE’ is catching on quickly.  All you need to do is store the name ’ICE’ (In Case Of Emergency).  If it would be more appropriate for the emergency services to text your contact then store the number under “ICE TEXT”

The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found when that he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but he didn’t know which number to call.  If there was a recognised name for this purpose, in an emergency situation, the emergency services and hospital staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialling the number you have stored as ‘ICE’ For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 etc.

Let’s spread the concept of ICE by storing an ICE number in our Mobile phones

Handy Numbers
A4e Disability Advocate: Jackie Churchill 07841 250277 www.a4e.co.uk
Age Concern Information Line 0800 00 99 66 www.ageconcern.org.uk
Arthritis Care 0808 800 4050 www.arthritiscare.org.uk
A Taste of Exmoor: Home cooked food delivered to your door! 01643 709856 or 07919 816197
AT West Community Transport  01643 709701
Blue Badge (Disabled Parking Scheme) 0845 3459133 or 01823 335285.  Renewals at 01278 437255
Breast Cancer Care 0808 800 6000 www.breastcancercare.org.uk
CVS (Council for Voluntary Service) Minehead  01643 707484
Cruse Bereavement Care 0870 167 1677 www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk
Depression Alliance 0845 123 2320 www.depressionalliance.org
Diabetes UK 0845 120 2960 www.diabetes.org.uk
Free Directory Enquiries (with adverts) 0800 100 100
Help the Aged 0808 800 6565 www.helptheaged.org.uk
Hospital Transport 01278 727444
NHS Direct 0845 46 47 www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
MIND (National Association for Mental Health) 01643 708 765 deborah.melmoth@mindinwestsomerset.org.uk
Open DAWS (Cathy McGill) 01643 821112
PALS (Patient Advisory and Liaison Service) Ruby Haq 01278 437013 www.somerset.nhs.uk/pals
Piper Lifeline (Cynthia Lewis) 01643 709234
Prestige Mobility (Customer Focus Team) 0970 787 1975 www.prestigemobility.com
Samaritans 08457 09090 www.samaritans.org.uk
Sky Helpline for the Disabled 08442 410333
Somerset Association for the Blind 01823 333818 www.sab-fund.org.uk
Stroke Association 0845 303 3100 www.stroke.org.uk
Talking Newspapers 01984 640 471
West Somerset Advice Bureau (similar to a Citizens’ Advice Bureau)  01643 704624
Winter Warmth Helpline 0800 085 700 www.dh.gov.uk

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be in the Seahorse Centre on Monday 24th November at 2.00 pm.
 
 
West Somerset Disability Association (WSDA)

Protection of Vulnerable Adults policy

The WSDA has a commitment to prevent and detect abuse and maintain every individual’s safety.
Individuals who are at risk from abuse should be empowered to maintain control over their lives and keep themselves safe.
In treating all adults with respect and dignity over their life choices much abuse can be prevented.
Good practice in employment and management means the health and social care workforce is able to deliver a safe and consistently high level of service.
When we are all clear about how individuals should be treated then it is easier to identify, investigate and implement safeguards when the behaviour of others falls below expected standards.
If an adult may have been or is being abused this should be reported to your Local Adult Social Care office (or if a crime has been committed to the Police), or direct to a Helpline such as Action on Elder Abuse.
Definition of a Vulnerable Adult
A vulnerable adult is an individual who is unable to care for him/herself
§ By virtue of old age
§ Mental or physical infirmity
§ Sensory loss
§ Learning disability/difficulty
§ Any reason that he/she is unable to protect him/herself against significant harm or exploitation.

A vulnerable person may be abused by:
§ A relative or informal carer
§ A paid professional carer or advisor
§ A client who is receiving services from the same resource (e.g. day care, residential care)

A vulnerable adult may also
§ Abuse a carer
§ Abuse other vulnerable persons who are also receiving care in the same setting
§ Neglect themselves
§ Deliberately harm themselves

Abuse

Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons. It exists where the vulnerable person suffers significant harm or is exposed to significant risk.

Abuse may be due to:

§ The use of force or the threat of force, physical abuse, including hitting, slapping, pushing or restraint.
§ The unwarranted use of physical restriction or restraint.
§ The participation in sexual activity that is not understood or welcomed.
§ The incorrect use of prescribed medication drugs or chemical.
§ The use of discrimination, racist, sexist, disability or of age.
§ The unwarranted removal of control of individual finances of the loss or misuse of those finances.
§ Exposure to unacceptable risk.
§ Neglect and acts of omission, including ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, social care or education services, the withdrawing of the necessities of life such as medication, adequate nutrition or heating.

General Signs of Abuse May include

§ Difficulty in interviewing the person alone.
§ Repeated visits to a general practitioner or accident and emergency department.
§ Refusal of support services.
§ A history of unexplained or repeated falls or minor injuries.
§ Requests for help to many different agencies, or frequent transfers from one agency or G.P to another.
§ Episodes, the account of which varies from time to time or are inconsistent with the physical evidence.

Essential Support and Guidance

If anyone has any doubts at any time, they must follow the procedures suggested. Full support will be offered to anyone who finds himself/herself in the potentially traumatic situation of witnessing and reporting a vulnerable person of any age. You should never feel alone or unsupported at such a time. It is worth remembering the following -

The 4P’s – Protection, Prevention, Procedures, and Partnership