Disability Action
18 April 2012
Minutes of the Meeting of the Disability Users Forum Held on Wednesday 18 April 2012 in Manor Day Centre, Lurgan
 |
Present
Damian Mc Sorley (Chair) Gerard McEvoy, John Stewart, Gerry Murray, Andrew Martin, Martin Mallon, Maria Hughes, Bernadette McCabe
Apologies
Kenny Clydesdale, Adrian Fox, Anne Chesney
| ACTION | ||
| 1 | Welcome and apologies | |
| 1.1 | Damian welcomed everyone to the meeting and gave apologies for Kenny Clydesdale and Adrian Fox. He also welcomed PPI Officer Sinead Hughes to the meeting | Damian |
| 2 | Minutes of the previous meeting | |
| 2.1 | The previous minutes of the 14 March`12 were then discussed and progress on various action points identified | Damian |
| 3 | Matters Arising From Previous Minutes | |
| 3.1 | Portable loop The portable loop system was set up for today’s meeting. This had been requested at the last meeting. Damian informed the group that Melvin Purdy from Manor Day Centre had been very pro-active in helping him to get this need addressed. Melvin mentioned that he would like to receive feedback on the practical use of this today following the meeting. He also conveyed to me that the introduction of the loop system was a great example of how the Disability Users Forum could work to further needs of disabled people and how agencies can respond to these needs. | Damian/Melvin Purdy |
| ACTION | ||
| 3.2 | Feedback on the loop system Bernadette Mc Cabe and Maria Hughes gave feedback on the loop system and stated that an extension lead would be required so that everyone at the meeting could be heard by them. They mentioned that they could hear Damian as he had the mike attached to him but had difficulty in hearing other group members. The mike would need to be in the middle of the table so that other people at the meeting could be heard. If that was not possible, the mike would need to be passed around. | Damian to liaise with Mairead Murphy (Station Road) regarding loop system for the next meeting. |
| 3.4 | Booking of a Notetaker for future meetings Maria Hughes asked if it was possible to book a Notetaker for the next meeting as this would improve communication further for those with a hearing disability. Maria mentioned that she previously has had a lady called Noreen and this service was extremely beneficial. Damian agreed to follow this request up. | Damian to book a Notetaker |
| 3.5 | Booking of Station Resource Centre for next meeting As the next meeting was at Station Road Resource Centre, Damian agreed to ensure that the portable loop system would be set up for the next Disability Users Forum meeting and would meet Mairead Murphy, Day Centre Manager regarding this. We agreed to alternate venues for meetings | Damian/Mairead Murphy |
| 3.6 | Larger room The group welcomed the fact that they had the use of the TV room today which was a lot more user friendly than the craft room. Damian explained that Melvin had accommodated the group with this request as this room was normally not available. | Damian/Melvin Purdy |
| ACTION | ||
| 3.7 | Feedback for Gerard Mc Evoy Damian informed Gerard that he had been in contact with the Communication Dept at Disability Action Headquarters in Belfast and had requested a dictaphone so that the minutes of meetings could be verbally recorded. This audio information would then be sent by Damian to Gerard via email. He said he was also aiming to send Newsletters in a large print format. | Damian with Communication Department of Disability Action in Belfast Liaison with Gerard Mc Evoy |
Damian also explained that there was free software available on the internet via Screen Reader. NVDA, a back up system has also been recommended. Software called Jaws is also available for approximately £300; Zoomtax is another option. | No action as Gerard Mc Evoy has software he can use. | |
| Damian was thanked by Gerard for this information | ||
| 3.8 | Sign Language classes Damian mentioned that support for those who have a hearing disability can also be attained through classes in British Sign Language(BSL) or Irish Sign Language.(ISL) | Damian will aim to get information on BSL classes for Bernadette |
| Bernadette Mc Cabe mentioned that she would be very interested in doing a class in BSL. | ||
| 3.9 | Mileage forms Mileage claim forms were circulated. Damian asked for forms to be submitted at the next meeting. Gerry Murray asked if the price per mile was 40 pence | Damian to clarify rate per mile. Group to submit mileage forms |
| 4 | Dromantine Report | |
| 4.1 | We discussed the Dromantine Report and members agreed to focus on 4 main topics today as well as the next meeting. · Welfare Benefits · IT · Transport · Respite | Damian and group |
| ACTION | ||
| 4.2 | Welfare Benefits Damian informed the group that he is currently attending PIPS training and will keep everyone informed on developments. He will also come back to the group on the request for an information workshop. | Damian and Disability Action Management |
| 4.3 | IT Damian informed the group that he had checked with Head Office on what was involved in setting up a Face Book page. He informed the Disability Users Forum that they would need to set this up as a group in their own right and get someone to act as an administrator. | Damian and group |
| Damian also mentioned that Blogs on a website are another medium of IT communication. | ||
| The group decided to defer this discussion until Adrian Fox returned as he was the most IT literate | ||
| Andrew Martin mentioned that there was a lot of assistive technology available and an awareness- raising workshop of what was available would be useful to the group. | Damian to organize an awareness raising IT workshop. | |
| 4.4 | Respite Members were interested in available places in NI for holiday locations. | Damian, Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SHSCT) & Disability Action |
| 4.5 | Transport Maria Hughes cited that a Hear and Now group that she was involved with had transport services cut from the group by the SHSCT. She had asked why a tinnitus group had their services maintained. | |
| When Maria raised these concerns the service was resumed for the Hear and Now group and Maria was appreciative of how the SHSCT responded. | Group to continue to communicate their needs | |
| ACTION | ||
| 5 | Input by Sinead Hughes Personal and Public Involvement Officer SHSCT | |
| 5.1 | Overview of PPI Damian introduced Sinead and she gave an overview of how members could become involved in the PPI work through participating in Reviews, Consultations and Feedback. Sinead mentioned the Review of Social Care in the Compton Report and how engaging with service users is important to the delivery of a more effective service. | Sinead Hughes PPI |
| 5.2 | PPI Panel Sinead also mentioned that they have a PPI panel chaired by the Head of her Department, Carolyn Agnew and they work in partnership with Service Users and carers to ensure PPI objectives are met. | |
| Andrew Martin stated that he is currently involved in the PPI Panel and suggested that John Stewart could represent those with brain injury on this panel. | ||
| Members of the Users Forum agreed that this would be a good idea and John agreed to consider getting involved. | John Stewart | |
| 5.5 | Forwarding PPI Information Sinead said she would forward PPI information including community transport details to Damian | Sinead/ Damian to circulate to group |
| 5.6 | Expression of Interest form Damian would also send John Stewart an expression of interest form to be involved in the PPI Panel that is due to meet at the Quaker Buildings in Lurgan on 22 June 2012. | Damian to post expression of interest form to John Stewart |
| 5.7 | PPI Agreement by group The group agreed to link in with PPI and contribute to this process | |
| 5.8 | Follow up meeting Damian thanked Sinead Hughes for her input today and agreed to meet again to discuss the Forums involvement with PPI | Damian to meet Carolyn Agnew and Sinead Hughes. |
| ACTION | ||
| 5.9 | Damian also conveyed the relevance of PPI to our plans to hold a Conference in November 2012 to Review the Dromantine Report. | Damian, WHSCT and Disability Action |
| 6 | Any other business | |
| 6.1 | Brain Injury Questions John Stewart was informed that some questions raised on brain injury had been passed onto management. | Damian to speak to Disability Action Management |
| 6.2 | Hidden Disability Hidden disability also arose in discussions today and Damian informed members that we will continue to discuss this area. | Damian to follow up and invite a speaker |
| 6.3 | Newsletter meeting Andrew was informed that the next meeting of the above was at Manse View on 1 May 2012 @11am | Andrew gave his apologies |
| 6.4 | Gerry Murray asked if Coppersfields Day Centre would be able to send another representative to User Forum meetings as Ann Chesney is unable to go. | Damian to speak to Eilis Hill |
| 7 | Evaluation | |
| 7.1 | Feedback Everyone enjoyed the meeting today and the format of having a speaker on an issue was welcomed. | |
| 7.2 | Speakers on issues Damian agreed to invite speakers where appropriate to further meetings of the Disability User Forum. | Damian |
| 8 | Date of next meeting | |
| 8.1 | Details of the next meeting were given:
Thursday 31 May 2012 11.00am-2.00pm
Venue:- Station Road Resource Centre Armagh. | |
| 9 | Close |
