No images? Click here March 2022 newsletterYour monthly update on all things Inclusion Barnet, as well as local and national goings on which impact the lives of disabled people in Barnet, including people with mental health issues and long term conditions. March marks the beginning of Spring and we welcome the lighter evenings and an end to the cold. At the same time, we will all be aware that this is a difficult time in terms of world events, and it is unsettling to hear of a new war in Eastern Europe. This can be hard to process as we go about our daily lives, and I appreciate that it can have an impact on our mental health. However, it’s really important to focus on making an impact where we can, rather than worrying about things we can’t control. One of the ways we’ve tried to make a difference is by researching and writing about GP charging for letters in support of benefits claim – more details below. This is something we’re trying to
influence locally, so please do come to the User Voice meeting about it and add your voice to the call for change. We hope this is an area where we can make a difference for disabled people in Barnet. I look forward to seeing you there. Caroline Collier Get involved!Are you paying for GP letters? Have you had to pay your GP for medical evidence in support of a benefit claim or appeal? If so, we want to hear from you. Join us on Wed 9th March at 6pm to talk about this and other issues impacting Barnet residents. Job vacancy! Do you have experience of living with high blood pressure or similar long-term condition? Do you have an understanding of South Asian, African, or Caribbean heritage communities in the UK? If the answer is yes, and you’re looking for a new job, then we are looking for you too! Healthy Heart Peer Worker (part-time) £25,000 per year pro rata, actual salary £15,000 Application deadline Monday 7th March. FREE Disability awareness training Learn from experts with lived experience. Contact: eve@inclusionbarnet.org.uk Inclusion Barnet newsThe impact of GP charges Our latest research looked into the impact of inconsistent GP charges on disabled people who are seeking medical evidence to support benefit claims. With help from the Disability Benefits Consortium Steering Group and the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers (NAWRA), we found that charges for GP letters to support disability benefit claims varied between £5 & £150 for a letter. We’ve sent our report with recommendations to local partners and will report back on outcomes in due course. Barnet Together partnership update Barnet Together, a partnership between Young Barnet Foundation, Volunteering Barnet and Inclusion Barnet since 2020, have formally announced a wider alliance with Barnet Council. This demonstrates the council’s recognition and commitment to Barnet’s Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector. Together we are the official infrastructure support service for Barnet, helping grow and develop Barnet's community groups through direct funding and by providing free advice, support and opportunities. Welcome to three new team members
Mariella Hill, Comms and Admin Support Officer - Grange Big Local. A new contract for us to oversee a resident-led, lottery funded community project working in a small pocket of East Finchley. Melvin Lyons, Project Lead – Winter Wellness. Part of our Healthwatch Barnet team working on the NHS Winter Wellness Project. This is part of a community outreach and engagement campaign on behalf of the North Central London CCG. Shelle Wilson, Touchpoint Enquiries Peer Worker. Our Touchpoint service is our main public facing offer here at Inclusion Barnet. Run by staff who have lived experience of disability, we help other disabled people on a one-to-one basis to access services they need. Goodbye to Margaret At the end of this month, we say farewell to the lovely Margaret Smith, who has been working with us over the past year as a project assistant. “I wanted to thank everyone at IB for making me feel so welcome. I’ve met some lovely people during my time at IB and I’ve really improved my skill set. I have really improved my skills in admin and customer service which I think helped me secure my new role.” We thank Margaret for all her hard work and huge congratulate her on securing a great new job as a housing administrator.
Do you know what ACP is? If the answer is no, you’re not alone. For our latest report, researched and produced by our Healthwatch Barnet team, we put this same question to a group of Barnet residents and discovered that most people had never heard the term. In fact, ACP stands for Advance Care Planning, and it is one of the most important things you’ll discuss with your GP.
End of an era for Enablement The end of February saw the last day of our Enablement Partnership with Barnet Enfield & Haringey Mental Health Trust (BEH-MHT). As part of this four-year project we supported the growth of the peer workforce. We arranged coproduction projects and training; advised and supported the voice of people with lived experience; and developed the Trust’s first ever Recovery Strategy, which launches in the spring and was coproduced with 250 people using services. We are proud of all that we achieved with the BEH team over the last few years, it has been a great opportunity to work in partnership and spread the word about peer work. Stay well campaign Despite the welcome signs of spring, winter hasn’t finished with us yet. This year more than ever it’s important to stay warm and well through the colder months. Our team at Healthwatch Barnet, in conjunction with North Central London Clinical Commissioning Group, have advice and information to help Barnet residents ensure they stay well this winter, whether through vaccines against COVID and flu, or by getting the right medical appointment at the right time. Contact Healthwatch Barnet info@healthwatchbarnet.co.uk if you would like to receive printed materials (available in different languages) or if a visit from a team member would be useful for your organisation or community. Meet our teamEllen Cheshire, Voluntary & Community Sector Support Lead Our Voluntary and Community Sector Support is the Inclusion Barnet offer within our Barnet Together Partnership. We provide free support to non-profit organisations in Barnet in any way we can. Whether offering free bespoke
business development advice or helping you with a funding application, training and more, we help you to adapt and thrive in this ever-changing landscape. Campaigns, consultations and moreRecording of PIP assessments So, you can ask in advance for your assessment to be recorded, and it should be done. However, if you want to make your own recording on your phone, just in case, it is completely lawful for you to do so – for your own information, to share with an advisor or use as part of an appeal. Ward boundary changes Barnet’s ward boundaries have changed, which means the polling station where you go to vote in May this year might have changed. There are changes to the number of councillors too. Barnet’s pharmacy services Let's make sure the voices of disabled people are well represented in this important local research led by our Healthwatch Barnet team. Vote by post deadline If, like many of us, you continue to be concerned about keeping safe from Coronavirus, you may want to consider registering for a postal vote this year. The deadline to do this is 19th April. About usMembership Why not become a member of Inclusion Barnet? Membership: Inclusion Barnet services Have you heard about some of the other community services that we run? Click on the logos or buttons for more information. Sign up to this newsletter If this newsletter was forwarded on to you, why not sign up and get the next edition delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up here www.inclusionbarnet.org.uk You are receiving this email as a member or friend of Inclusion Barnet, or because you signed up to receive it. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter please: |