Cascade Summer/Autumn 2012 - Plymouth Hospitals

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Learning Disability Week
Staff from the Learning Disability Liaison Team at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust were on hand in the
main entrance of Derriford Hospital as part of Learning Disability Week 2012.
Each day had a different theme including The Special Olympics, the launch of the new Learning
Disability and Vulnerable Adults Team, service user groups such as Derriford User Group and the PUSH
Safeguarding group
Learning Disability Week is a week of
national campaigning and awareness
raising run by Mencap that took place
from 18 to 24 June 2012. This year’s
Learning Disability Week continued
the work of Learning Disability week
2011, which saw the launch of the
‘Stand by me’ campaign against hate
crime.
News from around the Trust
National Carers Week: In Sickness and in Health
Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust were joined by Carers Champions Plymouth and the Patients Association
on Monday 18th June to launch National Carers Week 2012.
Karen Grimshaw, Associate Director of Nursing, said: “We have been working closely with the Patients
Association recently to get a deeper understanding of carers’ needs, when the person they care for is in
hospital.
“It can be a daunting time for carers and there are many things that we can do to help ease their burden.
Such as improving their involvement in the patient’s care, supporting them during the hospital stay in
their questions and concerns, keeping them informed of plans for treatment and enabling them in the
caring role on discharge.
“Working with the Patients
Association and Carers
Champions Plymouth, we will
be able to develop our policies,
practices and facilities to better
meet the needs of carers when
they are supporting people in
hospital.”
A wide range of information was
available in the main foyer and
there were opportunities to ask
questions and get advice from
all the organisations present.