As winter approaches and seasonal illnesses like flu and tummy bugs begin to circulate, pressure on the NHS increases. Dudley CCG is highlighting the telephone health services that are available in Dudley to help people to access the right services first time. If you’re generally fit and healthy, you may be unsure what to do or where to go with unexpected or urgent healthcare needs. In most instances people don’t need A&E or 999, and accessing more suitable healthcare could result in being seen quicker. NHS111 makes it easy for you to access healthcare advice when you need medical help fast, but it’s not a life-threatening situation. NHS111 is a free number, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  The call handlers can provide health advice, put you in touch with the right service, arrange to have you seen by a doctor or call you an ambulance.  The service is manned by trained call handlers with nurses on site to offer support if needed. Callers’ symptoms are assessed and they are given the healthcare advice they need or are directed immediately to the right service. Not sure if it’s an emergency Press Release wc 18 Nov For further information, please contact Lindsey Harding on 01384 321677 or...

Last week  we had the pleasure of launching Round 2 of the £200,000 Dudley Innovation Fund at Dudley Council for Voluntary Services Building Blocks event at Insight for Carers Through ‘Making It Real In Dudley’ we are changing the traditional view of adult social care and support and groups and organisations who would not have classed themselves as social care related in the past, may have some great ideas for care and support services – if so we want to hear from you… Information about the Dudley Innovation fund can be found in the attached document or at www.makingitrealindudley.org/dif There you will find a video on the Innovation Fund including gaps in current services identified by members of the public and some ideas for new support services. In addition to hearing about your ideas…we also need your help We do not want anyone with a great idea sitting there not knowing where to go for some financial help or support to get their idea off the ground.   Please share this post (or its contents) with your email contacts, any networks you are part of, on your twitter and FaceBook accounts or even just through good old fashioned word of mouth.   If you do tweet it out please use the hash tag #ideasthatchangelives and follow us @MIRdudley Many thanks and hope to see some of you at our surgeries in December for you to come and talk to us about your ideas.  DIF Information 2014 Justin Haywood Policy Analyst – Communities and Resources Policy and Performance, Directorate of Adults Communities and Housing Services, Dudley Council  Telephone: 01384 815875 Email:...

  Dudley Cil, the centre for inclusive living is holding a course about hate crime against disabled people on 6 December at Insight House Brierley Hill.   Registration is at 0945 with the course from 10-4pm. What will you learn? When does a crime become a hate/mate crime, what you can do about it, who you can tell and where to get help. To book please email enquiries@dudleycil.org.uk   before Friday 29 November, and say how many places you need what access requirements you have eg easy read, braille large print or BSL and how many people are disabled/long-term sick. priority is given to disabled people or voluntary carers eg family member. The course is funded by the Police and Crime commissioner for the West Midlands and is delivered by Daisy Inclusive uk. For any other queries please call Ken or Tracy on...

Dudley Council has produced its draft adult social care report (sometimes known as local account) for April 2012 to March 2013.  It tells people how well the council has performed in key areas and what our improvements are for the year ahead.  The draft has been produced in partnership with the local account reference group which is made up of representatives from local voluntary organisations. The document is in a draft format (see link below) at the moment and before the final report is published, the council would like to obtain the views of local people and organisations about the content and design of the report.   A final proof of the document (which will include spellcheck etc.) will be carried once all comments have been received and incorporated where appropriate. Once the report has been finalised, a summary version of the document will be produced.  Both the full report and the summary version will be available in alternative formats including large print and audio. If you have any comments that you would like to share please email them to vikki.marshall@dudley.gov.uk by Friday November 29 2013. :: Adult Social Care Local Account 2012 –...

At last we’ve developed a facebook page for Making it Real in Dudley – spread the word and like our page!...