1. Future of the Partnership Board

2. The Board asked for a working group to look at the future of the Board People were worried about – Too many meetings – Not enough professional people attending – Not enough work being finished – Local Groups not talking about local issues

3. Over the last few months we have been talking to lots of different people about making changes to the way the Partnership Board works. These included the local groups, co-chairs, carers, reps and other members of the Board

4. What People thought Not clear who we report to Too many meetings, over 60 per year Lots of organisations have changed but the Board has stayed the same The Local Groups do not always get a chance to discuss local issues Some important people do not attend Board

5. What do we need to change? Who the Partnership Board reports to and who the Partnership Board is linked to The number of times the Partnership Board meets The people who are involved

6. Where the Partnership Board fits

7. Joint Integrated Commissioning Board This will be a new Board that will decide which services to buy for Health and Social Services It will look at how Health and Social Services can work together to save money It will talk about how things can be done together to provide better services to patients and service users

8. Transitions Programme This looks at how Northamptonshire County Council can improve services for young disabled people Providing a smooth move through children’s and adult services The Partnership Board needs to link to the Transitions Programme to help them make the right decisions. The Partnership Board needs to help them do things

9. Personalisation Programme This looks at how Northamptonshire County Council can make Adult Social Care services personal to each person The Partnership Board needs to help them to make the right decisions by being involved The Partnership Board will help them to do things

10. One Health It meets to talk about the health of people with Learning Disabilities in Northamptonshire There is a plan to improve the health and access to health services for people with learning disabilities. The plan is called the Better Healthcare Plan. The One Health Group makes sure that the Plan happens and that people do what they say they will do

11. The Board will meet 4 times a year to make sure everything is happening and to check things are done It will have have an Away Day to set the Annual Plan We would plan the dates for the year so that people know when the meetings are and can make sure they can come

12. We have 4 Co-Chairs. They are: A person with Learning Disabilities, a family carer and reps from Social Services and Health The Social Services and Health reps are a link to those organisations The Learning Disability and family carer reps have an equal role running the Partnership Board

13. People asked how the Co-Chairs are chosen The Social Services and Health Co- Chairs get the role with their job in their organisation, so the person can change The other Co-Chairs were interviewed and recruited They do not change unless they want to

14. This means that other people do not get a chance to be the Learning Disability Co-Chair or the family carer Co-chair To give other people a chance, we could change this to a 3 year term People would still be interviewed for the roles Anyone can apply including the existing co-chairs

15. What the Partnership Board is here to do Make sure that the money spent on services for people with a learning disability and family carers is spent properly and on things that are good quality We will do this by:- Making sure organisations do what they said they would do By checking services By helping to change services

16. Be consulted and involved about big plans or changes that will affect people with learning disabilities and for family carers We will do this by:- Being a strong voice for people with Learning Disabilities and listening to people at Community Groups By Local Champions talking to people with Learning Disabilities in their community

17. Make sure that everything that is written down in the Board Annual Plan is happening in Northamptonshire We will do this by:- Having working groups who will carry out the work Develop action plans for the community groups Involving everyone in doing this Support from the Association to help find money

18. In Groups What is good about these ideas? What would make it better? Have we left anything out?

19. Yes No Don’t know Do you agree the Partnership Board should report to the Joint Commissioning Board?

20. Do you agree with the Board meeting 4 times a year and an Away Day? Yes No Don’t Know

21. Do you agree with the Self advocate and carer Co-Chairs having a 3 year term? Yes No Don’t Know

22. Changing our Local Groups

23. Over the past few months, we have been talking to lots of different people about making changes to the way the Local Partnership Groups work. We talked to people about this at the local groups meetings. We want to change things so that more people with learning disabilities have their voices heard. Today we need to talk about some of the changes we want to make to the local partnership groups. We want to hear what you think about our ideas.

24. What the groups told us “We want to talk about local things” “We want a chance to chat with our friends and meet new people” “We want to speak to the people with learning disabilities who don’t come to the meetings” Some groups want to join together to see their friends in other areas and work on things together

25. Here are our ideas We think we should change the 7 local partnership groups. Instead we will set up 2 groups. 1 in the North, and 1 in the South. The groups will meet 4 times a year and an Away Day The meetings will be longer The groups will meet in different areas in the county each time Here is how it would work...

26. North Meet in Kettering Meet in Corby Meet in Wellingborough Meet in East Northants

27. South Meet in Northampton Meet in Daventry Meet in South Northants Meet in Northampton

28. We would plan the dates for the whole year so people know where and when the meetings are. This will give plenty of time to sort transport out with day centres and supporters.

29. What people said... More people will come if there are less meetings We will get to see different people from other areas Some groups are too small, so joining up will be better

30. What people said... It will be better for professionals It will be good for meeting new people Better use of time and money

31. What people wanted us to think about..... Need to make sure people know when the meetings are Work with day services to get people there Some people will struggle to get there on the bus

32. Setting the Agenda We want to change the agenda. The agenda is the list of things we are going to talk about and do in the meeting. We want to change it to make sure people get what they want from the meetings. We also want to be able to talk about local things. Here is what the agenda might look like...

33. 10:30 Coffee and a chat 11:00 Things from the partnership board 12:00 Lunch – Bring your own lunch, we will bring tea and coffee 12:30 Presentation from an organisation about a local issue and group discussion 1:30 Local problems and ideas from the group 2:00 Meeting ends

34. What people said about the agenda... We want lots of different speakers with information Important to have fun during the breaks It will be good to have a longer meeting

35. What people said we should think about.... People should be able to put things on the agenda Have activities to help people get to know each other Make sure the meeting is near a shop in case people forget their lunch

36. Local Champions We want people with learning disabilities to apply to become local champions for their area. There will be 7 local champions. They will go to lots of different places and talk to other people with learning disabilities in between the meetings. They will find out about what other people think, and about what is good or bad in their area.

37. They will report back on this at the new local meetings and at the Partnership Board. They will be supported to do this work by partnership board staff or a mentor. A mentor is a volunteer who wants to support the local champion.

38. We still want family carer reps and community reps. The family carers and community reps can apply to be mentors We will use the money we have to support the local champions and mentors

39. What people said... It will be good to hear from all the people who don’t come to meetings Local champions can tell people about the meetings Local champions are an excellent idea

40. What people said... The champions will have a clear job to do We can hear from lots more people with learning disabilities The mentors and champions are a better use of the money

41. In Groups What is good about these ideas? What would make it better? Have we left anything out?

42. Do you agree with changing the local groups to 4 meetings per year including meeting people and talking about local things? Yes No Don’t Know

43. Do you agree with having one community group in the South and one community group in the North ? Yes No Don’t Know

44. Do you agree with having Local Champions and Mentors who will talk to lots of people who can’t come to our meetings? Yes No Don’t Know

45. The Learning Disability Association This was set up in 2011 because some people thought the Partnership Board would not get any more money and would have to close The Association had one full meeting of its members (these are the people from the Local Groups) The rules of the Association says that all members will be paid each time a meeting is held

46. It costs a lot of money to hold a meeting because everyone wants to be paid If more meetings were held the money would be spent quickly Things need to be changed if people want to use the money well

47. How can this be done? Some people from the Association will be chosen to look at how to do this on a voluntary basis, this means you will not be paid to attend Anyone who wants to be part of this should let the Partnership Board staff know by the end of next week The group will only be small to make sure that they get the work done. The Co-Chairs of the Association and Partnership Board will decide who should be part of this

48. The group will talk about the membership and rules The group will decide what the Association should be there to do The group will come back and tell the Partnership Board what they think There will be a special meeting for the members of the Association to vote on the changes