Physical Disability and Sensory Impairment Partnership Board

Thursday 25 February, 2:00pm - 4:15pm

Orchard Park Community Centre, Cambridge
Minutes
Present
RB Ron Bennett
Chair, Independent member
EB Erika Brown
Hunts Society for the Blind
PB Pauline Brown
Independent member
BC Barbara Cassey
Service Manager, PD Team, CCC
SC Sally Cleghorn
Admin Officer, Cambridgeshire Alliance
FD Frances Dewhurst
CEO, Cambridgeshire Hearing Help
CE Chris Eleftheriou
Service User, Headway Representative
GL Graham Lewis
Development Officer, CAIL
MM Miriam Marchi
Speech To Text Reporter
LM Lee McManus
Service Development Manager, CCC
AP Andy Palmer
CEO, Cambridgeshire Deaf Association
JS James Saunders
Communications Officer, CAIL
MS Mick Scadden
Independent member
JS Jane Scott
Observer
SS Sharon Spindler
CEO, Dhiverse
AS Anne Streather
CEO, Cam Sight

1. Welcome, Introductions and Apologies

Apologies: Cllr Sam Hoy, Heather Davison, Cllr van de Ven. AS apologised
that she would have to leave at the break.
1A Minutes of the last meeting
p. 2 LM in reference to a particular service provider. He welcomes
feedback but needs the details to proceed. So far no one has given him
any feedback.
GL said CAIL has pushed for feedback.

Parking on pavements: GL has taken it to the Transport Focus Group.

p.3, 2.7 debate on the CFA Strategy in other parts of the Council. LM said
she could circulate some information about this. GL and BM attended the
Adults Committee and brought up the short timeline allowed for the
consultation. Apparently the strategy had been written very quickly and
the guidance in Working Together document had not been followed.

Action: GL will liaise with LM to find the right person to deal with this. Adrian
Loades apologised.
p.5 Housing GL had one name to approach but this wasnt the right
person. He asked if anyone else knew who to speak to.
GL Housing is allocated on points done by district councils not the County
Council.
MS is there a disability officer in the housing team?
PB- is it countywide?
GL said that each district council deals with housing in its own way and not all
have council housing.
AS - Tracey Cassidy of South Cambs District Council has always been very
helpful.
BC Angie Skipper is now involved in long-term planning.
Apart from these comments the Minutes from the last meeting were agreed.
2. Updates from Board members
2.1 Independent members feedback
CE asked about bus passes.
AP Cambridgeshire Deaf Association has started a Freedom
Programme for Deaf Women to recognise domestic violence. It is the first
organisation to provide for deaf women. It is aimed at those who have
experienced domestic violence but only covers women who have been
abused by men. Statistics show that the deaf are more likely to experience
domestic violence and to find it more difficult to escape the situation.
RB commented that there is nowhere for men who experience domestic
violence to go.
Cam Sight now offers magnifying assessments on Tuesdays

It is holding Low vision drop in sessions at Whittlesey and Wisbech

Is working closely with Cambridgeshire Hearing Help and Hunts Society
for the Blind.
There is spare office space if anyone is interested.
Hunts Society for the Blind has permission to build a much-needed
extension in Huntingdon.
Cambridgeshire Hearing Help will have a demonstration of hearing help
equipment at the David Rayner Centre, Cambridge on March 11. They are

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also starting a new volunteer course on 20 April. It will run in Cambridge

for 6 sessions. Volunteers should contact FD.
Action: FD will send CAIL the details to be put in its Bulletin.
PB asked about sub-titles on TV which are very poor. The UK Council on
Deafness discusses this from time to time.
AP said that nationally the government has given companies quality levels
to be met in sub-titles.
MS MIND is building a sanctuary in Chesterton Rd Cambridge,
Peterborough and one in Huntingdon. It will be for those with drug, alcohol
and suicide problems. There will also be some outreach.
GL added the Vanguard programme to be rolled out by CPFT is looking at
working differently for those in crisis.
3. Feedback from other meetings
3.1 Cross Board Transport Group
This group has worked on the leaflet to explain ASC Transport Policy.
Transport costs will only be allowed if there are no other options available.
On behalf of this group GL has written to the CCC about proposed floating
bus stops. He attended the Cambridge Disability Panel and gave
feedback about this issue.
Concessionary bus pass scheme. Blind and partially sighted people could
previously travel free before 9.30am. Initially Council information didnt
explain that it had been offering more than was required and so it felt like
an attack on the blind and partially sighted. This had not been available to
people with other disabilities
GL compiled a list of responses and forwarded the report. He is not sure if
a decision has been made. He commented on the short consultation
period.
AP noted that there have now been two consultations that have not adhered to
the Working Together document.
GL agreed it should have been used by the ASC but the bus pass comes under
Transport. ASC is actively trying to get other parts of the Council to use Working
Together. He will feedback comments at the CAIL Contract meeting.
LM it is always useful to feedback when things arent being done.
3.2 Advocacy Consultation
Service users have been asked to prepare a question to be included in the
tender next week.
LM the Advocacy Consultation has been a good example of how the process
should work.
AP agreed. On four occasions Carol Williams has attended meetings with deaf
people to get feedback.
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LM stated that the consultation on Community Navigators is also a good example

of how the process should work.
3.3 Access All Areas event
FD gave feedback that Cambridgeshire Hearing Help didnt get many service
user enquiries although it was a good networking opportunity. She queried how
worthwhile the event had been.
GL 51% of attendees were service users out of 113 people and there were 47
stalls.
JSc it was interesting and useful but perhaps could have been better
advertised.
RB day time events can be difficult.
PB found it helpful and took a lot of information back to her retirement home. It
was good to have two BSL signers. She learned about Time Credits and Time
Banking.
GL the aim was for people to get more information about the different services
and activities that are available. It was to fit with the Transforming Lives Tier One
aim of providing information and building resilience. He accepted FDs
comments.
AS saw the media coverage.
PB was concerned that the Council and the Government is cutting back and
these activities will be difficult to carry out without funding.
LM - this is one of the challengers of Transforming Lives when the pressures are
so great. One possibility would be to train existing services like libraries to deal
with a different type of enquiry.
4.0 Updates from the PD and SI teams
LM At Sensory Services Stacey Evans has taken over
Action: LM will send SC the new team list to circulate
They are providing training for prison staff because the Care Act
requires the service to identify prisoners with sensory issues.
Working with CDA to find housing for deaf people.
The PD Team is working on getting the Transforming Lives
programme embedded.
Service users questionnaire after support planning.
AP had two consultations, its for all deaf people, the consultations found that
most people didnt want to live together but do want to be nearer services.
Sensory Services should help support services like BSL to deliver better
support.
PD and SS Strategy is working with CDA on co-located housing to
reduce isolation

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5.0 PDSI PB Election of Chair

GL explained that according to the Boards Terms of Reference (TORs) the
Chair has to be a service user. Anyone who is willing to put their name
forward should speak to GL outside the meeting. It may be that the board will
need to consider other options e.g.
a. Members take turns as Chair
b. Could rotate with voluntary sector reps but this would mean altering
the TORs
c. Recruit a Chair
Whatever choice members make they will be supported in the role.
RB said he had found it very interesting over the last two years. He has
gained a good insight into other services and the issues that are important for
people with different disabilities from his own. There is the opportunity for
good networking and gaining new skills which could help with future
employment.
GL stressed that there is no need for someones disability to hold them back.
Part of his job is to support. He agreed with AP that he shouldnt pre-empt
people who might come forward.
MS offered to chair the next meeting and PB the following one. She was
reassured that there is not a lot of paperwork to deal with.
6.0 Health
GL asked board members to suggest specific areas of health that they would
like represented on the Board. After some discussion it was agreed that GL
should contact Sue Last and Heather Davison.
Action: GL to contact Sue Last and Heather Davison.

7.0 Thinking Positive Re-thinking HIV

Dhiverse was founded in 1986 as Cambridge Aids Helpline.
Its services now cover sexual health, education and are countywide. It
supports those living with HIV, their families and carers.
With the advent of combination therapy people are able to live normal lives
but there is still a stigma, hence the need for support.
Under the Equalities Act HIV is a classed as a disability.
They run an evening course for women Enabling and Empowering
Vulnerable Women aimed mainly at women from the African community.
They also work on prevention of infection, STI and pregnancy.
The ABC programme is designed for people with learning disabilities to
explore safety, sexual health, good health. It can be delivered to groups,
individuals, or to people who support people with learning disabilities..
They work with around 42 schools.

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Q&A
MS -is HIV classed as a disability? If so how does this fit with the need for
confidentiality and applying for benefits.
SS confirmed HIV is a disability and that Dhiverse can help individuals when
applying for benefits.
AP attitudes to HIV seem very entrenched. People coming forward would
help to normalize the condition.
SS agreed. Andy Bell of Eurasia is Dhiverses new patron and has been
working actively with them.
HS statistically is there an increase in diagnosis
SS theres been a slow decline with 6,000 people diagnosed in the UK but
there are still increases in certain groups.
8.0 Adult Social Care Forum
Bus pass concessions
PAs not attending their booked appointments
BC where PAs are paid for by the County Council any concerns can
be reported as soft concerns.
9.0 Action Log
Self-Directed Support not heard anything for a while
Invite a representative from Health. GL will continue to follow up
Personal Assistants
MS suggested road testing floating bus stops with Helen Sismore
PB said she had been on the Cambridge Disability Panel. Although they had
raised the objections to the floating bus stops she felt they were not listened
to. GL is now attending the Disability Panel.
10. Any other business
None.
Date of meetings in 2016:
Tuesday 17th May, 2:00pm 4:15pm, March Community Centre, March
Thursday 8th September, 2:00pm 4:15pm, Orchard Community Centre
Cambridge
Tuesday 29th November, 2:00pm 4:15pm
Kindly note there will be a meeting of service users just before each
meeting between 1:15 and 1:45pm

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