INFO: Welfare Reform / Changes to Benefits - EASY READ version

The guide explains some of the most significant changes and explains what people can expect to happen over the next few years.  It was written with the people supported by United Response in mind, but we are keen to make it available to other organisations, support workers and individuals to use if they think it would be helpful. We consider it important that easy read materials should be widely disseminated and not held onto in a proprietary way.

You can find the guide here (or click on the image to the right) – we are very happy for anyone to use it to guide their own education efforts. However, we should stress at this stage that as well as being a document created with our own specific stakeholders in mind it is an easy read guide, which means that some details have been simplified and others omitted in order to make it as accessible as possible.

Taken from United Response who produced the guide 

EVENT: AWP - Seeking your views: South Wiltshire

Date: 09 April 2013 at 2:00PM - 7:00PM
Location: The Quaker Meeting House, Salisbury

AWP is holding two meetings for South Wiltshire open to all those with an interest in the work of the Trust…

These will update on a range of topics including progress being made in establishing local service delivery management. The meetings will also outline changes in the way the Trust is going to monitor the quality of its services and discuss the proposed changes to our strategic objectives, vision and values.
There will be a session at 2-4pm or at 5-7pm to choose from, and will take place at The Quaker Meeting House, 51 Wilton Road, Salisbury SP2 7EP.

Other topics are likely to be added to the agenda nearer the time and we will also take the opportunity to update on progress in becoming a Foundation Trust.

To reserve a place please call the Foundation Trust membership office on 0800 694 9990 or complete thebooking form on their website specifying which meeting you wish to attend.

COMPETITION: Hoffman Foundation - Prize Competition and Exhibition 2013

After a break of one year the Hoffmann Foundation for Autism is back with its Prize Competition and Exhibition.  

The Hoffmann Foundation for Autism was founded by Alice Hoffmann de Visme OBE exactly 60 years ago in 1953 as the Noah’s Ark Trust, a school for children that contemporary statutory services had failed. The Trust grew and now has four residential homes, a supported living service, a day service, an art and craft service and its own psychology department providing a full range of support for adults with autistic spectrum conditions.

Since 2010 we have held an open competition and exhibition with cash prizes. The exhibition and competition have been very successful and attracted many entries from all over the UK. Our next exhibition will be run from October to December 2013 and we are inviting entries from now onward. All ages are welcome but only drawings, paintings, photographs, montage and collage, photo-copied and photo-shopped work (CAD) is permitted (in other words 2D in any media) this is because we can’t cope with sculpture at the moment. You will have to bring or mail your work here well before the opening date but in any case please contact me for our info pack and entry form Tel. 0208 8818 638 or E-Mail: art@hfa.org.uk . Or you can download an entry form and other details from our web-site www.hoffmannfoundation.org.uk  

Wiltshire Council to run autism campaign

Wiltshire Council will be running an autism awareness campaign next week.

The roadshow will offer an opportunity to find out more about the condition and also access diagnostic services for adults.

The council van will be outside Salisbury Library on Tuesday, County Hall in Trowbridge on Wednesday, The Bear Hotel in Devizes on Thursday and on Chippenham town bridge on Friday with all events running between 10am and 2pm.

Full Article on Gazette & Herald

Wiltshire to launch new drugs and alcohol advisory service

From Monday, all drug and alcohol services in Wiltshire will be brought together into a new community-based, integrated, county-wide drug and alcohol treatment service.

The new service will provide a number of ‘one stop shops’ in the region for drug and alcohol support, which it is claimed will enhance accessibility for service users across the county.

The new integrated Wiltshire Substance Misuse Service will be provided by leading health and social care organisation, Turning Point, which has been working in the fields of substance misuse, mental health and learning disability for almost 50 years.

Full Article on Gazette & Herald

All change in Swindon and Wiltshire's NHS services as GPs take charge

THE STRUCTURE of the NHS will change dramatically from Monday when GPs will be handed the responsibility of planning and buying health services.

The latest shake up in the NHS, which will see GPs lead Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), was announced in 2010 soon after the coalition Government came into power.

The aim was to reduce the number of managers and administrators in NHS organisations and use the expertise of front line clinicians in shaping health services. 

Full Article on This is Wiltshire

Help for Wiltshire people affected by benefit and tax credit changes

Help and support to those affected by changes to the benefit and tax credit systems is being offered by Wiltshire Council.

The new rules introduced by the Welfare Reform Act, which start to come into force from April 1, mean that council tax benefit will be replaced by a new council tax reduction (CTR) scheme.

Additionally some people who claim housing benefit will see a cut in the amount they receive if they are considered under the new rules to have too many bedrooms.

Full Article on Gazette & Herald