The Health and Wellbeing Forum is a continuation of the previous COVID-19 Third Sector Response Forum, and the Community Care and Health Forum (CCHF) which ran prior to COVID-19.
Poor health and wellbeing are still very much a lasting legacy of the impacts of COVID-19, and periods of lockdowns and restrictions, and it is anticipated that recovery in this area of work will be a focus of Falkirk and District’s third sector for some time to come.
The Health and Wellbeing Forum provides a space for the sector to come together and focus on this key concern in the post-COVID landscape, with the opportunity to learn from each others’ experiences, and share resources and best practice, which was so valued in the Third Sector Response Forum.
Terms of Reference
Members of the forum are working on a new Terms of Reference, which will be available soon.
Dates of Future Meetings
- Wednesday 4 December 2024
All meetings will be held via Zoom, 10am – 12pm, unless stated otherwise.
Minutes and Agendas of Previous Meetings
- Minutes of Wednesday 6 March 2024 (agenda); Presentations:
- Minutes of Wednesday 5 June 2024
- Minutes of Wednesday 11 September 2024 (to follow); Presentations:
- Minutes of Wednesday 7 December 2022; Agenda 7.12.2022
- Minutes of Wednesday 7 September 2022; Agenda 7.9.2022
Contact
If there are any issues, speakers or areas of interest you would like added to the agenda of future meetings, please contact Eloise Wilson by email: eloise.wilson@cvsfalkirk.org.uk
Alternatively, to be added to the Health and Wellbeing Forum mailing list, contact contact Kerrie Hoggan by email: kerrie.hoggan@cvsfalkirk.org.uk
Useful Information
Falkirk’s Mental Health Association (FDAMH) is an independent charity, providing client centred one-to-one and group mental health and wellbeing support, to people in the Falkirk and District communities. Their services include:
Their services include:
They can also offer immediate support Monday – Thursday, 9am – 5pm (Friday 9am – 3pm), by phone:
NHS Forth Valley is one of 14 regional health boards in Scotland, and serves a population of more than 306,000 in a diverse geographical area which covers the 3 Forth Valley local authority areas, including Falkirk District.
They work closely with the 2 Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCP) which cover the Forth Valley area – one for Clackmannanshire and Stirling and one for Falkirk.
Recent strategic documents include:
- Annual Delivery Plan: April 2022 – March 2023
- NHS Forth Valley Equality and Inclusion Strategy 2021 – 2025
- NHS Forth Valley Innovation Plan 2022 – 2027
For further information, please visit the NHS Forth Valley website.
The Carers Centre provides information and support to unpaid carers of all ages living in Falkirk District and Clackmannanshire. Their aim is to ensure that these carers are recognised, valued, receive the information and support they need to allow them to care with confidence and in good health, and are empowered to have a life of their own outside of caring.
Information and support is provided by their team, based in the Carers Centres in Falkirk and Clackmannanshire, Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Falkirk Community Hospital, and Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre. Their work is also supported by a range of volunteering opportunities.
Carers’ Voice
Carers’ Voice meetings in Falkirk and Clackmannanshire provide an opportunity for carers to meet with other carers, representatives from local authorities and other third sector organisations.
Minutes of previous meetings are available online (linked for your convenience).
For further information, please visit the dedicated Carers’ Voice page.
Strathcarron Compassionate Neighbours are volunteers from local communities who can help people make connections in a number of different ways. They provide social support for people who are lonely and isolated as a result of living with a long term condition, caring responsibilities or bereavement.
The project is part of Strathcarron’s Compassionate Communities work, which is committed to building strong and resilient communities through social connectedness, where neighbours can share their strengths and gifts, in order to nurture and support every person right to the end of life and into bereavement.
For further information, including how to get involved with Compassionate Neighbours, or to refer yourself or someone you know, please visit the dedicated page.
Living Well Falkirk is designed to help people live independently at home, provide support for those having difficulties with everyday activities, and connect people with resources which may be useful to them within their community. Living Well Falkirk offers:
- 24 hour access to hints and tips on how to stay well and live independently
- information about local and national services
- helpful advice through a personal assessment on the person’s health
- suggestions on areas such as staying safe at home, preventing falls, help with bathing, eating, etc.
- options for people to purchase, or request the loan of, equipment matched to their needs
- contact information for further support
The online assessment tool can be completed at each person’s own pace, and in the comfort of their own home. It is a simple, but thorough, assessment and can take a bit of time, but can be saved at any stage and return to it when it suits.
For those needing assistance using the tool, staff at local libraries throughout the Falkirk District will be able to help.
To complete the assement, or for further information, please visit the Living Well Falkirk website.
Falkirk Leisure and Culture (previously Falkirk Community Trust), who are responsible for a number of community-facing sport, recreation, arts, heritage and library services across the Falkirk District, has created dedicated resources to make it easier for people to look after their health and wellbeing at home, including:
- staying active
- online entertainment
- healthy eating
- keeping in touch with friends and family
The full list is available via the Falkirk Leisure and Culture website.
Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) is one of 31 integration bodies in Scotland, serving a population of over 160,000 across Falkirk District’s rural and urban communities. It aims to enable people in Falkirk to live full and positive lives within supportive and inclusive communities.
Integration of health and social care is Scottish Government’s programme of reform to improve services for people who use adult health and social care services. It ensures that health and social care provision across Scotland are joined-up and seamless, making it easier for people to access the services and support they require, and to help them live safely and independently in your own home for as long as possible.
Falkirk HSCP is responsible for a number of services, including Community Health services, Contracted Health Services, all adult social care services, and some elements of housing and acute care.
They also provide some funding opportunities for the third sector.
For further information, please visit their website.
Falkirk Community Planning Partnership (CPP) is the collection of public, private, third and community sector organisations providing local services in Falkirk which serve the local community. It is required by the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to publish a Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP), which identifies the greatest inequalities for Falkirk’s residents, and how services which make up the CPP, plan to tackle them.
The Falkirk Plan (2021 – 2030) was approved and published in October 2021, after a year-long development process which included a review of local data, extensive engagement with local residents, and a review of local policy and projects that impact the issues raised by local people.
Each of the third sector forums and networks facilitated by CVS Falkirk allows the third sector’s voices, issues, concerns and views to be raised within Community Planning in Falkirk District, and the priorities identified in the Falkirk Plan.
For further information, please visit the dedicated Falkirk CPP page.
Scottish Government has published the National Carers Strategy, which aims to recognise the contribution and dedication of unpaid carers in Scotland.
The strategy sets out a range of actions across 5 different areas to support unpaid carers, including actions around COVID-19 recovery, the current cost of living crisis, and how carer support can be improved in a meaningful and sustainable way.
An executive summary has also been published (linked for your convenience).
For further information, please view the full web article.
The Health and Social Care Standards – My Support, My Life (linked for your convenience) were published in 2017, setting out what people should expect when using health, social care or social work services in Scotland.
The Standards apply across all health, social care and social work services.; not just to those involved in care delivery, but also those involved in the planning and commissioning of health, care and social work services. Care Inspectorate, Healthcare Improvement Scotland and other scrutiny bodies will be required to take the Standards into account when regulating and inspecting services.
They also help demonstrate the continuing commitment to delivering person-centred outcomes that meet the needs of the individual.
The new Standards are underpinned by 6 principles:
- dignity and respect
- compassion
- be included
- responsive care and support
- wellbeing
The standards are available to view or download as a pdf; an Easy-Read version is also available.