Morgan and Ffion had a fantastic day today filming with Primary Care Liaison Nurses Clair and Babs! They talked about Annual Health Checks — how they feel visiting the doctor, what to expect, the examinations involved, and the reasonable adjustments that can be made to support people during their appointments.
We’ve had an amazing few weeks working with the nurses and learning so much about the importance of health checks. Plus, we’ve had loads of fun filming to raise awareness! A huge thank you to Andrew the cameraman – he was fab with our members and made the filming experience even better!
We can’t wait for the big launch and to watch the final result… with popcorn, of course! Stay tuned!
After a busy morning yesterday, we spent the afternoon taking part in a relaxing chair yoga session led by the lovely Lisa Harwood from EchoYoga. We began by exploring different scents to help relax, energise, and unblock the sinuses, and then moved into stretches and poses like the Warrior, Double Warrior, Tree Pose, and Butterfly Fly Pose.
Yoga not only helps reduce stress and improve flexibility but also boosts focus and self-confidence – benefits that are especially valuable for adults with learning disabilities. Lisa will be back with us on April 1st, so drop us a message if you’d like to join in!
On Friday we kicked off an exciting project—filming with the Primary Care Learning Disability Team. We’ve been discussing the importance of Annual Health Checks and sharing our experiences to help raise awareness. It’s been a great opportunity to have our voices heard and highlight why these checks matter for our health and well-being!
We’ve been busy in the office with the Primary Care Learning Disability Nurses. Together, we are promoting the Annual Health Check. If you have signed your consent form and agreed to take part, here are the new dates for practice and filming:
March 14th (Friday) – Filming 10:30 AM (Max 2 hours) At Bargoed YMCA
March 19th (Wednesday) – Practice 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM At Bargoed YMCA
March 26th (Wednesday) – Filming 10:30 AM At Bargoed YMCA
Let’s spread the word about the importance of Annual Health Checks!
On Friday we talked about OUR LIVES – what we enjoy, what we need, and how to make things better!
WORK & ACTIVITIES “I like working with adults with learning disabilities.” “I enjoy People First and seeing my friends.” “I love plane spotting with my outreach worker.” “I need more activities.” “I like going shopping.”
SUPPORT Some members prefer female staff. “I don’t need support all the time, but I need more help with my mental health.”
COMMUNITY “I want to feel safe.” “We need more opportunities.” “More exercise classes that are easy for me to do.” “I want more people to talk to me and accept me.”
HOME “Sometimes, staff are not nice.” “I sometimes feel lonely.” “I like my own room and space.” “I love my dogs, my family, and nice food.” “I enjoy going to respite.”
HEALTH “I don’t like having a bad belly, and I can’t eat the foods I enjoy because of allergies.” “Staff help me understand my health.” “I like walking with my support worker.” “Doctors take too long to answer the phone.” “I like walking to keep fit and listening to music.” “I need longer doctors’ appointments.”
This is ‘My Beautiful Life’, a way for us to share what makes us happy and what support we need. Thank you to everyone for sharing – your voices matter!
Last Thursday our amazing members, Amy Jones and Natalie King, attended a TRAC meeting at the University of South Wales. The morning kicked off with a productive discussion alongside Tracy Drew and two representatives from Public Health Wales to consult on an exciting new initiative — a lung screening service that will be available in the future. Lung screening is a vital health check designed to detect early signs of lung disease or cancer before symptoms appear. This often involves a low-dose CT scan, enabling healthcare professionals to identify and address issues early, significantly improving outcomes.
We also discussed teaching interviewing and research skills and even the possibility of some members becoming researchers—an exciting opportunity for personal and professional growth. It was lovely to see members from other People First groups and connect with everyone working towards making a difference! Advocacy and participation like this truly make an impact.
Report from Volunteer and Head Gardener, Morgan Jones:
In Caerphilly People First last week, me Ffion Poole, Amy Jones, Rees Powell, Gethin Chamberlain & others had a session in Multiply. Whilst we were all there, we were given a broken milk carton and we painted all around it, inside & outside. We then chose a stencil, and with it we drew the outline on a piece of paper. Then using the stencil, we chose a felt tip pen and with the stencil coloured the shape of it onto the carton. After we’d done the that, we were all given a tub of soil & Broccoli Calabrese Seeds and we sprinkled them into the carton so we could then water it. Once we finished what we were doing in Multiply, we all went back down to the CPF office to have our lunch before the health nurse came in to have a chat to us.
On August 15th members attended a Co-Production Luncheon to talk about how to make Gwent healthier over the next ten years. The goal was to share ideas and work together to improve health services in the area.
We discussed how different groups can work together to improve healthcare and looked at what needs to be done first to make Gwent healthier. Attendees came up with the following proposals:
We need to strengthen relationships between organizations and the community.
It’s important to listen to people who use health services and involve them in decisions.
Health and social care services should work together to support people better.
Focus on preventing health problems before they start, through education and early help.
Use technology like telemedicine to improve how we deliver health services.
Make sure health services can keep going long-term, with enough funding and resources.
Create a plan for involving the community in health decisions.
Try out new ways to combine health and social care services.
Start more programs to help prevent health problems.
Expand the use of technology in healthcare to reach more people.
Make a plan for the future to ensure health services are ready for the next ten years.
The luncheon was a great success. We shared many good ideas about how to make Gwent healthier. Now, we need to work together to make these ideas happen. We look forward to seeing you all at the next event.
Last week TRAC members Ffion, Amy, Natalie, Gethin, and James from Caerphilly People First participated in an important panel discussion with year two learning disability nursing students at the University of South Wales. The session, led by Professor Dr. Steve Walden, provided a platform for TRAC members to share their personal experiences with healthcare services, offering the students a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with learning disabilities.
Each TRAC member shared their own story, detailing both positive and negative experiences within the healthcare system. These real-life examples gave the nursing students a unique opportunity to hear directly from those who have navigated the system, highlighting areas where care was effective and where it fell short.
Both the TRAC members and the students acknowledged that while progress has been made, there is still significant room for improvement in how healthcare services are delivered to people with learning disabilities.
Overall, the discussion was both productive and enlightening. Ffion, Amy, Natalie, Gethin, and James did an excellent job of sharing their experiences and helping the students understand the real-world impact of their work. The session was a powerful reminder of the importance of listening to and learning from those with lived experience in order to drive meaningful change in healthcare.
Yesterday we had our second visit from Clare and Tracey, the primary care learning disability nursing team. They provided a valuable session, as always. They demonstrated how various pieces of medical equipment are used during an annual health check, including:
Measuring blood pressure
Using a stethoscope to listen to the heartbeat
Taking temperature
Checking the pulse
This can be especially helpful for people with learning disabilities who may feel anxious about visiting the doctor. By familiarizing them with the equipment and procedures, Clare and Tracey are helping to reduce fear and make the experience more comfortable. Thank you both; we had a great afternoon.
