InfoNOWNews 10 June 2022

News

InformationNOW search trends

We look at the type of information our visitors are looking at to see what’s important to people in Newcastle. Here’s the growing search trends for last month.

A new top performing page last year was:

Donating your body to science

Have your say North of Tyne

Crowdfund North of Tyne gives local people the opportunity to create and fund projects which celebrate and improve our local areas. The Combined Authority want you to tell them what you think should be included in the next round of funding. Your suggestions will help determine how £495,043 is prioritised and spent across our communities.

Community Health Fund Round 3

The Community Health Fund round 3 is worth a total of £50,000. Its primary aim is to support projects and activities that encourage:

Covid vaccine uptake
improvements in the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities following the pandemic
a reduction of health inequalities in marginalised and vulnerable people. In particular, those from ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, and children and young people
increased uptake in the number of people volunteering to become Community Champions and share key health messages

Grants are up to £5000. Deadline 1st July 2022.

If you would like an application form email [email protected] For more information email [email protected]

Bike Week 2022

We are already part way through Bike Week. This year Bike Week is all about you and your local community. They want to encourage as many people as possible to get out there and enjoy their community by bike.

Things you can do:

organise a community bike ride
Log Your Ride Log your ride from 6 to 12 June and you could win a Halfords Bike and prize bundle worth over £500
try a new route

Some facts:

cycling to work can mean you have a 45% lower risk of developing diseases, such as cancer or cardiovascular disease
a switch of one journey per day reduces a person’s carbon footprint by approximately 0.5 tonnes over a year
if all cycle journeys increased from the current level of 2% to 25% by 2050, the collective benefit would be £248bn

You can also donate to British Cycling

Special rules for financial assistance for End of Life

As outlined in the Queen’s Speech on Tuesday 10 May fast-track benefit access will be extended to those nearing the end of their life for Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance. The Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Bill will mean that people considered by a clinician as having 12 months or less to live (rather than the current six months) can have fast-tracked access to these benefits. The extended fast-track access means those eligible are not subject to a face-to-face assessment, or waiting period, with the majority of individuals receiving the highest rate of those benefits.

In April 2022 the same changes were introduced for people on Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance.

Net Zero and young people in Newcastle

The impact of climate change is already being felt and how we act now will have a direct impact on the lives of future generations. As a result, Collaborative Newcastle is committed to engaging young people in tackling climate change.

This July they will be holding a Climate Change Summit for young people to participate in discussions around delivering Net Zero Newcastle and setting a challenge for action from our city leadership through a youth climate mandate. They’re keen to ensure that young people in the city understand how the world is changing, what our human impact has been on the climate, as well as setting out a plan for how society can adapt and ensure a sustainable future.

Full details of the event will be announced soon. If you are interested in finding out more or have any contacts that may be interested in taking part, please contact [email protected]

Opportunities for Action

Adopt North East: Summer virtual open evenings

Adopt North East is looking for new adoptive parents who are patient, flexible and adaptable. If you are thinking about adoption, it might be helpful to think through these questions:

can you provide love, time and commitment to a child?
can you empathise with a child who may never have experienced the security of feeling safe and loved?
can you be patient and flexible, to supportively adapt to whatever unique challenges may come from the child’s circumstances?
do you have the energy and health to provide a family for a child for the long-term?

If the answer to all those questions is ‘yes’, then there is a good chance you could become an adoptive parent. Their informal, online open evenings are a great way to find out more about the process, training and ongoing support.

The next open evenings are on Friday 10 June, Monday 11 July and Tuesday 9 August, from 6.30pm. To reserve your space, book online or to speak to a member of the team, call 0191 643 5000.

Consultations

Newcastle Helix Survey

Please share your views about the Newcastle Helix. The responses received will help shape and inform the development of the site and its position in the community. They also want to develop the digital hub to be relevant to the public and staff with activities, jobs, news, facilities and information. The Helix comprises the Catalyst, Frederick Douglass Lecture Space, Urban Sciences building and the National Innovation Centre for Ageing.

#TrulyCivic events

13 to 16th June

CiviCon22: Universities Working in Partnership is a week of free, virtual events for anyone with an interest in the civic movement, which aims to:

provide an understanding of the key national, regional, and local policy landscapes within which universities can make a difference and have an influence
challenge thinking and shape future collaborative conversations

Research on physical health checks for people with severe mental illness

Newcastle and Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group is supporting a project that concerns physical health checks for people with Severe Mental Illness. This includes mental health conditions, such as bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, other psychoses, and people on lithium therapy.

The project is investigating the experiences of people who have had their physical health check since July 2021. There is a short online survey (paper copies available on request), and the opportunity for people to enter themselves into a prize draw as thanks for their feedback. Contact Involve North East for different formats and with questions.

Spotlight on

Heart attacks and cardiac arrest

A heart attack (myocardial infarction or MI) is a serious medical emergency in which the supply of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot. Call 999 and ask for an ambulance if you suspect a heart attack.

Your risk of developing coronary heart disease (associated with a heart attack) is increased by:

Men are more likely to have a heart attack than women. The British Heart Foundation estimates that around 50,000 men and 32,000 women have a heart attack each year in England.

A cardiac arrest is caused by a heart attack and other underlying heart issues.

London Hearts are currently offering a £300 grant towards the cost of every Defibrillator they supply across the UK. Alongside the Defibrillator they supply they also provide free online training. A defibrillator is a device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest. This high energy shock is called defibrillation and it’s an essential part in trying to save the life of someone who’s in cardiac arrest.

To get a Defibrillator, complete their short online application to receive a quote.

If you have any queries or wish to discuss obtaining a Defibrillator please contact 0207 043 2493 or by email reply to: [email protected]

Research & Reports

Carers Research released as part of Carers Week

As part of Carers Week, Carers UK has released new research which calls for an urgent 12 month plan of targeted support for unpaid carers as many struggle with the ongoing impact of caring in the pandemic, no respite and the cost of living crisis.

Key findings

numbers of carers are still higher than pre-pandemic
caring has intensified since autumn 2020
carers’ worries have increased around the negative impact on physical and mental health
2.86 million carers are worrying about the impact of not getting a break
the proportion of carers worrying financially has increased since the height of the pandemic
carers working part-time are particularly worried about reducing hours of work or leaving altogether
the general public (69%) feel that the role of unpaid carers is not well valued
three quarters of carers caring before the pandemic think that the role they do is not valued
84% of the general public agree that the government in their country should provide additional support for unpaid carers

Welfare Benefits information and advice

The seven charities supporting Carers Week 2022; Carers UK, Age UK, Carers Trust, MND Association, Rethink Mental Illness, Oxfam GB and The Lewy Body Society are calling for a recovery and respite plan dedicated to the needs of carers including: specific investment in their mental health support, carers leave a priority, help with food and energy costs and ahead of the winter, prioritisation in the vaccination programme.

Read Looking after Someone on InformationNOW

Report: Health Inequalities in the Age of COVID-19: Towards Fairer Health for Disadvantaged Communities

Connected Voice Haref has shared the findings from their 12 month research project funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration North East and North Cumbria.

This research looked at ways of getting health information to people who need it most and have greatest difficulty accessing it. This included how to use the NHS and avoid illness, They used the lens of COVID-19 messaging as a way of better understanding effective information sharing.

Their main findings are:

accurate health information can be effectively circulated through established trusted connections
communication barriers can be broken down through the involvement of communities, organisations and individuals
trust and collaboration between people and practitioners enables effective information sharing.

Read How to use your GP Surgery Well on InformationNOW

Read Help to use health services for refugees and asylum seekers on InformationNOW

Resources

My Planned Care – NHS waiting time information

Are you waiting for a hospital appointment or operation? My Planned Care gives you help and support while you wait.

The My Planned Care website supports people waiting for a hospital appointment, operation or treatment and provides advice and support while you wait. This includes access to average hospital waiting times* and other useful advice including: help to prepare for your appointment; information on how to keep healthy; looking after your mental health; accessing financial help and other local support services.

The site is easy to use and updated weekly. Carers, friends, relatives and NHS teams can access the site to help you.

EC Rider 2022

The new EC Rider guide is packed full of fun trips out with your bus pass and/or rail card and can be read on our day trips and visits page. Researched by Elders Council member, Bill Harbottle, it is full of information about trips to Richmond, Beamish Museum and Tanfield Railway, Great Ayton, Whitby and Scarborough, Haltwhistle and Hadrian’s Wall, Penrith and Keswick.

Most journeys from Newcastle are by Arriva or Go North East and start from Eldon Square Bus Station and times, where given, relate to Monday to Saturday, unless otherwise stated. If a journey commences at the Haymarket Bus Station, this is specifically noted.

Read more on InformationNOW about concessionary travel and parks, gardens, forests and woodlands

Free Wi Fi in Newcastle

Free Wi-Fi is available in 69 public buildings and city centre streets increasing opportunities for people to get online. For more information visit GoDigitalNewcastle

Supporting patients through the airwaves – a new series of podcasts for cancer patients

Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialists from Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust have produced a series of podcasts to support their cancer patients. The catalogue of podcast topics includes managing breast pain, sex and cancer, managing hair loss, dealing with uncertainty, Maggie’s, FACT, Macmillan Financial Services and many more. The podcasts consist of interviews with a wide range of health care professionals, patients, and local charities to provide trusted and reliable sources of information relevant to a patient’s stage of treatment and diagnosis.

A Day In the Life Of Newcastle University

Do you know someone looking for employment?

Reviving the Heart of the West End has teamed up with Newcastle University to offer “A Day in the Life of…” This world class University has jobs available in various departments right now.
Find out more. Contact [email protected] 0191 2267300

Age UK True Colours LGBTQIA+ Friendship Group

Go along and enjoy a drink, make new friends. Free to attend though you need to pay for refreshments.
Starts: Monday 27th June 2022, 1pm to 3pm
Location : Harry’s Bar, 77 Grey Street. (Opposite Theatre Royal), Newcastle NE1 6EF

New and updated organisations

The Oswin Project

The Oswin Project is a charity that provides training, mentoring and access to employment for ex-offenders, mainly but not exclusively, in the Northeast. The team may begin working with ex-offenders during their time in prison or they may be referred after prison or on release through a partner organisation, such as Probation or Job Centre Plus. Ex-offenders may also self-refer. They also run Cafe 16 at Newcastle Cathedral.

MND Association

MND is a motor neurone disease that leads to muscle weakness and wastage owing to disrupted connections between the brain and spinal cord. The MND Association is a charity that works in England, Wales and Northern Ireland offering support to those affected, research to find a cure and campaigning for better quality of life of those people living with or affected by MND. They have a local Tyne & Wear support branch.

VocalEyes is a UK-wide charity bringing art and heritage to life for blind and visually impaired people through audio description. They find theatres and museums with audio-described performances, tours or buildings and places with audio-described introductions.

New and updated articles

Dementia

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe various disorders involving a loss of brain function, such as thinking, memory, reasoning and language. There are many types of dementia. The most common types are:

Alzheimer’s disease
vascular dementia
dementia with Lewy bodies
frontotemporal dementia
mixed dementia such as, vascular and Alzheimer’s combined

This article takes you through symptoms, how to get a diagnosis and how to reduce your risk of dementia.

English lessons for people who speak English as a second language (ESOL)

ESOL classes are useful if you are an asylum seeker or refugee or if you have not had the opportunity to learn English since you lived in the UK. The sections are split into classes with a qualification, conversation classes and classes in the community by day of the week.

Last updated: September 23, 2022

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