Important data protection changes (GDPR)

As many of you will have seen in the press, the regulation that governs data protection is being updated and a new standard comes into effect from 25th May 2018.  This new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides individuals with more control over their personal data and how it can be used.  We will be sending you further information about this very soon.  Please look out for this because it will contain information about how we can continue to stay in touch with you.

Devon Partnership Trust (DPT) is looking for carers who have experience of caring for someone with a mental health problem or caring for someone with a learning disability to help train their staff. Ian Henwood from DPT’s ‘Together’ programme says:

“Evidence shows that when carers are included in a therapeutic alliance with healthcare professionals and the person that they care for, the outcomes are better for everyone. It is important for staff in DPT to be able to identify carers on or around first contact. To enable this to happen, DPT has co-designed with carers, Carer Awareness Training for all its staff”

DPT are now looking for carers who have experience of caring for someone with a mental health problem or a learning disability to help with the delivery of these sessions either by helping to facilitate and / or to tell the story of their carer experience.

DPT will be starting a pilot of one-hour sessions for all staff teams in Torbay between May and December. The plan is then to roll this training out to the rest of their workforce across Devon (which has some 80 or so staff teams!) They are seeking as many carers as possible who would be willing to take part so that they wouldn’t be relying on just a few people to help.

Carers have also co-designed training to be delivered as part of the corporate induction to DPT for new staff. These are 2-hour sessions that take place every month and they are looking for carers to help facilitate and / or tell their story for these sessions as well.

Travel expenses will be reimbursed and DPT can offer £10 per hour for your time. If anyone is interested, please contact Ian Henwood at e-mail: ianhenwood@nhs.net for more information. If you don’t have e-mail you can contact Devon Carers to register your interest and we can pass your details on to Ian. Call our helpline on 03456 434 435.