Help fly the flag for family carers
If you've got lived experience of using social care services, your experience could really help others.
The five Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Partnership Boards work with the local councils to improve health and care services for family carers, people with physical, learning and sensory disabilities and older people.
In this new blog about the Boards, Kadie and Annie tell us why they volunteer. And how sharing their own experience improves understanding about the vital role of carers and the services they need to support them to keep on caring.
Kadie Chapman has more than 40 years experience as a carer – for her son, daughter and mother-in-law.
And says she has developed a strong insight into how “good provision of care for all” brings social impact and inclusion.
She’s Vice Chair of the Carers’ Partnership Board and says she volunteers because she “hopes there will be a better journey for who follow behind.”
Kadie, who lives in South Cambridgeshire, has been actively involved for more than three decades with the movement towards personalised care both nationally and locally.
This is all about giving people choice and control over the way their care is planned and delivered.
She’s also pushed for improvements in other aspects – promoting self-directed support budgets and payments and inclusion.
Over the years, she’s worked with different local groups and organisations to champion the voice of carers and the people they care for.
And has talked to a variety of different audiences from the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge to the county council’s Scrutiny Committee, which monitors and questions council decisions and plans and can make recommendations for action and change.
Kadie says her work with the Partnership Board helps her build her network of contacts and allows her to share her knowledge and experience of the health and care system with anyone who asks for help.
Get involved too!
Interested in joining one of the Partnership Boards?
Read more on our websites about what becoming an Independent Member on the Board involves.
And apply online – although we can send a paper version if that's better for you.
Annie Bamforth, from Peterborough, has been married for 30 years to Jon who broke his back in November 1991.
They both work as music teachers and have a grown-up family and four grandchildren.
“Until about five years ago I used to say that I'm a wife first and carer when needed – then Jon ran into a series of unpleasant medical problems and the balance shifted,” explained Annie.
“We had a run of unhelpful encounters over care/funding/agencies and as a result I joined the Carers' Partnership Board as an Independent Member... or ordinary bod!
“I have been able to work with many senior members of Adult Social Services and the NHS to help build better services and support for people like us who need help to remain active and well.
“It has been a great privilege to help create better and more flexible NHS/ social care services during the pandemic and to experience the dedication of all the teams and charities involved.”
Use your experience and help make a difference
Do you have lived experience of using adult care services, or caring for someone that does?
If you can represent and speak up for older people, people with disabilities or family carers, then the Boards would really like to hear from you.
They meet every two or three months – but the Independent Member role is flexible around you.
There’s accessible training and information plus plenty of support – such as a British Sign Language interpreter – to help you in the role. And if you can’t commit to every meeting, we understand and can work around that with you.
Have a chat about volunteering
Our Healthwatch runs the Boards on behalf of the local councils. Get in touch and have a chat with Graham Lewis, our Partnership Development Manager about how you can get involved.
Call 07432 865996
