This is a plain language summary of the topics we talked about during our final CLARiTY Session.
In CLARiTY Session 6, we talked about:
- Your thoughts on the CLARiTY Project
- The next steps
- Signposting you to other resources and help available
Introduction
The CLARiTY Team would like to thank everyone who came to any (or all!) of our sessions. The aim of our project was to provide accessible information on different pieces of law that people with learning disabilities and family carers might encounter. We enjoyed meeting all of you and we have all continued to learn from one another during the project. We hope you found our project helpful and accessible.
The CLARiTY team is now working on a report about our project and we will be sending it out to policy-makers, charities, NGO’s, academic networks and other relevant organisations. If you think there is an organisation or a person who should hear about our project please email Magda, at clarity@legalcapacity.org.uk.
Resources
We have made a list of links to different resources you might find useful. Please also visit our summaries of previous sessions for relevant legal information in our menu section ‘CLARiTY Project’.
Adult Social Care
- See our summary from CLARiTY session 5 on the Care Act.
- Your local authority has a duty to provide information on adult social care, so you can contact them in relation to adult social care issues. If you have a problem and need to complain ask your local authority for a copy of their Complaints Procedure and follow it.
- Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman: https://lgo.org.uk/. You can find more information about the ombudsman in CLARiTY session 2 and CLARiTY session 5.
- CASCAIDr Centre for Adults Social Care – advice, information and dispute resolution https://www.cascaidr.org.uk
- Social Care and support guide from the NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/
Continuing Healthcare (CHC)
- NHS website nhs.co.uk
- EasyRead on Continuing Healthcare https://www.bexleyccg.nhs.uk/Downloads/CHC/NHS_CHC_easy_read.pdf
- Beacon CHC offers free 90mins advice on Continuing Healthcare, appeals and help https://www.beaconchc.co.uk
- Beacon information on appealing the NHS CHC decision https://www.beaconchc.co.uk/what-is-nhs-continuing-healthcare/dispute-resolution/
- NHS Independent Review Panels: https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/privacy-notice/how-we-use-your-information/our-services/continuing-health-care-independent-review-panels/
- If you need to make a complaint contact the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman ombudsman.org.uk
Healthcare
- Always check your local NHS hospital / NHS Trust website for specific information about the services you use.
- Learning Disability Nurse https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/nursing/roles-nursing/learning-disability-nurse
- Hospital Passports https://www.mencap.org.uk/advice-and-support/health/health-guides
- Easy Read on Hospital Passports https://www.easyhealth.org.uk/index.php/health-leaflets-and-videos/hospital-passports/
- Patient Advice and Liaison Service https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-services/Patient-advice-and-liaison-services-(PALS)/LocationSearch/363
- Learning Disability Annual Health Check https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/a-summary-and-overview-of-the-learning-disability-annual-health-check-electronic-clinical-template-2017/
- Disability register https://www.mencap.org.uk/advice-and-support/health/dont-miss-out/dont-miss-out-join-learning-disability-register
- Easy Read information on the Disability Register https://www.mencap.org.uk/sites/default/files/2017-03/Mencap%20Don%2527t%20Miss%20Out%2015.03.17.pdf
- Toolkit on health checks for people with learning disabilities https://www.rcgp.org.uk/clinical-and-research/resources/toolkits/health-check-toolkit.aspx
- Integrated Care System https://www.england.nhs.uk/integratedcare/what-is-integrated-care/
- Easy read on Integrated Care System https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/15-ICP-overview-easy-read.pdf
- See https://www.resus.org.uk on information about CPRs, DNACPR
- For information about DNRs see CLARiTY Session 2
- RESPECT form https://www.resus.org.uk/respect
- Easy Read and communication support from Widgit Health https://widgit-health.com
Lasting Powers of Attorney and Deputyship
- CLARiTY Session 3 summary for detailed information on lasting powers of attorney and deputyship.
- Office of the Public Guardian supervises attorneys and deputies and investigates complaints: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-public-guardian.
- Office of the Public Guardian Blog https://publicguardian.blog.gov.uk
Equality and Human Rights
- Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-capacity-act-code-of-practice
- Accessible information standard https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/accessibleinfo/
- Easy read on accessible information standard https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/access-info-stndrd-er-upd-jul16.pdf
- See CLARiTY Session 4 summary for more information on the accessible information standard.
- Easy Read information on the Equality Act 2010 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/85039/easy-read.pdf
- Easy Read information on the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/345108/easy-read-un-convention.pdf
- Information on supported decision making: CLARiTY Session 2 Summary and the Everyday Decisions Project Research Findings
COVID-19 Related Resources
- Booking your vaccination through the NHS system https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/
- Information on visiting rights in care homes https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visiting-care-homes-during-coronavirus/update-on-policies-for-visiting-arrangements-in-care-homes
- Visiting rights, see summary from CLARiTY session 1.
- Coronavirus: Adult social care key issues and sources Research Briefing https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9019/
Other Resources and Legal Advice
- Citizens Advice Bureau https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk
- Check the Law Centres Network https://www.lawcentres.org.uk for the nearest law centres in your area. Law centres can sometimes give legal advice for free or low cost.
- Free legal advice from Law Works Charity https://www.lawworks.org.uk
- Check if your local university is running a law clinic where you can get free legal advice and help. Google your local university and ‘law clinic’ to see what’s available.
- Birmingham Law School’s Free Legal Advice Group runs during University of Birmingham teaching term times: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/law/flag/index.aspx
- Disability Law Service https://dls.org.uk
- To find a solicitor in your local area see https://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/?Pro=True
- Advice Local for help with money, benefits, tax and housing https://advicelocal.uk
- Civil Legal Advice for help with debt, housing, domestic violence, family issues, special education needs and discrimination https://www.gov.uk/civil-legal-advice
- Adult protection and safeguarding problems, Action on Elder Abuse (Hourglass) https://wearehourglass.org
- Equality Advisory Service has a helpline on issues relating to discrimination and human rights http://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com
- The patient association is offering free advice on social care and health matters https://www.patients-association.org.uk/helpline
- Mind charity provides legal information on mental health and mental capacity related law https://www.mind.org.uk
Other Support
- http://bringingustogether.org.uk Bringing Us Together for Parent Carers
- Council for Disabled Children https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/members/meet-our-members/bringing-us-together
We try to keep this list of resources up to date. If you spot a broken link, or know of a service that you think other people might find useful, then please contact us at clarity@legalcapacity.org.uk to let us know.
