The ACPPLD has representatives on a variety of UK wide steering groups and expert panels. One of these is the Growing Old with Learning Disabilities (GOLD) National Steering Group, which brings experts, practitioners and service user representatives together to help guide work in this area. This group meets approximately 4/5 times a year and have just resumed ‘virtually’ following a break due to the COVID- 19 pandemic.
The GOLD groups aim is to address key issues and work collaboratively with partner organisations to improve provision that helps address social determinates of health inequalities including:
- Better and timelier health assessments and earlier prognosis of any additional health issues.
- Good, clear and straightforward information being available to people with learning disabilities, their family and staff that support them.
- Clarity on skills required within the workforce and access to development opportunities accordingly.
They aim to achieve this by supporting a range of activities including:
- Hosting webinars by specialists from around the world.
- Best practice guides.
- Conference/events
- Portal for info (via Bild website) https://www.bild.org.uk/growing-older-with-learning-disabilities-gold/our-national-steering-group/
- Support campaigns like Restraint Reduction Network/STOMP.
- Inform future policy.
Highlights from the last meeting on 16.07.2020
- The University of Glasgow, in partnership with the Scottish Observatory, are putting together a bid to submit to Cancer Research UK to seek funding to carry out research to improve access for cancer screening for PWLD. The GOLD group pledged their support to this bid to facilitate contacts with other potential stakeholder groups and a GOLD representative volunteered to sit on their steering group.
- GOLD have hosted two webinars this year both presented by Irene Tuffrey- Wijne. Great attendance, 679 attend the 1st one and 471 attended the 2nd one. Two more webinars planned for this year 1st one in August ‘Doing it my way’ presented by St Anne’s Community Service. The 2nd one is in October on Dementia will be presented by Karen Dodd. Look out for more details of these on the Bild website or twitter. The GOLD group are looking for suggestions of topics and presenters for webinars in 2021.
- The GOLD group are planning a round table event and will invite major stakeholders specialising in supporting older people but who do not necessarily always consider PWLD. The aim is to target senior representatives from organisations and charities that have the power to influence and make changes happen. They would also like to consider other organisations that are indirectly related to growing old i.e. ‘Arthritis Action.’ Which organisation or group would we like at the table?
- The LeDeR annual report came out the same day as the meeting. Many members were attending a webinar that day to discuss its finding. Pauline Heslop will be feeding back to the GOLD group at a future meeting.
Please send any feedback; suggestions for topics for future webinars, offers to present a webinar or questions that you would like raised at this steering group to Sarah.Bruce@gstt.nhs.uk
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