Core Partners take stock

Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living (LCIL) is the venue for this morning's meeting of the Core Partners of the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership (REDP) with Dennis Fisher, Grants Officer at The Big Lottery. It's The Big Lottery's Basis Fund that bankrolls REDP and Dennis is charged with overseeing our project. We've met with him several times in different settings over the past couple of years; he's here today to talk about our work so far and how we're going to make progress in the final year of this intial funding period.

Round the table for this meeting with Dennis are the Chair of REDP, Iris Lightfoote (The Race Equality Centre), Dee Martin (Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living), Ian Robson (Leicester LGBT Centre), Laura Horton (Project Manager, REDP) and myself, of course, representing Leicester Council of Faiths.

Ian, Iris and I are here until lunchtime, to join in an overall discussion of the project. Dennis spends the rest his visit with Dee (since LCIL is the accountable body for REDP) and with Laura.

We all get the chance to speak this morning; Dennis asks me directly about the "diversity" dimension of REDP.

There's a convivial atmosphere in the meeting today and our funders seem pleased with how REDP has performed.

Taking public services forward in the East Midlands

To the Albert Hall Conference Centre, Nottingham, this afternoon for an event hosted by East Midlands Councils and the Local Government Group. Four of us from the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership (REDP) are attending "Taking Public Services Forward in the East Midlands".

I've come through from Leicester with Iris Lightfoote (The Race Equality Centre), Dee Martin (Leicestershire Centre for Integraqted Living) and Kelly Jussab (Project Officer, REDP).

East Midlands Councils demonstrates how local councils in the region can work together on  issues such as housing, transport and the environment. It represents the interests of local councils to Government and national organisations. It supports the improvement and development of local councils and their workforce.

The six organisations of the Local Government Group work together to support, promote and improve local government:

• Local Government Association
• Local Government Employers
• Local Government Improvement and Development
• Local Government Leadership
• Local Government Regulation
• Local Partnerships

Core Partners of REDP (and members of its more extensive Core Reference Group) are here today to listen to a presentation on the Open Public Services White Paper by Alison Adams, Policy Manager, Local Intelligence Team, Office for Civil Society, Cabinet Office. We have the chance to discuss this presentation and to raise questions from the floor.

Spectacular show of pride by city's LGBT community

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Spectacular show of pride by city's LGBT community

The colourful spectacular that is Leicester Pride saw hundreds of people take to the streets in celebration.

The annual parade began at Orton Square before making its way around the city centre to Victoria Park, where revellers where entertained with a funfair and live entertainment.

The event, which took place last Saturday, also gave various organisations a chance to highlight their services.

For almost 40 years, Leicester Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Centre in Wellington Street, has offered support to and fostered a sense of community among gay people in the city and county.

Centre support officer Dennis Bradley said: "As people come out and discover they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, there is a new group of people that needs to be taught the centre exists.

"Our purpose in being at Pride was to raise awareness that we do have a centre and that people should come and see what they can get from it."

A dozen groups use the centre, including First Out, for younger people aged 13-19; Spectrum, with users aged 20-35; Grey Pride for people aged 50 and over and transgender groups Leicester Chameleon Group and Mixed Agendas.

"The LGBT community makes up about a third of the overall population," said Mr Bradley. "Pride is a good celebration of life of LGBT people here in Leicester, of our progressiveness towards equality and the diversity that exists within the community.

"Pride is a wonderful event that raises awareness to the wider community that we do exist and that we are a large number."

Pride also gave organisations an opportunity to highlight the importance of safe sex and offer advice on sexual health alongside representatives from the Leicestershire Aids Support Service and the HIV and Aids prevention charity Trade.

For more information on the centre, visit: www.llgbc.com

Care improved for patients with learning disabilities

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Care improved for patients with learning disabilities

A new computer alert system to improve health care for people with learning disabilities has been adopted.

The system, introduced by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, flags up on medical records when someone has a learning disability.

This means that whichever trust service a patient is using, health staff will know instantly more about their condition and can make sure anything needed to help them is put in place.

Key information such as what communication needs there may be, carer contacts and consent details are among the information to hand.

Pip Ostell, learning disability locality manager, said: "The system sounds simple but it is a really good way of ensuring colleagues gain key information quickly and effectively so that they can provide the best level of care.

"Once they are alerted to a patient having learning disabilities, they can make sure they use correct communication methods to make sure the patient is fully aware and confident in what is happening."

The computer alert system is being added to the records for all patients receiving care from the trust's learning disability services.

It is due to be extended to cover all records for people under the care of the service over the next few months.

Core Partners meeting

This morning we have the monthly meeting of REDP's Core Partners:

• Leicester Council of Faiths
• Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living
• Leicester Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Centre
• The Race Equality Centre

We meet at Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living, which is the accountable body for this project.