Highland Community Care Forum - Annual Report 2003

About HCCF Highland Community Care Forum Highland Community Care Forum is an independent Highland-wide network made up of community care service users and their carers: including eleven Local Forums, the Highland Users Group, People First, and the Highland Carers Project. Over eleven years, HCCF has sustained its unique network and helped it grow. People are the starting point. HCCF is the means through which they can speak out directly about their lives. Involvement, understanding and support are key principles. Discussion, debate and communication are our tools. The real experts are users and carers. No matter how hard it may be to put into words, theirs are the experiences which matter. HCCF is their voice. HCCF holds regular meetings and conferences, giving professionals, practitioners, elected members and our network access to each other. In this way we aim to make a difference to the way services are planned and delivered. The Local Community Care Forum Network Eleven Local Community Care Forums work within their communities enabling groups and individuals to be more involved in the development and delivery of community care services, to speak out about the services they get, and identify the services they need. Each Forum has its own locally based worker who provides up to date information about local services and national developments, advises and supports individual service users and carers, helping to identify gaps in services and develop local projects to meet local needs. Local Forums have established new services such as Handyperson Schemes, for small household tasks, and Community Car Schemes, which can get people to local services or just out and about. They facilitate user and carer groups and support local Access Panels, which in turn help to ensure that buildings and services are accessible to all.	Annual Report 2003 Get PDF File (1.75MB) Annual Report 2003 Annual Report 2001 Annual Report 2000 Back About HCCF Chairman's Report Introduction Influence Communication Advocacy Awareness Exchanging Ideas Publications Income Staff
Highland Users Group ACTION FOR MENTAL HEALTH Highland Users Group works at local, Highland and national levels to improve the rights, services and treatment of people with mental health problems, including challenging the stigma of mental illness. It strives to increase the communication between service users in the Highlands. There are fourteen local HUG groups which meet regularly.
People First There are six people first groups in Highland run by people with learning disabilities. The groups exist to enable people with learning disabilities to speak out about their experience of services and improvements they want to make to their lives.
The Princess Royal Trust Highland Carers Project The Highland Carers Project provides information, advocacy and support for carers. It works strategically to ensure that the views and needs of both adult and young carers are taken into account in the planning and delivery of services. *Helpline:* The Helpline provides a listening ear and information for carers at local call rates on, for example, Carers Rights, Services for Carers, Benefits. *Advocacy:* The Advocacy Service is able to assist carers to put across their views to service providers. *Carers Network:* Regular information goes out to those whose names are on the network. Local Carer's support groups meet in different areas of Highland.