Caseworker Discussion Q&A: Update from the Members’ Services Team

Time: 14:00
Date: Thursday 17 August 2023
Location: Online via Teams

Update from the Members’ Services Team, including:

Training – Tom Mitchell, Training & Learning Facilitator, will update the group on the Training Ambassador Network, new starter learning pathways, as well as seeking your ideas and feedback for new training courses.
Engagement – Lydia Smith, Engagement Manager, will provide an overview of the engagement programme for the remainder of 2023, including an update on the dissolution roadshow events.
Wellbeing – Tanya Harris, Health and Wellbeing Manager, will provide an update about the Employee Assistance Programme – Health Assured.

It is nearly one year since the Casework Discussion Forum launched. We would like to use this session to gather your feedback about the Forum, suggestions on how it can be improved, and ideas for what topics you would like to see covered in 2024.

Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology – latest publications

POST, the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, sources reliable and impartial scientific research evidence for the UK Parliament.

It’s latest publications are:

Guide to Free Legal Services to support constituency casework

Available for MPs’ Offices Only

Guide to Free Legal Services to support constituency casework

The APPG for Access to Justice, which launched last month.

They have been working with a number of law firms to explore the types of legal problems that arise in MPs’ casework and one of the barristers involved, Toby Brown, has put together a comprehensive guidebook of all the law centres and charities across England and Wales which offer legal advice. It covers everything from immigration, domestic abuse, employment, social security, family issues and how to access legal aid.

There are enough hard copies for every MP and it would be an invaluable resource for any constituency office, irrespective of political party.

If you would be interested in obtaining a hard copy please email [email protected] and a copy will be sent to you. A PDF version is also available.

Research participants sought

Are you a parliamentary worker who uses evidence-based information as part of your role? A new research project supported by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations is asking what sources of information you use and why. The aim of the work is to understand how evidence could be communicated to policy makers more effectively. Take part in a short online survey and you could win £100 for yourself or for charity. For more information and to take part, go to this link:

https://oxford.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/communicating-evidence-to-policy-makers-what-works-best

Background

The request to post came from Dr Caroline Wood at Oxford University, who has been awarded a grant from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) to investigate which sources of information policy makers most rely on to access current evidence on topical issues.

The aim is that the findings of this will inform a publicly-accessible ‘best practice guide’ for all those whose role involves communicating evidence to policy makers (including thinktanks, research institutions, universities, and NGOs). By understanding which information sources are favoured by policy makers, this will allow organisations with limited resources for policy engagement to focus on the channels that are most likely to be effective.

The core activity of the project is a short online survey which asks policy makers (including policy advisers and research assistants for MPs) which sources of evidence they use and why.

They are looking for as many participants as possible in order to generate enough data to glean some valuable insights and we are happy to bring it to the attention of our readers

Caseworker Discussion Q&A – Constituents and dealing with debt

Time: 10:30 – 11:30
Date: Thursday 20 July 2023
Location: Online via MS Teams

England and Wales focus, signposting organisations in Scotland and NI

With Lorraine Conway from the Library’s Home Affairs Section

To book and view other Caseworker Discussion Q&A sessions, please visit ACT: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=5177

MP Staff Training: Understanding Stalking & Harassment

Time: 14:00 – 15:30
Date: Tuesday 8 August 2023
Location: Online via Teams
Open to: all Member’s staff.

This course is being run in conjunction with the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (FTAC).

The session will cover:

What is stalking and harassment?
What does the law say?
Motivations for stalking (inc. 5 Typologies)
Impact of stalking and how to manage risk
How and Why to report stalking

To book, please visit this link https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=2084

Behind the Scenes with the Official Report

During the summer recess, the Official Report (Hansard) is offering Members’ staff an opportunity to learn how parliamentary proceedings are edited in the Official Report.

Spend an hour and a half with us and find out:

How Hansard reporters and editors publish MPs’ speeches
Which debates are read the most by constituents and how to share parliamentary contributions online
Who to contact with queries about the Official Report and where to read speeches before publication

We finish with a tour of the Hansard offices and the Press Gallery.

We will be holding sessions on the parliamentary estate during the summer recess on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 July, as well as on Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 August.

We welcome all Members’ staff and any questions they may have!

For more information and to book a place, please contact [email protected]

Virtual Talk: Andy’s Man Club

The Wellness Working Group‘s next guest speaker will be Oli Vikse from Andy’s Man Club.

Time: 11:00 – 12:00
Date: Thursday 29 June 2023
Location: Online via Teams

Oli Vikse – Project Development Champion, Andy Man Club

Please join us to hear Oli talk about ANDY’S MAN CLUB

Andy’s Man Club has over 120 free support groups nationwide, running every Monday from 7PM except bank holidays. In these groups, men can open up about the storms affecting their lives in a safe, judgement-free and non-clinical environment. The clubs are designed to be free of pressure, there is no obligation for men to speak, they can simply listen if they wish. With over 2800 men using the sessions every week, and an army of 900+ volunteers on board, the movement is continuing to grow week-by-week. Andy’s Man Club firmly believe in the power of talking and that #ItsOkayToTalk.

For love nor money? Protect yourself and others from economic abuse

Health and Wellbeing event

Rachael Partleton is a campaigner, advocate, and survivor of economic abuse. You will discover: the subtle warning signs of economic abuse and it’s devastating impact; the differences between purely financial compared with economic abuse; what we can do to protect ourselves, and how to help others and learn how to guard your finances for the long term.

Time: 10:30 – 11:30
Date: Tuesday 27 June 2023
Location: Online via Teams
Booking: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=5776

British Society for Rheumatology Parliamentary Drop-In: New research shows cost savings from growing rheumatology workforce

Time: 14:00 – 16:00
Date: Tuesday 13 June 2023
Location: Room T, Portcullis House

We would be delighted if you were able to join us at our parliamentary drop-in to launch our new research on the cost effectiveness of growing the rheumatology workforce.

Our new research shows growing the rheumatology workforce, in line with our People We Need recommendations, would make meaningful differences in the lives of newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The overall societal and health costs of RA would be reduced by an estimated £50 million over 5 years.
Critical diagnostic and treatment delays would be reduced by enabling patients to access needed timely specialist when it matters the most.
Patient health outcomes would be improved at a minimal cost of £152 per incident RA patient over 5 years. In the first year, the NHS would realise a cost-savings of 3.4 million due to reduced need for additional treatment and complications including surgery.

You will have the opportunity, over coffee and tea, to chat with clinicians and people living with rheumatic conditions about the findings and their experiences of rheumatology care.

If you are unable to attend but would like to know more about the rheumatology workforce pledge and access resources to raise these issues in parliament (including parliamentary questions), please contact me or visit our campaign page here.

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