MINUTES OF THE EIGHTH MEETING OF THE

DERBYSHIRE CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT STEERING GROUP

The eighth meeting of the Derbyshire Chronic Pain Support Steering Group was held on Tuesday 28 May 2002, at the Guinness Trust Community Room, 1 Sidney Street, Derby.

Attendees:   Mark Charity (Chairperson), Janet Owen (Secretary), Paul Hearne (Treasurer), Sandra Cunningham, Steve Wilson, Peggy Archer, Naomi Memmory, Robert Bloor, Sandra Bloor, Sheila Coxon, Eileen Hogg,

Wendy Lloyd

Apologies:   Ray Whitehurst, Margaret Whitehurst

Mark Charity (Chairperson) opened the meeting by welcoming, introducing and thanking everyone who attended.   Mark also introduced Wendy Lloyd from the CVS. 

Minutes from the last meeting held on 30 April 2002 were approved and signed as a true record.

1.            Funding/Finances      

An offer from Ray Whitehurst to be the Treasurer of the group instead of Paul Hearne who only took the position on a temporary basis was put forward to the meeting, Mark proposed the motion and it was seconded by everyone at the meeting.

We are now in the process of putting an application forward to the Derbyshire Community Foundation for funding for the Group, the application has to be in by June, Paul to forward bank statement to Mark for inclusion with the application. 

A coffee morning was held on 14 May, it was decided to raise funds by having a tombola and Sandra made a cake for members to guess the weight, a sum of £32.90 was raised.   The funds were for a disabled lady (Ann Millward) who needed a computer.  We have since learned that Ann Millward has raised the funds she needed for her computer.    Discussion  then took place as to what we should do with the monies raised at the coffee morning, Steve said that as we had agreed that the monies raised should go to Ann Millward then we ought to honour our commitment.   A decision was made for Sandra to contact Ann Millward to see if there was anything she needed i.e. paper etc. and we would contribute £15 of the money raised.

2.            Phone Line

We now have an 0845 number for the group which is diverted through to committee members the caller will be charged at the local rate where enquiries for the group can be answered.   Ray Whitehurst asked Mark at the previous meeting to enquire about having a second line put in the cost of this would be £50 installation and £6 per month rental.   It was proposed that Mark send a letter to enquire as to whether there would be a reduction as the line would be used for group purposes only.  

3.            Insurance for Group

Prices for Insurance for the group have been obtained from Charity Assured at a quote of £78.75, also a quote of £75.00 from the Co-op, it was suggested that Charity Assured would be the best option as it gave us more cover.   Wendy Lloyd mentioned Ladbrook Insurance Company, as she thought they might give us a better offer, Wendy to put details in the post to Mark.   Any equipment owned by the group would raise the premium to £135 if we insured with Charity Assured and for that matter presume any other quote from other Insurance Companies would be the same.

4.            Postal Address

We now have a postal address for the group which is -

                          Coping       

                          PO Box 6235

                          Derby

                          DE1 9RJ

Business cards were handed out to members at the meeting.

5.            Disability Article

The Derby Evening Telegraph publish a page once a month listed as the disability page.   On reading this there seems to be a discrepancy as to what the article is really about, it seems more of an advertising feature than an information page on disability.   The meeting agreed that we needed clarification from the Derby Evening Telegraph what the page was really about.   Wendy Lloyd of the CVS agreed to look into this and will let us know of the outcome.  

6.            Meeting with Drs Searle and Laher

A meeting has been arranged with Drs Searle and Laher at the Pain Clinic for 31 May 2002, a number of questions and a request for funding need to be addressed.

Sandra asked if we can make enquiries if there was a possibility to supply the group with some books on the subject of chronic pain that we could keep for the groups library.   It was suggested that we make Dr Laher an honorary member of the group.   The membership is concerned that Dr Aftab Laher is leaving the Pain Clinic and the main concern is whether the Pain Clinic programme will still operate as it is at this present time.  

Wendy Lloyd to contact Pauline Severn to come along to talk to the group about funding for training some of the committee to help and advise members on how to deal with specific problems.

7.            Membership Booklet

Steve Wilson has put together an Information and Membership Booklet for the group.   Mark thanked Steve for the work he had done on the booklet.   Everyone thought what a good job he had made of the booklet.    It was suggested that we send copies to the Pain Management Clinic to distribute to patients at the clinic.   Enquires to be made at the clinic for help with printing of the booklet.

8.            A.O.B. 

New members who joined the group are as follows –

       Robert Bloor

       Sandra Cunningham

       Naomi Memory

Wendy Lloyd from CVS suggested that she attend one of the future meeting to help us start forward planning for the next six months.

Donation box    £6.50 - Room £5              Total for funds   £1.50

A Membership meeting will take place on 11 June 2002, at 10.30 a.m. in the Guinness Trust Community Room, 1 Sidney Street, Derby.

AGM to be held 25 June, 11.00 am, Venue to be confirmed nearer the time.   A suggestion was made that we the members supply lunchtime nibbles for this occasion.