How to influence decisions in Tameside

As well as formal decision-making structures, there are a number of ways you can get involved in influencing decisions. 

• Better Government for older people
• Children's Services
• Learning Disability Advocacy Service
• Mental Health Forum
• NHS Patient Participation
• User and Carer Forums

Elections Voting in local, national and European elections will influence who will stand as Local Councillors, MPs and MEPs.

District Assemblies - Local people are invited to attend District Assemblies which meet every seven weeks to discuss local issues. To have a look when the next District Assembly meeting is view their calendar.

Tameside Citizens’ Panel - 2,000 local residents take part in the Citizens' Panel they fill in three questionnaires a year on Council services and life in the Borough.

Tameside Residents’ Opinion Survey 1- 000 residents are interviewed every three years for the Opinion Survey.  They are asked about satisfaction with the Council and Tameside as a place to live.

Regeneration Forums - Tameside has four regeneration neighbourhoods (Ashton, Hattersley, Denton South, Droylsden East and Smallshaw). Each area has a regeneration partnership made up local organisations and residents.

Better Government for Older People

Better Government for Older People (BGOP) is a national network to engage older people at all levels of public policy decision-making. For details of BGOP in the Northwest please contact Stuart Eyres telephone 0161 371 5481.

Community Action for Tameside Seniors (CATS) Safeguarding and representing the issues of the over 50's in Tameside. CATS supports those individuals who manage, support or provide an activity for the over 50's. CATS meets quarterly at T3SC's  offices on Stamford Street, Ashton. For further information contact Colin Kirby 0161 339 4985 or e-mail colin.kirby@t3sc.org. 

Tameside Local Involvement Network (LINk)  Set up to give people a chance to have a say in improving local health and social care services.  The LINk  allows every local resident to have a voice and to comment on services.  this gives local people real power to influence change at the highest level and help to improve services for everyone in Tameside.

Tameside Senior Forum is committed to promoting the interests of older people and their carers in Tameside.  The forum recognises the fact that many times the needs and wishes of older people are over looked.  Tameside Senior Forum assures that the voices of all older people are heard.
 0161 308 5000 (Age Concern)

Tameside Voice has representatives from all the thematic networks developed and supported over the past five years by Tameside Third Sector Coalition (T3SC) .  These networks are the Black & Minority Ethnic Network (BME), Women’s BME Network, Interfaith Network, Children and Young peoples Network, TOPAG and the Crime and Disorder network. Tameside Voice elects representatives form within to sit on the Tameside Strategy Partnership (TSP) which is a key decision making group for Tameside Council. Contact T3SC .

The Health Network  Brings together groups and organisations in the Voluntary and Community Sector whose work has a health and wellbeing focus. The network provides an opportunity for groups to share information about services, receive briefings and shared training and also develops a collective voice to influence statutory sector developments/service and strategy.

All the networks are open for anyone to join and if you require any further information on any of these groups contact T3SC.

Children's Services

For information on social care services for children if you would like to take part in consultation exercises then contact:

User Involvement Coordinator, Children and Families Service, Union Street, Hyde, SK14 1ND
 0161 342 4325 Fax: 0161 368 8642

Learning Disability Advocacy Service

People First supports adults with learning disabilities to get their views across to managers of services. It is a self organised group of adults with learning disabilities.
 People First, St Michael's Court, Ashton-under-Lyne.
  0161 308 3699

Mental Health Forum

Tameside Advocacy Project (TAP) and The Mental Health Forum
Advocacy and user involvement support for users of Mental Health Services in Tameside to have a voice in the Monitor and Planning of Mental Health Services
 Tameside Advocacy Project, 68a Welbeck Street South, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 7TD
  0161 331 9053 Fax: 0161 308 3633

NHS Patient Participation

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)  - can give you information about how you can get more involved in your own healthcare, help you clarify problems and look at options or negotiate with health professionals on your behalf.

Tameside and Glossop Acute Services Trust and Tameside and Glossop Primary Care Trust, Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), covers community health services such as GP’s, health clinics, dentists etc, as well as services offered by Tameside General Hospital.

Pennine Care Trust, Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) covers all mental health services.

User Forums

Forums bring together Service Users, Carers and managers to look at major policy issues about how services are organised and how services should develop.

The Big Chat is a yearly event which celebrates everything that is good for people with learning disabilities in Tameside. It provides an opportunity for people with learning disabilities and their carers to ask questions and talk to senior managers about the quality of the service we provide

Listen Here! Network and conference is for disabled people and people who have an interest in Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Visual Impairment or Physical Disability issues to have their say. 

The Really Important Questions Group (RIQ) is for people over the age of 50 who are interested in social care and health issues. The Network meets four times a year and runs an annual conference in October.

Carers Forums

The Carers Forum is for people looking after a friend or relative who is ill or disabled.  Having your say is important for Carers or anyone receiving services from Adult Services or Health.

Young Carers is people under 18 looking after a family member or friend.  If you are a young carer contact the Young Carers Development Worker.