Introduction to Application Form

Introduction to Application Form

Please remember to read the Guidance for Applicants before completing this application. It details the aims of the Fund, its Criteria and the different kinds of grant you can apply for. You should have received a copy of this guidance with this form. Further copies can be downloaded from

You can apply for one of four categories of grant using this form:

1. The Starter Fund up to £5,000, over one year only.
2. A Small Grant of up to £20,000, over one year only.
3. A Main Grant of up to £100,000 per annum over one, two or three years.
4. A Strategic Grant of up to £150,000 per annum over one, two or three years.

What to Submit

You must complete this application and include:

a project plan

a copy of your governing document (constitution/memorandum and articles)

a copy of your last two sets of annual accounts.

We would prefer to receive applications electronically. If you have difficulties with this please contact us for support.

Please note that for small grants and the starter fund you should only write a maximum of two pages in your project plan. For main grants a maximum of six pages and for strategic grants a maximum of eight pages.

When to Submit

The first deadline for applications to this fund is Friday 14 December at 5pm.The Grant Allocation Panel will meet in February to review the applications with decisions being announced early March.

Further funding rounds to be announced.

How to Submit

Applications can be submitted by post to Susan Brooks, The ALLIANCE, 349 Bath Street, GlasgowG2 4AA. Please mark your correspondence as Self Management Fund Application.

Or by email to

Section 1. Applicant Organisation Details

FORFAR

If your application involves working in partnership with other organisations, please provide details of your partners here:

Lesley Higgins

Section 2. Project Details

Angus Activity Programme for People with a Long-term Condition

Section 3: Budget for Proposed Project

Please use this box to tell us how you plan to raise the income for the above expenditure – from the Self Management Fund and any other sources.

Section 4: Project Plan

Angus Cardiac Group has a proven track record of success in managing funded partnership projects to help people manage their long-term condition better by being physically active. This was achieved in partnership with a number of organisations. The Group would wish to develop their physical activity programme further, in response to service change, and in recognition of learning and feedback from their previous work.

Overall Aim:

To adapt and develop Angus Cardiac Group and their project, to meet the needs of people, their carers and families, affected by long-term conditions, to ensure that they are able to self-manage their long-term condition by:

• Mapping the current system of referral, recruitment and support to NHS Rehabilitation Services, the Cardiac Group and Activity Programme
• Identifying areas where Angus Cardiac Group could become involved in designing and promoting rehabilitation services and decision making processes
• Developing a stronger, more appropriate approach to supporting people with long-term conditions in light of proposed health and social care changes
• Developing the current physical activity programme, which will enable those with a variety of long-term conditions to self-manage for longer

Mapping the Current System

Patients with cardiac disease have traditionally been identified for cardiac rehabilitation at an in-patient stage or after a ‘step change’ intheir cardiac condition, (MI, onset of angina, any emergency hospital admission, or first diagnosis of heart failure).

A menu-based approach to cardiac rehabilitation recognises the need to tailor services to the individual and is likely to include:

• Specific education and
• Structured exercise training together with
• Continuing educational and psychological support and
• Advice on risk factors.

This is the case for a number of established NHS rehabilitation services. Without flexibility in the system many patients can feel isolated and insecure and groups, like the Angus Cardiac Group, can enhance the NHS services and support available.

Recent advances in treatments for cardiac disease, and the current emphasis on preventative care, has dramatically changed the traditional cardiac rehabilitation journey. Patients spend much less time in hospital, and interventions to improve health outcomes are more common. Anecdotally, what was previously seen as a serious medical issue is now considered a potentially curable one.As a result, people may never attend rehabilitation services or recognise the need for ongoing support.

Support Groups certainly have a very important role in helping people manage and live better with their long-term condition. However, these Groups need to consider the changes in modern medicine, and in communities, in order to identify new members and advertise the potential benefits of being part of a support group.

Angus Cardiac Group is determined to ensure that it continues to flourish,with members who will continue to lead the way in developing a model of care which takes into account current service provision. To do this, it will change the way it recruits and supports members. Mapping the current system of referral, recruitment and support to NHS Rehabilitation Services and the Cardiac Group and Activity Programme is the first step in ensuring that Angus Cardiac Group is truly fit for purpose and has a place in modern society to help people with cardiac disease manage their long-term condition better. It is anticipated that the new model of care could be replicated for other support groups in the local area, and nationally.

Identifying Areas Where Angus Cardiac Group Can Become Involved

Angus Cardiac group has a role to play in the

• Education
• Rehabilitation
• Exercise programme, and
• Self-management support

Of patients who suffer from, or at risk of developing, cardiac disease.

As the national emphasis shifts from reactive to proactive care, it is important to consider anticipatory approaches to preventing disease. As many conditions have a genetic component, families are affected, both from being at risk of the disease themselves, and also as carers and relatives of a person with disease. Although Angus Cardiac Group has always been open to people who have an interest in their aims and activities,the Groupwill further promote the benefits of support groups and recruit more people into the Cardiac Group who have, or are at risk of developing the disease.

Also, critically evaluating the patient journey from a patient perspective and redesigning services which are more person-centred can ensure that people realise the importance of rehabilitation and the benefits of peer support.Self-management Champions will be identified within the Support Group, to ensure that Angus Cardiac Group continues to give people the skills and confidence to be public representatives to become involved in planning, monitoring and improving services.These ‘Champions’ will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to help those around them manage their long-term condition better.

Angus Cardiac Group will work with NHS Services to contribute to the education of patients with heart disease. For those patients it will ensure that they are better informed about their conditions, better prepared for every day challenges, better supported when they need it, and better placed to make decisions that are right for their lives.

There are a number of possible developments within NHS rehabilitation Services that will be considered, based on the lessons the Group has learned from its previous projects. For example, the Group has recognised that a joint NHS/Local Council rehabilitation exercise and education class could allow patients to gain the educational benefit of rehabilitation but be able to exercise out with the hospital environment and closer to their own homes.

Developing A Stronger More Appropriate Approach

Angus Cardiac Group recognises the need to work differently, in response to

• Health and Social care changes
• An ageing population
• Anticipatory care
• Community requirements

People are living longer with their long-term health conditions and this presents challenges in the way health and social care services are delivered. These services need to be firmly integrated around the needs of individuals, their carers and other family members, so that people, including those with cardiac conditions, are supported.

A reliable, efficient, cost-effective means of working together needs to be established within a co-productive setting. The needs of the community have to be considered, taking into account health, social care, and voluntary sector service provision. This will allow those older people with a long-term condition to manage independently in their own homes, as far as possible. For example, activity sessions as part of the Early Supported Discharge Scheme with Social Care will be considered to ensure that people return home after a hospital admission in a timely manner and help prevent any unnecessary readmission. When institutional care is necessary, people can remain independent for longer when taking part in a physical activity session regularly.

Angus Cardiac Group willbe fully involved with this process, using Volunteers to deliver seated exercise to people in their own homes, within rehabilitation facilities, such as community hospitals, and within care homes to improve outcomes and prioritise expenditure. This will build on and develop the work undertaken previously by the Group, and also provide evidence of the importance of using volunteers in a sustainable way.

A Volunteer Co-ordinator will concentrate on the role that volunteers and befrienders could play, in assisting with and leading activity and education sessions, and this is a necessary component of the bid. At the end of this funding perioda locality based model will be established in Angus which willsupport volunteers in delivering physical activity sessions as an evidence-based approach to managing long-term conditions better.

Angus Cardiac group will also explore using younger volunteers to facilitate and improve understanding between younger and older people and promote intergenerational activity. This will also be an opportunity for some of these young people who may go onto being fitness and activity instructors to understand the benefits of physical activity for the older person.

Broadening the Scope of the Physical Activity Programme

There is no doubt that physical activity can help people to self-manage their condition better.

Angus Cardiac Group will develop their physical activity project further by:

• Including exercise to prevent falls
• Considering the particular needs of those with neurological conditions
• Exploring the use of technology in further promoting physical activity
• Promoting walking as a means to improving mental health

There is evidence from the 415new participants and carers who have commenced the programme this past year that demonstrates the benefits of the exercise sessions in keeping people well. Given the successes of the existing exercise opportunities, we will extend the service to include those at risk of falls, those with neurological disorders and those with mental health problems.

Falls are not an inevitable part of ageing, and there are many ways to reduce the risk of falls, including appropriate exercise.There are few healthcare models where the evidence base is so strong.

Following and complimenting hospital-centred rehabilitation, a community exercise programme that allows those at risk of falls to be referredwill keep people fitter, reduce the risk of falling, and prevent hospital re-admission.

For those who are able, the exercise sessions will be delivered within local leisure centres. Classes are currently held once a week at every leisure facility. However, these classes will be increased from once a week to twice a week in order to meet the minimum requirements of balance training and muscle strengthening activity of older adults. Two exercise instructors have received postural stability (falls prevention) training, and as they are locality based, a third instructor will be identified and trained, to oversee the North East Angus area. Additional ‘in-house’ training for exercise instructors/leaders will also be undertaken to reiterate the importance of falls prevention. This will be delivered by local physiotherapy and qualified instructor staff.

The activity programme will be self-sustaining once established as a not-for-profit charge will be made to participants. It is anticipated that 800 additional participants will be identified over the three yearfunding period.

For those who are housebound, the seated exercise service will be delivered by volunteers, for a minimal 6 week period. Participants will be taught key exercises that can be undertaken on their own once the time with the volunteer has ceased. Home exercise programme information will be given to all volunteer exercise leaders, in addition to the ReVitalyz accredited training that volunteers have previously received.

New and emerging technology also has a part to play in helping keep people physically active. The Nintendo Wii has been used successfully in neurological rehabilitation programmes in Angus. However, there is some evidence from the Group’s previous project work to demonstrate that use of the equipment requires assistance and supervision and that staff do not currently have the capacity to embrace this.Volunteers will play an important part in facilitating the use of the Wii in community settings.

There is also potential merit in exploring the use of a telehealth option for exercise delivery.This will allow participants in rural areas, in their own homes, in village hallsor in care homes/sheltered housing, to take part in and enjoy a physical activity session in other areas of Angus.

We plan to explore the use of ‘Skype’ in the first instance and will identify a pilot site (e.g. a care home) where an exercise instructor can make an assessment of need and then design appropriate exercise sessions. With support from staff on site, residents/clients will follow the instructor on screen. Depending on the success of this (in terms of technology issues, safetyconsiderations and adherence), we intend that many sites will ‘tune in’ to an exercise session on ‘Skype’ (or other technology) and hence one exercise instructor will reach multiple venues and participants at the same time. In the 1-1 settings, we will explore how new technology such as ‘Skype’ can be used to support home exercise (for those unable to leave their homes and/or for those who have come to an end of their 6 week input from a volunteer exercise instructor).

Our Project has already made use of the Nintendo Wii for home use as a pilot programme. Now that we are aware that neurological rehabilitation programmes in Angus has also used this, we are planning to offer this as a follow-up to participants of this programme.

Innovative use of technology in supporting self-management as described above will be a significant new development for Angus Cardiac Group, and will be important in leading the way in Angus and across Scotland.