Here is the latest email update for the NHS England Learning Disability and Autism Forum. It tells you about ways you can get involved in our work.

We write this update in plain English and we tell you about more accessible resources like the easy read newsletter.

Join reducing restraint expert reference group

We want fewer people to be restrained in any way in health care settings.

This includes things like being locked away from everyone from anyone else. This also includes being held down by one or more staff.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have an expert reference group that’s advises on the work to reduce the number of people being restrained.

We are now looking for two people to join the group who have experienced restrictive practice in a health care setting. The next meeting is on 2 October and the group meets twice per year. We would pay your expenses to get to the meeting.

For more information or to tell us you are interested email england.qa-pmo@nhs.net please contact us by Thursday 12 September 2019.

We would particularly welcome new members from

• black, Asian and minority ethnic communities (BAME)
• people with experience of child and adolescent inpatient mental health services
• experience of being fed through your nose (nasogastric feeding)

Apply for a community grant to show how you involve people

NHS England and NHS Improvement will be awarding grants of up to £2500 to projects that showcase good practice around patient and citizen involvement in healthcare. Applicants will need to provide details of the successful involvement project they have completed, along with details of how they plan to use the grant to share and showcase their work in a creative way.

The grants can only be awarded to a voluntary, community or social enterprise organisation. Please ensure you read the 2019 guidelines for community grant applicants pack before you apply, to check that your organisation and project is eligible. If you are eligible you will need to complete the application form by Monday, 23 September 2019 using the apply now button.

10 awards were made last year including one to Skills For People for a learning disability and autism project about mindfulness.

Online resources to help staff involve people who have a learning disability and autistic people

We have created some new webpages that explain what can be done by staff to involve people with a learning disability, autistic people or both and family carers. This includes helping people be involved in decisions about services, policies and their own support.

If you know of good resources to share about involving people that we could signpost from these webpages, let us know.

Webinar – why and how to involve with people with a learning disability and autistic people in system level change.

19 Sept 13:30-14:30. This webinar is aimed at CCG commissioning, communications and engagement staff, and people working in or with sustainable transformation partnerships (STPs) or integrated care systems (ICSs).

The Learning Disability and Autism Engagement team will share ideas, resources and examples of good practice about including people with a learning disability, autism or both in system change.

Email engage@nhs.net if you are interested in joining.