To celebrate Shared Lives Week 2025 (23 - 27 June) Alison from the It's All About People team talks to Katie Reilly, Development Worker with Shared Lives Lincolnshire and Carer, and Toni Ulyatt, Carer Recruitment for PSS (Person-Shaped Support) Shared Lives, to explore what this approach really means for people across Lincolnshire.

Katie and Toni speak with such genuine passion about the difference Shared Lives is making and how it’s all about giving people real choice, personalised support, and a sense of belonging. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach; it’s about truly seeing, understanding, and supporting each individual.

Katie also shares what being a Shared Lives Carer has meant for her, and her family, and how it’s not just life-changing for the person being supported, but for the carer too.

And for anyone keeping score with Our Shared Agreement Five Foundations bingo… Alison’s pretty sure all Five Foundations are ticked off in this podcast!

So, give this podcast a listen. You’ll come away inspired, uplifted, and maybe even ready to get involved yourself!

About Shared Lives

Shared Lives is a care and support service where an approved carer shares their home and family life with someone who needs support, offering accommodation, care, and companionship. It's an alternative to traditional care settings like care homes, providing a more integrated and community-focused approach. Shared Lives schemes match individuals with a carer based on their needs and preferences, offering varying levels of support, including full-time living, short breaks, or day support.

In this episode, former Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) ReSPECT Project Manager Jenny Fryer is joined by Laura Golding, Paramedic and Pathways Lead for the Lincolnshire Division of East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS).

Part of Laura’s role is to find alternatives for ambulance crews to avoid taking people to Accident and Emergency (A&E), and ensuring that the person receives the most appropriate care from the ambulance crews that support them.

Jenny and Laura discuss the ReSPECT process, which provides ambulance crews with a clear, personalised summary of what kind of care a patient wants in an emergency — especially when that person can’t speak for themselves. These forms help crews make fast, informed decisions that respect the person’s wishes and values, even in the most urgent moments.

Caty from the It's All About People Personalisation Programme Team is joined by Jo Taylor and Mike Farley, both Community Connectors, to chat about their role and the impact it has on communities, on people, and on local partnerships.

They share inspiring examples of how kindness and a warm welcome at Wellbeing Hubs really does change lives, and they explain what can happen when people ‘work together for the wellbeing of everyone’ and ‘make the most of what’s available to us’ – living and breathing the Five Foundations of Our Shared Agreement and turning them into action.

Find out more about Wellbeing Hubs and Community Connectors around the county here:

https://haylincolnshire.co.uk/

PLEASE NOTE: that the new satellite Wellbeing Hub that Mike mentions in north Lincoln was launched on 13 May, the day this episode was recorded.

To celebrate Carers Week 2025 (9 – 15 June), Alison talked to Laura Blaine, Carers Lead at Lincolnshire County Council.

Laura shares her passion for supporting unpaid carers and shines a light on the wide range of services available across Lincolnshire.

Whether you're a carer yourself or just want to learn more, this is an inspiring and important listen.

The Lincolnshire Carers Service is commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council and delivered in partnership with the Care & Wellbeing Hub and Carers First.

The Care & Wellbeing Hub provides the first point of contact for the Lincolnshire Carers Service, providing information, advice, and support to unpaid carers over the telephone, and Carers First work directly with carers in local communities across Lincolnshire so they can live their lives to the fullest.

The hub offer services to support carers at every stage of their caring journey allowing them to find the balance they wish to achieve in their lives.

Find out more about Carers Week 2025

Welcome to our 50th podcast episode – we made it!

We’re thrilled to celebrate this milestone with two fantastic guests (and members of the It's All About People family) Vicky Thomson and John Day, who join Alison to chat about their inspiring volunteer work with Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) in their local GP practices.

They share real stories about what it’s like to get involved, the difference volunteers can make, and why they love doing it.

It’s a perfect way to mark National Patient Participation Week and Volunteers’ Week, because as Vicky and John show us, volunteers really do make things happen.

So grab a cuppa, tune in, and get inspired!

In this Takeover episode, Ela & Ed are joined by Rachael Hunt, Training and Development Officer at the Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children’s Partnership (LSCP).

With a deep-rooted passion and long-standing commitment to tackling misogyny, Rachael brings thoughtful insight to a dynamic conversation that explores the growing spotlight on misogyny, and why it remains such a persistent issue today.

Rachael also shares practical advice for both parents and professionals, along with helpful signposting for anyone looking to better understand or challenge misogyny where they live and work.

About Ela & Ed

Ela Walji is an Improvement Practice Lead at Lincolnshire County Council and also an Expert by Experience. Ed Clayton is a Practice Advisor with Children's Services at Lincolnshire County Council.

The ReSPECT process creates personalised recommendations for a person’s clinical care and treatment in a future emergency in which they are unable to make or express choices.

In this episode, former Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) ReSPECT Project Manager Jenny Fryer is joined by Abi Alexander, Macmillan Clinical Team Leader at Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS), to discuss the process of completing a ReSPECT plan following a ReSPECT conversation.

Their discussion underscores the importance of completing plans as thoroughly and accurately as possible, offering practical advice and best practice tips to help ensure each ReSPECT plan is clear, effective, and truly reflects the individual’s wishes.

To mark Dementia Action Week 2025 (19–25 May), Diane Hinchliffe and Claire Bagshaw from the Alzheimer’s Society join Alison from the It’s All About People Personalisation Programme team to highlight some of the impactful work being done to support people with Young Onset Dementia in Lincolnshire.

In this engaging discussion, Diane, Claire, and Alison challenge common myths about dementia, emphasize the power of language, and explore the unique challenges faced by those living with Young Onset Dementia.

The episode also features moving poems from individuals with lived experience, offering powerful personal insights into their journeys.