Learning & Skills Council
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is responsible for funding and planning education and training for over 16-year-olds in England. It covers key providers such as further education and sixth form colleges, schools with sixth forms, local authority and adult education institutions and private and voluntary sector providers.
The David Lewis Specialist College therefore comes under the auspices of the Learning & Skills Council and most of the students in the College are sponsored by the LSC.
The LSC is part of the Department for Education and Skills and so links are provided below to both the DfES and the LSC websites.
Link to Learning & Skills website: www.lsc.gov.uk/
Link to Department for Education & Skills website: www.dfes.gov.uk
National Assembly for Wales Department of Children Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) fund students from Wales nearly always in partnership with Social Services/Health.
Link to National Assembly for Wales website: new.wales.gov.uk
Mental Health Act Commission
The Mental Health Act Commission was established in 1983 and consists of some 170 members (Commissioners), including laypersons, lawyers, doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists and other specialists. Its functions are:
1 To keep under review the operation of the Mental Health act 1983 in respect of patients liable to be detained under the Act.
2 To visit and interview, in private, patients detained under the Act in hospitals and mental nursing homes.
3 To investigate complaints which fall within the Commission's remit.
4 To review decisions to withhold the mail of patients detained in the High Security Hospitals.
5 To appoint medical practitioners and others to give second opinions in cases where this is required by the Act.
6 To publish and lay before Parliament a report every 2 years.
7 To monitor the implementation of the Code of Practice and propose amendments to Ministers.
In addition, the Commission is encouraged by the Secretary of State to advise on policy matters that fall within the Commission's remit.
The Richard Miller Unit at The David Lewis Centre is registered as a Mental Hospital in the private & voluntary sector under the Healthcare Commission and this Unit operates within the remit and according to the principles of the Mental Health Act Commission.
Link to Mental Health Commission website: www.mhac.trent.nhs.uk
Government Departments
Links to the government departments and commissions directly involved in the registration and inspection of the work of The David Lewis Centre are given on other pages in this links section. There are a number of other departments and regulators with whom we have a close contact as a result of our establishment as a charity, as a business and with our involvement in health.
Links to these important bodies are provided below:
Charity Commission: www.charity-commission.gov.uk
Companies House: www.companies-house.gov.uk
Department of Health: www.doh.gov.uk
Information Commissioner: www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
National Health Service: www.nhs.uk
People Support Team
Valuing People is the government's plan for making the lives of people with learning disabilities and their families better.
Valuing People Support Team website: www.doh.gov.uk/vpst
There is a Regional Advisor for the North West, Martin Routledge, who can be contacted at:
Valuing People Support Team
c/o NWTDT
The Globe
St. James Square
Accrington
BB5 0RE
Tel: 01254 306858
Email:
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Martin’s PA is Sheila Stirling who can be contacted on the same phone number, or by e-mailing
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There is a Valuing People North West website for people with a learning disability, their families and those who support them. The website is specifically aimed at people living in the North West of England, but welcomes visits from anyone. It is all about people's right to an ordinary life in their community.
Valuing People North West website: www.vpnw.org.uk
