Opportunities

Mental Health Service
- User Involvement

Users Support Service/Service User Reference Group (SURG)

The opportunity

This is an opportunity for those with a lived experience of mental health to get involved and affect change through the planning, monitoring and auditing of local Mental Health services.

Opportunities for involvement can vary from your desire to share your knowledge and experience of using services in the training and recruitment of Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust staff through to using your employment skills and experience at a senior board level working with service Commissioners and Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust in the development and implementation of service change and new services.

The organisation

With the support of the Users Support Service, SURG is an independent group of people with a lived experience of mental health and Mental Health services who work to inform mental health services of user experiences and expectations through being involved in the planning, monitoring and delivering mental health services.

Skills/Qualifications

A lived experience is essential but it is desirable that people utilise the skills and experience they may have gained throughout their work and life.

Do not worry if you feel you lack specific skills or confidence to participate as support and necessary training can be offered that will allow you to develop your skills to be involved.

Times you can volunteer

Monday: Morning, Afternoon
Tuesday: Morning, Afternoon
Wednesday: Morning, Afternoon
Thursday: Morning, Afternoon
Friday: Morning, afternoon

SERVICE USER REFERENCE GROUP (SURG)

will be held on the

4th March 2010

at

The Doddridge Centre,
St. James Road,
Northampton.

10.00am-3pm

Refreshments and sandwiches will be available and an allowance is payable after attendance at the first two meetings. Travel expenses will also be paid.

COME ALONG AND FIND OUT WHAT WE DO WE ARE A FRIENDLY BUNCH

For more information please contact Val
on
Northampton 756845

Some of the items discussed at the last Surg meeting were:

Questions to NHFT Directors
Feedback on policy for searching patients, visitors and rooms
Patients' Experience Group Work Plan
Training with the Trust and Northamptonshire County Council and a skills and interest audit
Self Directed Support Payments.
Events and opportunities for service users to attend

and become involved in.

LEARN2b

Learn2b is a partnership project between Changing Minds-Northamptonshire Teaching PCT and Northamptonshire County Council`s Adult Learning Service. Learn2b aims to enhance the well-being of people living in Northamptonshire through a range of creative, social, recreational and therapeutic groups delivered in communites.

The courses are as follows:

Healthy Living - groups focussing on sporting activities, nutrition, and recreational pursuits.

Creative Expression - using creative writing, arts and crafts to aid expression.

Well-being - groups focussing on managing distressing symptoms such as anxiety, panic and low mood.

If you require any further information about future courses please contact Susan Taylor (Learn2b Administrator) on: 01604 893451 or via email: susan.taylor2@northants.nhs.uk

Experiences of Court - can you help?

BMRB have been asked by the Ministry of Justice to speak to people about their experiences of court.

The Ministry of Justice are part of the government and are responsible for the courts in England and Wales. They have asked BMRB to speak to people about their experiences of court. BMRB are an independent research company who do lots of research for the government.

They wish to speak to adults with mental health problems, learning disabilities and limited capacity. This will also involve talking to carer`s, friends, relatives and advocates about their experiences.

If you require any further information please contact Val
on
Northampton 756845

Unique campaign to promote Mental Health Hate Crime reporting

A unique national campaign has been launched by Stop Hate UK which is aimed at raising awareness of Hate Crime and protecting people with Mental Health problems.

It is estimated that approximately 450 million people worldwide have a Mental Health problem and 1 in 4 people in UK will experience some kind of Mental Health problem in the course of a year.

Many people with Mental Health problems experience Hate Crime in the form of verbal abuse, intimidation and physical attacks as a result of people’s ignorance, stigma or prejudice. According to recent research, Hate Crime affects 3 out of 4 people with a Mental Health problem. At present this goes virtually unreported.

Stop Hate UK is working towards encouraging reporting of Mental Health Hate Crime, raise awareness of victims’ rights and offer support to victims.

Stop Hate UK works to raise awareness of Hate Crime and discrimination based on Disability, Religion or Belief, Race, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. A 24-hour helpline, the Stop Hate Line, provides a free and confidential alternative to reporting directly to the police and enables victims to get support when they need it.

The Stop Hate Line can be used to report incidents people witness, even if they do not have full details or were not themselves the victim. Anyone who sees Hate Crime happening, or thinks they know someone who is a victim, can call 0800 138 1625 in confidence. Information will only be passed on to the police and relevant support agencies with the caller’s consent.

Stop Hate UK has developed a poster and leaflet to raise awareness of how people with Mental Health problems can be victims of Hate Crime. Service users were involved in this campaign from the very beginning to help create effective resources.

“People often aren’t aware that they have experienced a Hate Crime, or that they can report it. This campaign is to inform and encourage people to report such incidents” said Rose Simkins (Chief Executive, Stop Hate UK).

Copies of Mental Health Hate Crime posters and leaflets can be obtained from Stop Hate UK.

Please contact:

Email: info@stophateuk.org

Main office: 0113 293 5100

Main office (Text Direct): 18001 0113 293 5100

Fax: 0113 341 0396

Web: www.stophateuk.org

Interview Panel Training

Northamptonshire Healthcare Trust are committed to involving service-users in the selection process for the recruitment of new nursing and management staff. To take part in this, you will need to have completed the necessary training. The training would be at St Marys Hospital, Kettering, and travel expenses would be reimbursed.

________________________________________________________________

For details of any of the above please contact Val Nicholas on

01604 756845

or email her at