Recovery Group Information Day

Service User trainers wanted to Co-facilitate recovery groups.  For further information and to apply please click the link below:

http://liveitwell.org.uk/docs/blogs/blog_shepway/Recovery%20Group%20poster.pdf

Mental Health Support/Action Event at Maidstone on 25th January

MIND are running these national events on the themes of campaigning and influencing the new NHS structures and the tools people need to effectively do so, to showcase peer support research, highlighting interesting and innovative projects, and to look at challenging discrimination through workshops run by Time to Change champions.

The Kent event will be in Maidstone. For further details and to book a place please click on the link below:

http://liveitwell.org.uk/docs/blogs/blogs_all/Take%20mental%20health%20action_A5_v8.pdf

Shepway Open Forum for Mental Health Seasonal Blog

Our forums have been well attended this month and we are in the process of arranging a Christmas lunch.

We have attended various Trust meetings and events including the Ensuring Quality, Valuing Difference conference (taking part in the forensic workshop), Cluster 7 meeting, Community Recovery Service Line meeting, Older Peoples Services, JCB, Opening of the new Mental Health Unit in Canterbury and the Community Engagement Implementation and Monitoring Group.

Other meetings/groups we have attended are NSUN Networking, Shepway Patients Group (update from SKC CCG Dr Chee Mah on the proposed governance design overview), Folkestone Rethink Carers Support Group and Shepway Open Forum joint meeting (where the guest speaker was Dr Chris Koen) which was a very successful event.

We are still supporting one long term sectioned patient who is hopefully soon to be moved to the Rehab Service. This has given us the opportunity to observe how things work as an inpatient and highlights the need for good communications between all concerned.

We would encourage you to join your GP’s Patient group to keep mental health issues high on their agenda.

We now have three members who are training in Peer Support Brokerage and are available in this locality to help you if you have a personal budget and a direct payment.

We would like to say a big thank you to Paul Absolon for all his support over many years and wish him a long and healthy retirement.

Jackie Fairlie and Angela Harrison
Shepway Open Forum for Mental Health

Acute Mental Health Review Survey

We are looking at how to improve services for people in a mental health crisis. We launched a public consultation on mental health crisis care services in July and want to hear people’s views. The deadline for responses is 26 October and we’d be grateful if anyone  who uses or is involved with mental health services would please complete this survey.

Here is a short film on our YouTube channel which explains what the proposals are and why they are needed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PNHI91ovVs

Here is the link to the online survey to have your say: http://www.kmpt.nhs.uk/adultacuteconsultation

There’s also more information on the KMPT website: http://www.kmpt.nhs.uk/acute-mental-health-review

Many thanks for your help.

Emily Turner

Communications and Media Manager

NHS Kent and Medway

Brook House

John Wilson Business Park

Whitstable

CT5 3DD

Shepway Open Forum for Mental Health Summer Blog 2012

We have had some very interesting experiences in our locality, doing the Authorised Visitor visits for Kent Link to local Care Homes/ Nursing and Elderly Mentally Ill homes. It was a very positive experience.

The Shepway GP Patients Group has developed into a larger Forum and we are able to voice any concerns about all local health issues. It is important for all Mental Health Groups to develop better relationships with GP Patients Groups (there should be one at your surgery).

We have enjoyed many meetings and lunches together and have supported each other during unexpected bereavements. It is with many happy memories; we will remember those who have died.

We attended a Workshop on Peer Support in May where it was confirmed that KMPT are making plans to employ paid Peer Support Workers on Inpatient Wards.

During August we hope to have a day out in Whitstable to coincide with the Carnival and make the most of the ‘Summer’. We will also be having a site tour of the new Inpatient Unit at St Martins in Canterbury.

We have been encouraging our members to join the Foundation Trust as more members are needed. We hope you all enjoy the summer.

Jackie and Angela.

(apologies for the very late posting of this item, through no fault of Jackie and Angela)

KMPT Foundation Trust Public Engagement Event

The Kent and Medway Partnership Trust (KMPT) are holding a series of events to enable the public, some of whom will be service users and carers, to open up a dialogue with members of KMPT's Executive team in finding out about the values, visions and future plans of the organisation, and how this inter-links with KMPT's application to become a Foundation Trust.

The East Kent event is on 11 April, 18:30 - 20:30, at

Anselm Hall (Main North Campus),
Canterbury Christ Church University
Homes Road, Canterbury
CT1 1QU

Shepway Open Forum Easter Blog

It has been a very busy time since our last blog and as we are getting closer to Easter we can wish you all a Happy Eastertime.

During our meetings and lunches we have discussed many issues. Many members are concerned about ESA and Benefit changes and are unhappy about their GP’s charging £15-£25 to write letters when some people have had their benefit cut to £67.50 per week.

Poor quality rented housing is another issue in Shepway and the points system does not favour single people with a Mental Health Issue, this is another area where GP’s could be more supportive.

We are planning another outing perhaps to Brighton or Hastings and will encourage members to take part in local events celebrating the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics.

Happy Easter from Angela and Jackie shepwayopenforum@gmail.com

Counselling Team

Counselling Team Ltd are your local NHS free of charge Psychological Therapies Provider, for patients with mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety. If you are registered with a Shepway GP surgery you can now self-refer using this online form.

Open Day at The Beacon 27 March

The Beacon in Ramsgate is the home of the Thanet Community Mental Health Team. On Tuesday 27 March they are holding an Open Day, to enable Beacon-based staff to meet and mingle with local voluntary, charitable and non-statutory providers of care and support to those with mental health problems and needs - including service user and carer organisations. The intended outcome is increased referrals from The Beacon to non-statutory providers, increased use of Personal Budgets, and greater community connections!


Amongst those attending will be representatives from the Live It Well website, Rethink, Mental Health Matters and Time to Change.


Tuesday 27 March, 10am to 2pm at


The Beacon
Manston Road
Ramsgate
CT12 6NT

Service user and carer involvement - 15 Steps Challenge

We all know that first impressions count and when walking on to a hospital ward the first “15 Steps” will give you an impression of what is happening on the ward. The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement are developing the 15 Steps Challenge, a tool to support ward walk arounds, looking at productive wards from the patient perspective. The programme identifies simple things like protecting meal times, protecting drug rounds and preventing interruptions at staff handovers.

The Strategic Health Authority (SHA) are working with mental health trusts across the south of England in developing this tool for mental health, as it was originally developed for Acute Trusts. The Kent & Medway Partnership Trust (KMPT) have adapted this tool slightly to fit in with the productive mental health ward and will be part of the SHA’s work, but in the meantime will use the tool developed.

The process will be that a team of people consisting of non-executive directors, carers and services users, directors, service managers etc. will visit one to two wards every month to audit against the 15 steps criteria (no more that 4 people will be in any team). A programme will be produced and co-ordinated through the Compliance and Risk Management Team who will also work in getting teams together. A briefing session will then be delivered by the Deputy Director of Nursing to the teams.

The dates for the team briefings aimed at a more in-depth explanation of the process are 11th April in Canterbury at 2pm for 90 minutes &10th April at West Malling at 2pm for 90 minutes.

Anyone interested in getting involved in the team visits should contact Janet Lloyd, PPCI Manager Kent & Medway Partnership Trust, via email or on 01227 812034

Are you a mental health service user or carer?

Would you like to ask a question or raise an issue about Kent & Medway Partnership Trust (KMPT) services with senior management?


Andy Oldfield, Assistant Director for East Kent Community Services

Cathy Nyemeck, Service Manager for Canterbury, Coastal & Swale Recovery Services

Michelle Webb, Service Manager for Canterbury, Coastal & Swale Access Services

will be available to talk to you on 30th May 2012, from 2.30pm - 4:30pm

at

Main Hall, St Martin’s Hospital,
Littlebourne Road, Canterbury, CT1 1AZ

East Kent Carers Support newsletter

East Kent Carers Support - part of Rethink Mental Illness - have published a newsletter full of valuable information and articles.