Rethink Manchester Carers in Action

End the Care Crisis: Lobby 2012

2012-02-17T15:42:00.000Z

Today we've heard the news that disabled people (including people with a mental illness) could be forced to work for free or face a cut in benefits. The clause is part of the welfare reform bill currently working its way through Parliament and applies only to individuals placed in the Employment and Support Allowance 'work related activity group'. If you are unsure whether this applies to you, talk to you benefits advisor. If you think you have been placed in the Wrag group incorrectly, contact the Rethink Advice and Information Service.

As well as changes to the welfare system, government is also reforming our social care system. On 6th March, Rethink Mental Illness is organising a lobby of parliament to protest against some of the changes. Participants will meet in Westminster at 12pm, where you can participate in a Rethink Mental Illness ‘lobbying your MP’ training session. We’ll have lunch. You can then take part in a media photo opportunity, if you want to.

We’ll then head off to the Houses of Parliament at 2pm, so you can meet your MP at a time we can arrange for you. The day will end at 5pm. If you'd like to take part in the lobby you can register here. You need to register by 20th February at the latest.

Can you help Rethink Mental Illness' Advice and Information Service?

2012-02-07T18:54:00.002Z

Because of high demand, the Advice and Information Service run by Rethink Mental Illness is in desperate need of additional funds. They've been a great source of support for many of our group so if you can spare a few pounds then every little really does help. You can donate here. Find out more about the Advice and Information service.

Get heard within local GPs commissioning groups‏

2012-02-06T17:41:00.003Z

Please see below for an urgent notice about getting involved in commissioning for health care services in North and Central Manchester.

Very important - we need local voices on these groups to get the best/ correct health care for our communities !!! - please circulate to your contacts , especially people who have a GP in North Manchester. Thankyou.

Please let us know if you are interested by 5pm on by Friday 17 February. Contact: North: julian.palfreyman@manchester.nhs.uk

Advertisement for North & Central Manchester Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) Patient and Public Advisory Groups

The GP-led Clinical Commissioning Groups in north and central Manchester are looking for public representatives to act as a ‘voice’ on behalf of patients registered with north and central Manchester GP practices. The groups will be supported by NHS staff.

Who might become a member of a Patient and Public Advisory Group?

We welcome anyone living and / or working in north or central Manchester to apply to become a member of the group. Preference will be given to those who live in north or central Manchester and are registered with a north or central Manchester GP practice. We are looking for individuals who:

Are aged 16 years and above.
Have experience of the healthcare system in north or central Manchester as a patient or carer.
Have an interest in local healthcare issues.
Have an interest in the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
Are able to take an objective approach to priority setting and who can take a broad view of the role to encompass the viewpoint of others.

Although training will be given in order for individuals to feel confident representing views on behalf of diverse local communities, we welcome diversity within the group, and would encourage individuals of all ages, ethnicities, disabilities etc to apply.

Application packs will be sent out week commencing Monday 24 February to all applicants, including those who have applied previously. Applicants who work as health professionals would not normally be appointed, as there are other ways for their views to be heard. Please note that this invitation is only for north and central Manchester as the group in the south CCG area has already been set up.

Please let us know if you are interested by 5pm on by Friday 17 February. Contact:
North: julian.palfreyman@manchester.nhs.uk
Central: sandra.stronach@manchester.nhs.uk

RMCIA meeting this week

2012-02-06T07:58:00.001Z

It's our next meeting this Wednesday 8th February, from 6 – 7.45pm at Manchester Carers Centre, Vulcan Mill, 12-18 Pollard Street., M4 7AN.

As well as having a cup of tea, bite to eat and a good catch up, we've got a guest speaker, Jessica Williams, from Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust. She’ll be talking to us about what becoming a Foundation Trust will mean for the Trust, our service users and members. As well as our forthcoming public governor elections and how these will enable members to have their say and shape the way mental health services are delivered in Manchester.

If you are travelling by public transport or by foot, a ‘walking bus’ will leave from the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station at 5:30pm. Please call Lindsey Cree on 07757 082976 to let us know you will be coming, so we know to wait for you.

If you are travelling by car then free parking is available on Pollard Street after 6pm.

Mental Health Trust governor elections

2012-02-04T11:46:00.000Z

If you're a member of Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust, you'll just have received - or will soon be receiving - a letter about upcoming governor elections. As a membership led organisation the Trust needs to have members involved in the Council, which provides oversight for (though does not run) the Trust.

If you're interested in standing for the role of Governor, then the letter contains information about upcoming events where you can go and find out more. Details are also available on the Trust's website. The events run from 6th to 17th Feb, with nominations closing on 21st February. Ballot papers will be sent out to members on the 9th March with the ballot closing on the 30th.

There's a useful FAQs section on the Trust's website about becoming a Governor, as well as an outline of duties.

If you're not already a member of the Trust you can join here.

Schizophrenia on BBC Radio 4 Tuesday 7th Feb

2012-02-02T09:02:00.002Z

Next Tuesday 7th Feb, at 9am and repeated again at 21.30, Professor Robin Murray is being interviewed by Jim al-Khalili on The Life Scientific about his views on the causes of schizophrenia. If you can't listen at either of these times then the show will be available as a podcast on BBC iPlayer - we'll post the link once it's up. More information on BBC R4 website.

MUN Invites Speaker, Steve Cova From DWP To Answer Your Questions On DLA

2012-02-02T08:29:00.000Z

Manchester Users Network meeting, 21st February, 11am, Harpurhey Wellbeing Centre, (formally Harpurhey Day Centre), 93 Church Lane, Harpurhey, Manchester M9 4BE. Guest Speaker, Steve Cova from DWP to answer your questions on DLA & cuts to your benefit. Further information tel Alan, (0161) 918 4343/(0161) 492 0790.

More information on Manchester Users Network website.

Foundation Trust governor elections

2012-01-18T21:46:00.003Z

We've just received this announcement from the Trust...

Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust recently announced that they passed into the final Monitor phase of their Foundation Trust application. This means that they will shortly be launching our Governor elections and need people who are passionate about improving our services to come forward and stand for election. As a Governor you would play a big part in shaping services by representing the views of service users and carers as well as carrying out key statutory duties.

There will be 14 Public Governors on the Council of Governors representing four constituencies – North Manchester (five Governors), South Manchester (five), Greater Manchester (three) and Out of Area (one). These 14 Governors will sit alongside four staff Governors and seven appointed Governors representing partner organisations such as Manchester City Council.

There are lots of reasons for standing as a Foundation Trust Governor. For some, becoming a Governor of an NHS Foundation Trust will provide the opportunity to represent the views of your community to help develop and improve mental health, social care and wellbeing services in Manchester. For others, it is the chance to put something back into their local NHS or to help reduce stigma against people with mental health problems or disabilities.

Becoming a Governor also offers the opportunity to build new social networks and learn new, transferable skills which can help enhance your CV and provide new experiences.

The only criteria are that you are over 16 and a member of the Foundation Trust already (details of how to sign up are at the bottom of this article). Members who decide to stand will be given all the support they need throughout the process and training on how to carry out the role will be given to all those who are successfully elected.

There is much more information on becoming a Governor available from the Trust. To find out more or to become a member contact the Foundation Trust Membership Office on 0161 2771222 or email ftmembership@mhsc.nhs.uk.

Alternatively, you can go to http www.mhsc.nhs.uk/foundation-trust/becoming-a-governor

Introducing our new Chair

2012-01-17T17:47:00.002Z

We're really delighted to announce that following an election at our meeting last week we now have a new group Chair. Lindsey Cree has been a really active member of Rethink Manchester Carers in Action and is a brilliant champion for mental health issues.

Lindsey says of herself: "I am a member of Rethink Mental Illness, as well as Rethink Manchester Carers in Action, and am passionate about supporting carers of those with a mental illness. I am an Involvement Worker with Rethink's Mental Health Education Team and am involved in research with Manchester University with the aim of enhancing service user involvement in care planning of mental health services. I attend local LINk and Mental Health Watchdog meetings in Manchester."

Well done Lindsey and thanks so much for taking on the role!

Schizophrenia Commission - Manchester hearing

2012-01-17T17:33:00.002Z

The Schizophrenia Commission held its first event in London last week. More information from the event including pod casts of speaker talks and their slide point presentations will be posted on the Commission's website soon.

The second event will be in Manchester on 21 February 2012. You can apply online now for tickets. Please follow the link - and pass onto your friends and contacts. The theme for Manchester is treatment and services for schizophrenia and psychosis.

Schizophrenia Commission on Twitter

2012-01-10T21:29:00.001Z

It was the first hearing of the Schizophrenia Commission today. If you're on Twitter you can follow what's happening at @szcomm https://twitter.com/#!/szcomm

Trust Adult Mental Health Community Services Review

2012-01-10T21:25:00.001Z

We've posted a couple of blogs about a review being conducted by Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust of Adult Mental Health Community Services. You can read the main points we raised with the Trust.

The Trust has provided an update on this review which you can access on its website. Some of the points we raised - about how people will be 'stepped up' and 'stepped down' the new model of care, and continued involvement of carers - are addressed.

Manchester City Council - Consultation on Mental Health Residential and Nursing Care services

2012-01-10T21:18:00.000Z

Manchester City Council's Directorate for Adults, Health and Wellbeing is proposing to change the way it commissions Residential and Nursing Care placements for customers with mental ill-health.

A 12 week consultation process runs from 6 December 2011 and ends on 28 February 2012.

The Council is seeking the views of both existing and prospective Service Providers in relation to our future commissioning intentions and the development of a mental health specific, service specification and pricing framework.

We'll try to take a look at the consultation documents (though there are three of them) and if appropriate complete the survey. Full details of the consultation are available on the Council's website.

Scary conversations...

2012-01-09T21:57:00.001Z

I've pinched this graphic from the Time to Change website. It's part of a new campaign for 2012 to try and get people talking more openly about mental health in an effort to reduce discrimination. I think it's a great illustration of how we can get a bit wound up about how to approach talking to someone who's experiencing mental health problems, when often a simple 'hi, how are you feeling today' is all that's needed. You can make a pledge to talk about mental health on the Time to Change website.

Lancashire Hearing Voices Network - new regional network

2012-01-09T21:49:00.004Z

On Wednesday 15th February 2012, Lancashire Hearing Voices Network will be holding an event to launch a new regional network for the support and empowerment of those who suffer emotional distress from hearing voices, unusual beliefs and tactile experiences.

This event will include the following speakers:

Peter Bullimore & Kate Crawford - Hearing Voices Network
Dr Rufus May - Clinical Psychologist
Rachel Waddingham - Voice Collective (Young People)
Erica Irene - Dutch Hearing Voices Network
Paul Hammersley — Lancaster University

Venue: Claremont First Steps Centre, Dickson Road, Blackpool, FY1 2AP
Registration, tea & coffee: 9.15—9.45am
Close of event: 4.00pm
Buffet lunch included
Cost: £40 Waged / £25 Students and part time / £15 Unwaged

For more info and to book your place, contact:
Dean Smith— 8 Edmondsen Place, Fleetwood, FY7 7GD
Tel: 07933 519 051
Email: shah75@gmx.com or
Jo Henderson— Tel: 07581 236 397
Email: mydae1@googlemail.com

Happy New Year - come to our first meeting of 2012

2012-01-07T20:59:00.001Z

We'll be having our first meeting of 2012 next Wednesday 11th January, from 6 – 7:45pm at Manchester Carers Centre, Vulcan Mill, 12-18 Pollard Street, Manchester M4 7AN.

As well as having a cup of tea, a bite to eat and a good catch up, we'll be planning our activities for the year ahead and hearing from a speaker about a research project being carried out by the University of Manchester to find out more about the daily lives of people who experience psychosis.

Everyone is welcome – just come along.

If you are travelling by public transport or by foot, a ‘walking bus’ will leave from the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station at 5:30pm. Please call Mary Patel on 07816 754 032 to let us know you will be coming, so we know to wait for you.

If you are travelling by car then free parking is available on Pollard Street after 6pm.

MEN: "Mental health issues hit 4 out of 5 inmates at Styal women’s prison"

2012-01-04T19:22:00.002Z

And another article on mental health from local media. This time much less positive (though thankfully balanced) but highlighting a really important issue, that many people in our prison system experience mental health issues.

The MEN reports: "Some 80 per cent of inmates had at least one diagnosed mental health issue, while 70 per cent had two or more. Despite that, the mental health unit at the over-stretched Cheshire prison had space for just ten women, the report found."

Full article here.

What I found more disturbing than the article were the comments - why is it that people spend their time posting such negative things? Here's a selection of the worst...

"is this 80.000 hyperciondriacs or just a lot of excuses for being locked up?????"

"They must have been mental to have been put in there in the first place."

I'll be optimistic and say that the kind of people who post comments such as this probably aren't very pleasant and aren't representative of the population as a whole. I've responded to some of the most unpleasant ones, though I'm not sure it's really worth engaging with people like that!

Rethink Mental Illness, the national charity that we're a part of, have a whole section of their website dedicated to criminal justice and mental health. If you're affected you can access plenty of information from this page.

GMW Mental Health Trust launches bipolar research project

2012-01-04T19:04:00.000Z

Just spotted this article in the Stretford and Urmston Messenger about Greater Manchester West Mental Health Foundation Trust launching a new research project to evaluate cognitive behavioural therapy for bipolar disorder. Full article here if you're interested.

Direct Payments event in Manchester, 17th January

2011-12-27T16:28:00.002Z

The Think Local Act Personal partnership and the National Centre for Independent Living are holding a series of 9 regional events for England. The events are titled 'Transforming social care through Direct Payments'. The North West event will take place in Manchester on 17th January (sorry, no time specified) at Breakthrough UK, Aked Close, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 4AN.

The government has challenged councils to significantly improve take up of direct payments and work towards making them the default offer for adult social care.

The events bring together a series of subject experts from key organisations in the field of direct payments including Think Local Act Personal, Skills for Care, the National Centre for Independent Living, Shared Lives Plus (formerly NAAPS UK) Community Catalysts, Groundswell and HMRC.

The workshops are aimed at senior commissioners and operational managers in councils, direct payments support organisations, providers working with DP recipients and self funders, and people using direct payments.

Each workshop will host up to 50 people and places will be allocated for each council area on a first come first served places. The workshops will provide practical advice and support in:

How to develop a strategy for making direct payments a default option
Understanding the key obligations for employing Personal Assistants
Commissioning good support services
Communicating with people about direct payments

To register your interest for the event please email Projects@ncil.org.uk
For information about the project please email simonstockton@me.com

MMHSCT passes Dept of Health stage for Foundation Trust application

2011-12-27T16:22:00.001Z

For any readers of this blog who are interested in the progress of Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust's Foundation Trust application, the news is that they have just passed the Department of Health stage. There are various hurdles to overcome to gain Foundation Trust status and this means that the Trust will now progress on to the next one, which is financial scrutiny by Monitor, the regulator for Foundation Trusts in England. More information about all this is available in MMHSCT's latest newsletter. More information about what becoming a Foundation Trust means is available on MMHSCT's Foundation Trust microsite as well as on the Monitor website.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

2011-12-24T17:42:00.001Z

I was about to post a Merry Christmas message from all of us at Rethink Manchester Carers in Action, when I read this one from our national charity, Rethink Mental Illness, which sums up what I'd like to say...

From everyone here at Rethink Mental Illness, we hope you all have a happy and safe Christmas and New Year!
If you or someone you know is feeling low at this time of year, please remember that the Samaritans service is available 24/7, 365 days a year. If you’re feeling down, depressed or anxious over the festive period, get in touch with them:
08457 90 90 90
http://www.samaritans.org/

It's our Christmas party this Wednesday!

2011-12-12T17:16:00.003Z

It's the Rethink Manchester Carers in Action Christmas Party this Wednesday 14th December, from 6 – 7:45pm at Manchester Carers Centre, Vulcan Mill, 12-18 Pollard Street, Manchester M4 7AN.

As well as having a cup of tea and a good catch up, we've got a fun line up including...

Exclusive music performance by Dissolved Boy - AKA Andrew CJ Smith!
Raffle to raise funds for our group
Food and drink – bring a little something to share!
Christmas quiz

Everyone is welcome – just come along.

If you are travelling by public transport or by foot, a ‘walking bus’ will leave from the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station at 5:30pm. Please call Mary Patel on 07816 754 032 to let us know you will be coming, so we know to wait for you.

If you are travelling by car then free parking is available on Pollard Street after 6pm.

Manchester LINk survey of crisis services

2011-12-10T17:34:00.001Z

The Manchester LINk is carrying out a survey of people's experiences of using Manchester's crisis services.
There are two versions of the survey, one for staff and one for patients - both of which are attached.

You can also fill out the survey online through 'Surveymonkey' by following the relevant link:

For patients: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XMGZGP8
For staff: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XWMQ8B6

The closing date for the survey is the end of December 2011. If you have any questions or would like to speak to someone at the LINk, please call: 0161 874 2187 or email: Manchesterlink@theBHA.org.uk

Crisis Line number change

2011-12-10T17:26:00.001Z

If you access the Crisis Line run by Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust, please note that due to technical problems the number has now changed.

The new number is 0161 922 3801.

All service users affected have been informed both by their Care Co-ordinator and by personal letter to their home address and all staff are aware of the change.

Incapacity Benefit Reassessment - new mentoring service from Making Space

2011-12-10T17:18:00.001Z

If you live in Manchester or Broughton, have a mental health condition and currently claim Incapacity Benefit, you might be interested in a new peer mentoring service from Making Space.

If you're claiming long-term Incapacity Benefit, the DWP will shortly be asking you to undertake an Incapacity Benefit Reassessment to decide whether you could be considered fit for work.

When they contact you, you can call on the Making Space Work4you service to help you
through the process.

Making Space will make sure you have the right information to take with you for your interview, or we can attend the interview with you if you wish, and help with any appeals if necessary.

Contact details:
FOR MANCHESTER
CAROL GARRETT - 0784 326 8068
Email: Carol.Garrett@makingspace.co.uk
TRACEY HARPER - 0784 326 8023
Email: Tracey.Harper@makingspace.co.uk
FOR SALFORD
ANDREW ATKINSON - 0784 326 7957
Email: Andrew.Atkinson@makingspace.co.uk

You can also contact the Rethink Mental Illness Advice and Information Service for help.

Mental Health Screening in Police Custody: Recruiting for Research project

2011-11-25T09:12:00.001Z

We've been sent details of a research project - details below if you would like to read more and get involved.

The main aim of the project is to improve current practices surrounding the identification of mental health problems for people in contact with the police, through increasing access to timely and appropriate referral to mental health professionals .

The project focuses on the gap in police access to mental health services on the evenings and weekends when there is a high turnover of people through custody. The project is a collaboration between the Offender Health Research Network, University of Manchester and LancashireCare NHS Foundation Trust.

If interested, you are welcome to participate in the following ways;
1. Interview (1 x 1 hour) (May 2011 - Jan 2012)
2. Consultation Questionnaires (approx 4) (Nov 2011 - Dec 2012)A £10 mobile top up for participation in the interview and a £20 mobile top up for completion of each questionnaire will be provided. (Argos vouchers are available for participants who don’t have a mobile phone).

Meetings can be arranged in your local area at your convenience.

If you would like to get involved, can assist in engaging service users or just want to learn more about the project please contact me.Heather Noga, Research AssistantOffender Health Research NetworkT: 0161 275 0728M: 07504 998724F: 0161 275 0716Email: heather.noga@manchester.ac.uk

Come and join us at our Christmas Party

2011-11-20T14:03:00.001Z

Come and join us at our Christmas Party on Wednesday 14th December, from 6 – 7:45pm at Manchester Carers Centre, Vulcan Mill, 12-18 Pollard Street, Manchester M4 7AN.

As well as having a cup of tea and a good catch up, we've got a fun line up including...

Exclusive music performance by Dissolved Boy - AKA Andrew CJ Smith!
Raffle to raise funds for our group
Food and drink – bring a little something to share!
Christmas quiz

Everyone is welcome – just come along.

If you are travelling by public transport or by foot, a ‘walking bus’ will leave from the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station at 5:30pm. Please call Mary Patel on 07816 754 032 to let us know you will be coming, so we know to wait for you.

If you are travelling by car then free parking is available on Pollard Street after 6pm.

Mentoring project helps anxiety sufferers towards recovery

2011-11-19T18:54:00.001Z

One our our group members, Dawn Perry, has been interviewed in Community Care magazine about her experience of an Anxiety UK mentoring scheme. Anxiety UK is a Manchester-based organisation and is running this pilot scheme which it hopes to roll out more widely across the country.

The article is available online on the Community Care website.

Dawn has set up a Facebook group called Making Mental Health Positive, to share coping strategies and techniques. It's open to anyone who'd like to join.

Rethink Mental Illness Members' Day 2011

2011-11-13T18:35:00.001Z

I spent yesterday (Saturday) at Rethink Mental Illness' annual Members Day, at the Russell Hotel in London. I met my mum there, who is group co-ordinator of two groups on the Welsh/English border (go mum!) as well as one of our group members, Martine. It was also great to catch up (and meet in some instances) Rethink Mental Illness staff and other group members from all over the country.

Despite the tough financial climate, Rethink Mental Illness is doing okay, with membership numbers healthy (though if you're not already a member do sign up and support the charity's great work - only around £2 a month). We heard about Rethink's plans for the coming year and I attended a workshop on the new Schizophrenia Commission which has just recently been launched, as well as Rethink's most recently campaign 'Unhappy Birthday Schizophrenia' to mark 100 years since psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler first coined the term. Send an 'Unhappy Birthday' card to Prime Minister David Cameron and help support the campaign to get better treatment and lives for people with schizophrenia.

Group members and keen readers of this blog will know that Rethink Manchester Carers in Action was nominated for the Rethink Mental Illness Group of the Year award. The winner was announced at the Members Day and though I can announce that we didn't win (this time!) the award did go to a fantastic group Harrow Rethink Support Group, who amongst many other things run a community choir. Lots of inspiration there!

All in all a good day - thanks to all the staff at Rethink Mental Illness for organising it.

The value of experience

2011-11-13T17:55:00.001Z

As usual it was good to catch up with people at our group meeting this week. We kicked off with some ideas for our pre-Christmas meeting in December and settled on a good old fashioned approach of bring and share food, some silly games and a raffle. We're also hoping to have a performance from Andrew CJ Smith - you can hear him narrate his most recent book here. It'll be at the usual venue of Manchester Carers Centre, from 6 - 7.45pm on Wednesday 14th December.

The bulk of our meeting was spent talking about Manchester Mental Health Trust's current review of adult community mental health services (read our recent post about this). Patrick Cahoon and Linval Smith came to talk through the plans. The Trust is proposing moving to a recovery-based, stepped care model which is a slightly jargonified way of saying they want to encourage and help people to get better, with different levels of care (or steps) within this. These steps range from Step One (the most basic one) which is provided by pretty much all service providers (public health, voluntary and community sector) through to Step Five which is focused on highly complex or specialist 'interventions' (types of treatment), provided by highly specialised providers. We pretty much agreed that the proposals sound good on paper as an overall approach, though did have some questions and concerns. These were:

Awareness/skills of GPs in relation to mental health - this can be highly varied and we need to raise skills levels.
Importance of being given information about non-statutory services when being discharged, and throughout contact with statutory services, in particular information about peer support groups. Otherwise it can take a long time to find these at a time when you are feeling vulnerable, and only the more confident/outgoing people are likely to take the initiative.
Related to the above point, the need for more awareness amongst staff about peer support groups and other non-statutory groups.
The importance of clear information about how services are shaped, who provides care and who makes decisions. This information should be given to anyone coming into contact with Trust services for the first time as well as their close family and/or other 'carers'.
How easy will it be to be moved up/down a level? Movement both ways needs to be allowed depending on need.
People should be allowed to remain under the care of the Trust for as long as that care is needed.
Will there be enough staff to deal with all the caseloads, given that staff numbers are to be reduced by around 46.
How will all staff across the Trust be involved and made aware of the changes, especially those that have a more traditional outlook on treatment.
The importance of involving service users and carers in devising the care package, and at any reviews.

Patrick and Linval did respond to all our points and by and large it felt like a constructive discussion. We look forward to hearing more when the results of the review are complete.

The session really demonstrated to me the value and power of experience, and how important it is that we share this experience with professionals so services can be improved.

Benefit cuts petition

2011-11-07T19:48:00.003Z

I've been sent details of a petition that you might want to sign.

This year many of us have supported the Hardest Hit events. Firstly in London in May followed by the ones in October held at venues around the country.

Many more disabled people and carers were so disappointed not to have been there. Cost, distance, transport, their health or disability prevented them from attending.

The petition reads:

"Stop and review the cuts to benefits and services which are falling disproportionately on disabled people, their carers and families.

Responsible department: Department for Work and Pensions

The government were embarking on wholesale reform of the benefit system when the economic crisis struck. These welfare reforms had not been piloted and the plan was to monitor and assess the impact of the new untried approach as it was introduced in a buoyant economy. Unfortunately since then the economy has gone in to crisis and the government has simultaneously embarked on a massive programme of cuts. This has created a perfect storm and left disabled people/those with ill health, and their carers reeling, confused and afraid. We ask the government to stop this massive programme of piecemeal change until they can review the impact of all these changes, taken together, on disabled people and their carers. We ask the government to stand by its duty of care to disabled people and their carers. At the moment the covenant seems to be broken and they do not feel safe. Illness or disability could affect any one of us at any time, while many more of us are potential carers."

We need 100,000 signatures to trigger a debate in Parliament. Sign the petition here.

RMCIA November meeting - Royal College of Psychiatrists & the Trust's services review

2011-11-06T20:24:00.001Z

It's only a few days until our next meeting, taking place this Wednesday 9th November from 6 - 7.45pm at the usual venue, Manchester Carers Centre.

After a cup of tea, a snack and a bit of a catch up with one another, we've got two main things to talk about this week:
1. Michael Yousif from the Royal College of Psychiatrists Public Education Editorial Board is coming to talk to the group about how the College can improve its information provision for Carers.
2. Patrick Cahoon and Linval Smith, from Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust, are coming to talk to the group about the Trust's current review of community mental health services.

If you are traveling by public transport or by foot, a ‘walking bus’ will leave from the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station at 5.30pm. Please call Mary Patel on 07816 754 032 to let us know you will be coming, so we know to wait for you.

If you are traveling by car, free parking is available on Pollard Street from 6pm.

Anyone is welcome, whether you've got a friend or family member with mental illness, have a mental health problem yourself, or a professional who'd like to meet a friendly group of carers and service users.

The Schizophrenia Commission

2011-11-06T20:17:00.000Z

Rethink Mental Illness is establishing an independent expert commission to review the current impact of schizophrenia and to identify what needs to be done to improve outcomes.

Over the next few months Rethink Mental Illness will be gathering opinions from experts across England – people living with schizophrenia, families, practitioners, researchers, journalists, policy makers to address barriers and solutions to delivering effective mental health services and public health education programmes that address stigma.

Find out more at The Schizophrenia Commission website.

Unhappy Birthday Schizophrenia

2011-11-06T20:15:00.002Z

It's 100 years since the term 'schizophrenia' was first coined. To mark this 'unhappy' occasion, the national charity that we're a part of - Rethink Mental Illness - have launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the poor deal that many people with this diagnosis still receive.

If you've got 30 seconds then go to the Rethink Mental Illness website to send a birthday e-card to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, with five birthday wishes for schizophrenia.

The campaign got some good coverage in The Guardian last week.

Trust's review of Community Mental Health Services

2011-11-06T20:05:00.001Z

Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust is currently conducting a review of its Adult Community Mental Health Services. The Trust provides a range of services to 10,500 people each year through community mental health services, inpatient and outpatient services.

The main focus of the review appears to be a reshuffle in the way that Community Mental Health Teams are structured and relate to other parts of mental health provision in Manchester. The Trust states that the benefits will be:
Continue to improve the quality of Adult CMHS delivered to the local population.
Improve the links between GPs (primary care) and the Trust (secondary care) making it easier for people who need support with their mental health to receive the care we provide.
Improve the transfer of service users between teams and externally to ensure their mental health needs are met at the right time by the right people.
Give our staff the opportunity to use their therapeutic skills more effectively to aid and assist our service users’ recovery.

Whilst all this sounds very positive - we know as a group that people can 'fall down a hole' between different service providers, and that a recovery focus is valuable approach - you won't be surprised to hear that a big driver is cost, or more specifically, cost-cutting. The Trust's own communique states: "These changes when fully implemented are likely to save around £1.9 million. This saving will be achieved by an overall reduction of approximately 46 posts."

Two representatives from the Trust are coming to our next meeting on Wednesday 9th November, so do come along if you'd like to find out more and discuss your views with the Trust.

If you'd like to read more about the review, there's some information at the bottom of this page on the Trust's website.

RMCIA October meeting – GP commissioning for mental health

2011-10-10T19:55:00.000+01:00

Our next meeting is on this Wednesday 12th October, from 6 – 7:45pm at Manchester Carers Centre.

As well as having a cup of tea and a catch up, we've got a local GP coming to talk with us about the future of commissioning for mental health services. GPs are due to take on the majority of commissioning of health and social care services in the near future, so this is a good opportunity to understand how the new system might work. Find out more about what Rethink Mental Illness wants from GP commissioning here.

If you are travelling by public transport or by foot, a ‘walking bus’ will leave from the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station at 5:30pm. Please call Mary Patel on 07816 754 032 to let us know you will be coming, so we know to wait for you.If you are travelling by car then free parking is available on Pollard Street after 6pm.

It's World Mental Health Day today. Wishing you all the best and hoping that it's as happy as can be.

Ellen Foran: a tireless campaigner for mental health

2011-10-08T22:10:00.003+01:00

We are very sad to announce that our friend and Group Chair, Ellen Foran, passed away at the end of September. Ellen was a tireless campaigner for mental health.

Despite ill health and significant caring responsibilities, she always found the time and energy to shape and support local campaigns.She was admired by the group for her strong sense of integrity and courage when dealing with situations that she felt need to be changed, and in taking a stand against practices that she feels to be unjust. All those who knew her will remember that she was not one to give up easily!

As well as her huge efforts in campaigning locally, Ellen was also very supportive of individuals in our group. Despite her own personal situation she was always happy to talk and to offer a friendly ear and emotional support.We have very lucky to have known Ellen and all her energy and enthusiasm.

She will be missed very much and our thoughts go out to her family and friends at this sad time.

RMCIA September meeting

2011-09-11T10:42:00.000+01:00

Our next meeting is coming up this week, Wednesday 14th September, from 6 – 7:45pm at Manchester Carers Centre.

As well as having a cup of tea, a snack and a catch up, we've got people coming to talk with us about:

Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust's service user and carer strategy reviews
updates to Manchester Local Involvement Network (LINk), a network of local people, groups and organisations working to make health and social care better.

All are welcome.

If you are travelling by public transport or by foot, a ‘walking bus’ will leave from the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station at 5:30pm. Please text or call Mary Patel on 07816 754 032 to let us know you will be coming, so we know to wait for you.

Making Mental Health Positive

2011-09-11T10:38:00.000+01:00

You might be interested in a new Facebook group, 'Making Mental Health Positive'. The group was set up by someone based in Manchester who has personal experience of mental illness and wants to improve awareness of mental health and to challenge stigma.

You can join the group here and listed to an interview with the group's founder, Dawn Perry, here.

Update on closure of MRI inpatient services

2011-08-24T21:18:00.000+01:00

The NHS North West Board has approved the capital funding for Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust's Inpatient Pathway Redesign (IPR) Project. See the Trust's website for more information about this.

This means that the Trust will now proceed with plans to relocate its inpatient services to two sites from the current three. The change will result in the inpatient beds that are currently at Edale House at Manchester Royal Infirmary being relocated to Park House on the North Manchester General Hospital site. The Trust says: "This will give us unprecedented opportunities to improve care to our service users and their carers."

When the Trust announced its intention to close the inpatient unit at MRI we wrote to the Manchester Evening News to express our concerns about the extra burden this would place on some carers in terms of extra travelling time. The Trust's latest communication about the IPR states that: "The work in addressing concerns about transport for our service users and carers can now commence in earnest." We hope that suitable arrangements can be made.

Work will start immediately: the Trust expects it to be completed with all inpatient beds and staff transferred and the new wards up and running by late summer 2012.

Laced Banana anyone?

2011-08-24T20:47:00.003+01:00

The world of mental health can sometimes feel full of debate about service provision with little space left for creativity and free thinking. That's why I always enjoy hearing from organisations like Asylum or arts organisations that open up debate and challenge thinking in ways that conversations about statutory services - however important - just can't.

So I was interested to find an email in my inbox this week from an outfit called Laced Banana. They describe themselves as "a theatre production company creating socially relevant theatre that aims to educate, inform and open minds." They've just finished a production called Blowing Whistles, a play about what it's like to be a gay man in 2011.They're now on the look out for people who have had experience of mental health problems to help put together their next production.

Here are the details on exactly what Amy and the team at Laced Banana would like your help on:

1. A new full-length verbatim play that we are collecting interviews and testimonies for. This is entirely anonymous and can be conducted either through face-to-face audio-recorded interviews or through written format submission. No personal details will be kept or shared in either format. The closing date for this is September 29th.

2. As part of a regular shorts-night project that we run every month around new theatre writing. We would like to do a shorts night specifically on new plays either about or by people affected by mental health issues. The writer would have the opportunity to work with a production company and have their play put on in a theatre in front of an audience of theatre goers and industry professionals. The writer can choose to remain anonymous if they so wish and we would encourage people who have never tried writing before to give it a go. The closing date for this is 26th September (earlier than the previously advertised date of 31st October).

If this is something you think you would be interested in helping with or have any questions, please get in touch through info@lacedbanana.co.uk

This email followed a meeting with a really inspiring guy who has come through a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder to write his own music and poetry. You can have a look at his work - including a beautifully written children's story - on his website here.

Cuts - Rethink need your personal stories

2011-08-13T18:29:00.000+01:00

Here's a message we've received from Rethink that you might be interested in:

Rethink Mental Illness is really concerned about cuts to mental health services, and we want to make sure the Government knows the impact these cuts are having on people affected by mental illness. We are compiling a report to raise awareness of this issue and to fight unfair cuts, and we urgently need our members, activists and supporters to tell us about how cuts have affected them personally. Your story could feature in our report, and we are also looking for people who would be interested in talking to the media about how they have been affected by cuts. This could mean having your name and photograph published, but if you would feel more comfortable to tell your story anonymously then that could also be an option.

To tell us about how cuts to mental health services have affected you, please fill in our online form. We are particularly keen to hear about cuts to housing, crisis or inpatient services.

We want the government to hear about your experiences as soon as possible, so the deadline for taking part is next Thursday, 18th August – we won’t be able to use information sent to us after that point. Please also note that we wouldn’t publish anything without first asking your permission.

We’d also like to say a big thank you to anyone who has already sent us information about cuts though our Cutswatch survey – your contributions have been very helpful!

Opportunity to participate in research

2011-08-13T18:20:00.000+01:00

CareLoop: a mobile phone system for monitoring mental health and supporting self-management

It’s common for service users with severe mental health problems to experience a range of distressing symptoms, which can change depending on levels of stress and a range of things. When these symptoms become worse it’s often hard to monitor them, it can be difficult to access help, and sometimes results in you having to go into hospital.

This study is seeing whether you can monitor your mental health through the use of telephones. Normally you would see a doctor, nurse or other health professional every few weeks and they would ask you questions about how you are feeling. This means sometimes things are forgotten. It is hoped that with a telephone system symptoms are recorded as they are happening (like a living diary). This might it easier to discuss your thoughts and feelings with health care workers; it might also mean that when you are becoming unwell more support could be provided to stop you going into hospital. As part of the study service users will be provided with a mobile phone in order to test how the system works. Whilst they are using the phone system they would receive their normal care, which would not change. The project will allow researchers to see whether this type of monitoring by telephones is acceptable to service users and mental health workers. All information entered on the phone would be password protected and confidential. Service users will be asked about how they found using the phone based system in individual interviews.

For further information about the proposed project please contact:

Caroline Sanders
Research Fellow
Health Sciences Research Group (Primary Care)
University of Manchester
5th Floor, Williamson Building,
Oxford Road,
Manchester M13 9PL

Tel: 0161 275 7619
Email: caroline.sanders@manchester.ac.uk

This week's meeting cancelled

2011-08-09T22:04:00.000+01:00

Due to disturbances in Manchester City Centre tonight, we have taken the decision to cancel the Rethink Manchester Carers in Action meeting that was due to be held this week, Wednesday 10th August.

Our next meeting will now be on Wednesday 14th September. As usual, we will be posting news updates to our blog at www.rmcia.blogspot.com. If you need to get in touch with anyone in the meantime, either for information on the group, or just for a chat if things are difficult, you can get hold of me on the mobile number below.

Rethink has sent out the following message through their Facebook page: "A message to any of our Facebook followers who may have been affected by disturbancies in UK cities over night - do get in touch with family or friends if you're feeling anxious or distressed, or call a support line such as the Samaritans to talk it over with someone. They're on 08457 909090 or jo@samaritans.org

We hope that none of you or your family and friends have been affected by the violence this week.

Wishing you a peaceful day tomorrow.

Opportunity to influence Manchester GPs on mental health issues

2011-08-08T18:39:00.000+01:00

Apologies, but I've lifted the text of this post from NHS Manchester's website, the current commissioning body in the city. You can read the full article here.

GPs in Manchester would like to hear from local people who want to become involved in designing the future of health services in the city

National NHS reforms are changing the way health services in Manchester will be planned, arranged and funded in the future. Local GPs are forming ‘Clinical Commissioning Groups’ which will work closely with hospitals, community health services and social care services to organise and develop health services which improve the quality of care available in the city.

There are 3 ways people can get involved:

1) Apply to join Patient and Public Advisory Groups. Situated within the Clinical Commissioning Groups and reporting to the Board, these bodies will consist of approximately 12 people who will represent the views of the local community and comment on plans and developments being considered. Members should either live in Manchester or use Manchester health services. Meetings will be held monthly.

2) Join your GP practice’s Patient Participation Group. A number of practices across the city are setting up Patient Participation Groups to help them develop the service they provide and to feed up any local issues to the Clinical Commissioning Group for action. Some Patient Participation Groups will meet regularly, others will be more ‘virtual’ with people being contacted by email to share their thoughts and experiences. People should approach their own GP practice to find out more.

3) Contribute to individual pieces of work. Clinical Commissioning Groups are currently developing a range of different projects looking at specific areas of health care and are keen to hear from people who can inform this work.

Interested parties should email communications@manchester.nhs.uk for further information and to express their interest in any of these opportunities.

We've been nominated for Rethink Group of the Year award!

2011-08-07T16:05:00.000+01:00

We are delighted to announce that Rethink Manchester Carers in Action has been nominated for a Pringle Award, under the ‘Group of the Year’ category. What is more, one of our group members, Ellen Foran, has been nominated for the Rethink Member of the Year award!

The yearly Pringle Awards recognise and celebrate the commitment, imagination and achievements of Rethink’s members, services and groups.

So, we have our fingers crossed! The awards will be presented at this year's Rethink National Members Day & Annual General Meeting on Saturday 12th November 2011 in Central London. More information and a booking form will be online available from mid September.

For more information visit the Rethink website.

Rethink North West Conference - 28th September

2011-08-07T13:15:00.000+01:00

Rethink Mental Illness (the new name for Rethink) has organised a conference for service users, carers and professionals, covering important issues including:

Welfare rights, changes to benefits, cuts to services
Mental illness and your GP, and physical healthcare

The event will take place on Wednesday 28th September, from 10.30am - 4.00pm at the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool.

It is FREE to Rethink members, £12 for service users and carers, and £50 for professionals. If you're not a member you can join today (£12 for six months or £24 for one year) and benefit from the free rate.

For more detail about the event and a booking form, contact Reservations, Rethink Mental Illness, 122 Westgate, Wakefield, WF1 1XP, email or phone 01924 433202.

New Rethink group to start up in Stockport

2011-08-03T20:23:00.000+01:00

If you are interested in finding out more about a Rethink Carers Group in Stockport please come along to:

The Stockport Carers Group Meeting
at the Wellbeing Centre
Graylaw House
Chestergate
SK1 1LZ

Tuesday 9th August from 6.00pm to 8.00pm

Ruth Bettie
Rethink Groups Manager [North]
will be talking about what joining a Rethink Group can do for you

For more information please ring: 07800919248

Our July meeting is all about recovery...

2011-07-05T16:42:00.000+01:00

One of our group members, Irene Harris, is going to lead presentation at our meeting on Wednesday 13^th July. Its subject is how people who have a diagnosis of schizophrenia want to be treated by other people and how the recovery approach can improve the lives of people with psychosis.

It’s about love, hope, the right treatment and support and what we can all do to help. It’s mainly in DVD form with people, service users & carers, speaking for themselves. The presentation will follow with an open discussion so we can share our thoughts.

Come and join us from 6 – 7:45pm at Manchester Carers Centre. A ‘walking bus’ leaves from by the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station at 5:30pm.

Lindsey Cree blogs about our Celebration of Self Help event

2011-07-02T21:45:00.000+01:00

On Wednesday 8^th June our Rethink Carers group held a ‘Celebration of Self Help’ at The Manchester Carers Centre. Our aim was to invite anyone interested or affected by mental illness to drop in and find out about what we and other groups have to offer in the Manchester area. There was a fantastic turnout and it appeared that those who came along got something out of it – from accessing information, having a free therapy massage or confidence coaching session, or some of the sumptuous food on offer. We even had a ‘sticky wall’ where people wrote on little notes about what it is that makes them feel good and stuck them onto the ‘wall’

For my part, I had amazing day! I gave 1-1 confidence coaching sessions to a number of service users and carers.

What struck me most was how each person’s uniqueness shone through. And even more, how each one of them had shown an incredible inner strength in finding ways to deal with life’s adversities. For example, one person was coming to terms with having to begin living their life again after a tragedy had left them unable to function properly.

Another person felt they weren’t being heard by people in authority so we looked at the notion of the louder one shouts the less others hear! We looked at ways this person could get their message across by using less, but more succinct language, spoken in a lower tone in order to make their point.

Someone else wanted to be more assertive and didn’t realise how easy it is to ask for what they want and feel heard, until we did a mini role play which dispelled their own myth of ‘I can’t do that’.

I’ve noticed that people who have come through mental anguish or distress, don’t acknowledge their own strength - the strength it takes to get through. They see their illness as a weakness because at the time of suffering hopelessness and fear are all consuming. Fear and hopelessness are mental barriers that keep us from participating in all that life has to offer.

I remember, during the part of own personal journey through fear, reading a ‘Truth’ from the book ‘Feel the Fear and do it Anyway’ by Susan Jeffers. She states ‘pushing through fear is less frightening than living with the underlying fear that comes from a feeling of helplessness’. It always inspires me when I meet people who have pushed through their own pain barrier because it gives me, and countless others, hope.

There’s an acronym I use for fear - False Expectations Appearing Real – I keep this message on my desk along with ‘this too, shall pass’. My grandma use to always say this, such wise words :)

Here’s hoping to see you at our next meeting, which is always on the second Wednesday of the month.

Lindsey Cree

Your top self help tips

2011-06-23T20:42:00.003+01:00

We asked people who came along to our Celebration of Self Help event a couple of weeks ago to give us their top self help tip. Here are the great ideas we were given...

"Listening to music and dancing"
"Talk to someone (family/friend/doctor/helpline) about how you are feeling"
"Book yourself a time in your diary, & spend it how you want - make it a priority"
"Take some regular 'time out' to relax and rest"
"Have some 'you' time and treat yourself! Take the time to relax - have a bath, listen to calming music, exercise such as yoga and read a good book or watch a nice film, and don't worry about anyone else"
"To keep active which helps mental health well being"
"Self help for me is to stay focused on good things that make you feel happy such as going shopping, going to art galleries and keeping active"
"Pamper yourself, it's very rewarding"
"Do things for yourself - set goals and ambitions that you want - even if it is to get up in the morning and have a shower right through to getting a career/job you want."
"Do something nice everyday - even for 10 minutes!"
"A little exercise helps as does having support - someone who cares and listens"
"Be yourself!"
"Keep yourself busy and physically active. Exercise is great for releasing any extra energy and for taking your mind off things"

The message is that you're important and deserve to have some fun and relaxation, as well as the importance of setting goals, however small, to get that sense of achievement.

Do you have a top self help tip? Post it here!

Photos from A Celebration of Self Help

2011-06-23T20:30:00.003+01:00

Here are some photos from our Celebration of Self Help event. We have the wonderful ladies from the Wai Yin Chinese Women Society Tai Chi group, us getting the all-important cake stand ready, and the lovely Lindsey Cree and her daughter! In a moment I'll post all the self-help ideas you can see on the blue sticky wall at the back of the room.

A great celebration of self help!

2011-06-09T22:33:00.003+01:00

We had a great time on Wednesday, where we were joined by over 30 people to celebrate many of the mental health self-help options available in Manchester. With the public spending cuts casting a dark cloud over statutory service provision, we wanted to celebrate all the wonderful community, voluntary and social enterprise groups out there that can provide us with help and support. For us, self help isn't about being on our own, but about having ideas, inspiration and practical help to help us help ourselves.

There was a great buzz in the room all afternoon, thanks in no small part to our stall holders Rethink, The Ann Lee Centre, Self Help Services, Anxiety UK, Making Space and Partners of Prisoners . One attendee remarked how useful it was to find out about all these organisations.

We also had a wonderful Tai Chi demonstration from the Wai Yin Chinese Women Society, who proved that age is no barrier to grace!

The free massage and self confidence booster sessions were fully booked and by the relaxed faces afterwards were thoroughly enjoyed!

We have some photos from the event - once they're downloaded we'll put them up here for you to see.

A day of physical health training

2011-06-04T21:18:00.004+01:00

I spent the sunniest Saturday in Manchester for a long time sat inside for a day's training on physical health It was run by Rethink's campaigns team to get local activists like us here at RMCIA thinking about how we can get involved in Rethink's Fair Treatment Now campaign. The 'shocking statistic' is that people with severe mental health problems like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, personality disorder and severe depression die up to 20 years younger compared with the rest of the population - not just from suicide but from preventable physical illnesses.

There were about 20 people in the room including service users, carers, activists and professionals - or combinations of two or more of those fairly unloved labels. I was particularly struck to hear the personal stories of people who had battled through really difficult times and had their physical health problems overlooked, or at worst ignored.

It's popular knowledge that regular exercise makes us all feel a bit better, but it's hardly going to be top priority for someone experiencing an acute psychotic episode, or bout of severe depression. We had some interesting conversations about peer support or hand holding to help make the first steps to physical activity: sometimes just walking to the end of the road can be a huge challenge. This support can make a big difference and importantly, fosters some kind of a routine.

I sat with another RMCIA group member to talk through a possible campaign in Manchester. With GP commissioning consortia on the horizon, we discussed how we could target GP surgeries to get them thinking about mental health early on. There could be a long way to go - someone in the group reported that she had just recently visited two local GP surgeries and amongst all the literature on display there wasn't a single leaflet about mental health.

So, thanks to Rethink's campaigns team for a great day - it was worth sacrificing a rare sunny Manchester day to be there!

A Celebration of Self Help event

2011-06-01T18:37:00.004+01:00

Wednesday 8th June, 2 - 5pm, Manchester Carers Centre
Vulcan Mill, Pollard Street M4 7AN

Come and join us to celebrate all that Manchester has to offer to help those of us affected by mental illness help ourselves through the bad times and the good! It's a free event and open to anyone with an interest in mental health. No need to book - just turn up.

Just drop in any time for:

information stalls from Rethink, The Ann Lee Centre, Self Help Services, Anxiety UK, Making Space, Wai Yin Chinese Women Society, Asylum Magazine, Partners of Prisoners and Crazy Diamond Training and Consultancy.
healthy snacks and drinks from the wonderful Good Mood Food
free coaching and confidence building sessions from Lindsey Cree
free massage therapy
...and lots more!

For more information call Mary Patel on 07816 754 032 or Manchester Carers Centre on 0161 272 7270.

Opportunity for service user & carer involvement in Trust research

2011-05-15T16:42:00.003+01:00

Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust is supporting a major piece of research at the moment looking at medications adherence/recovery etc. As part of this work they are very keen to involve service users and carers and are looking at this time for expressions of interest from service users to become involved as peer researchers to test out levels of service user satisfaction around specific medications.

This would be a really exciting opportunity, and no particular skills or experience is necessary other than an interest in research and a commitment to engaging with other service users as part of the programme.

For more information or to register contact:

Patrick Cahoon, Associate Director - Service User and Carer Engagement
Chorlton House
70 Manchester Road
Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Manchester
M21 9UN

Tel: 0161 882 1103

patrick.cahoon@mhsc.nhs.uk

A Celebration of Self Help event - 8th June

2011-05-03T21:27:00.004+01:00

Come and join us to celebrate all that Manchester has to offer to help those of us affected by mental illness help ourselves through the bad times and the good!

Wednesday 8th June, 2 - 5pm, Manchester Carers Centre
Vulcan Mill, Pollard Street M4 7AN

Just drop in any time for:

information stalls
healthy snacks and drinks
free coaching and confidence building sessions
free massage therapy
...and lots more!

For more information call Mary Patel on 07816 754 032 or Manchester Carers Centre on 0161 272 7270.

FREE - display information about your group or offer an activity session

Are you a mental health self-help support group in Manchester? Or a statutory, community or voluntary sector provider that offers services to support people to help themselves? Or can you offer an activity session that you think would benefit someone with a mental illness, or carers, such as art, poetry or exercise?

We have a limited number of table-top stands for you to display information and a room to hold sessions at our Celebration of Self Help session on Wednesday 8th June. We are offering this free of charge, on a first-come-first-served basis.

Contact Mary on 07816 754 032 or by email at maryrayner@hotmail.com for a booking form.

Rethink 'Fair Treatment Now' event on 4th June

2011-05-02T20:58:00.002+01:00

Despite having high risk factors for life-threatening diseases, people are not getting the health checks or the support they need. In fact, service-users’ physical symptoms often get dismissed by healthcare staff. Service-users have even been denied physical treatment in mainstream facilities because of their mental illness.

If you want to take action locally on this issue, the Rethink Campaigns Team is here to help.

Come to a Campaign Skills Day where you’ll meet fellow activists, learn about campaign planning, getting your message across, and find out more about the link between physical health and mental health.

A skills day is running at The Ethical Property Company, Oldham St, central Manchester, 11am – 4pm on the 4th June. Travel expenses paid.

To sign up or find out more visit www.rethink.org/PH email campaigns@rethink.org
or call 020 7840 3147.

Next RMCIA meeting this Wednesday, 13th April

2011-04-11T22:33:00.002+01:00

Our next meeting is this Wednesday, 13th April from 6:00 - 7:45pm, at Manchester Carers Centre. If you are coming into town by public transport then come and meet us by the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station (Fairfield Street side) at 5:30pm. Let Mary know if you are meeting there so we know to look out for you. Number to call is 07816754032.

As well as some time for a cup of tea and a chat with other people whose lives are affected by mental illness, we'll be taking a look at what the budget cuts might mean for mental health in Manchester, and help us plan for our AGM in May.

Hope to see you there!

Urgent cuts bulletin!

2011-03-29T22:01:00.001+01:00

Are you affected by mental illness and concerned about budget cuts proposed by Manchester City Council?

We are working with Irwin Mitchell solicitors to identify any individuals who are concerned that they will be badly affected by the budget cuts proposed by Manchester City Council.

You may be an adult who is:

experiencing serious mental health problem or has a physical or learning disabilities and is in receipt of income support
the carer of someone in this situation
or the parent of a child with physical or learning disabilities or mental health problems.

If you are concerned that the proposed cuts might affect the support you receive we would like to hear from you.

If you would like to discuss your situation with Irwin Mitchell on an informal basis please contact Mathieu Culverhouse on 0161 838 2390 or by email. Any information you provide will be treated confidentially.

As a group we provide a meeting space, support and information for anyone affected by severe mental illness. We meet on the second Wednesday of every month from 6-8pm at Manchester Carers Centre. All are welcome.

RMCIA meeting next Weds, 9th March

2011-03-03T21:46:00.003Z

Our next meeting takes place on Wednesday 9th March 2011, 6 – 7:45pm at Manchester Carers Centre, Vulcan Mill, Pollard Street, Manchester M4 7AN.

If you are travelling by public transport or by foot, a ‘walking bus’ will leave from the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station at 5:30pm. Please call me (Mary Patel) on 07816 754 032 to let me know you will be coming, so we know to wait for you.

Agenda

6pm – 6.15pm: refreshments and welcomes.
6:15 – 6:30pm: introductions and general discussion.
6:30 – 6:50: Hemlata Fletcher from Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust will give an update on the Trust’s recovery work and answer questions.
6:50 – 7:10 : Zeph Curwen and Patrick Cahoon from Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust will give an update on the Trust’s review of day services and answer questions.
7:10 – 7:40: events and campaigns work over the next couple of months.
7:40 – 7:45: any other business.

Mental Health Commissioning in Manchester - meeting on 3rd March

2011-02-15T22:18:00.002Z

Lots of events on at the moment. This one from NHS Manchester about an event that has been rearranged from 16th February to 3rd March:

Dear Colleagues, Service Users and Carers

Further to our first meeting which was held on 25th October at the Town Hall, we are now holding are second meeting this time at our offices at Parkway M2.1 (Boardroom) (map attached) on 3rd March from 14:30 - 16:30. We have arranged this meeting so that we can listen to your views about the development of the integrated Primary Care Mental Health Service in Manchester, as well as agree a way forward of directly involving users and carers in our decision making processes in the future.

Refreshments will be available on the day, also please note that there is limited visitor parking at Parkway. If you would like to park here you must book in advance. Alternatively there are a number of buses from the city centre that stop outside, including the 101, 104, 105 and 109. If you park on surrounding streets please be considerate to our neighbours and do not block drive ways or park on the pavement. A bicycle rack is available at the back of Parkway 3.

If you'd like to go you'll need to confirm your availability with Cath Ball on 0161 765 4122 or by email.

No health without mental health - new mental health strategy from the Department of Health

2011-02-15T20:56:00.004Z

I'm slightly behind the times with this one, which was released over a week ago on 2nd February. But here it is. I don't claim to have read it and am going to cheat and use the government's own summary to describe it:

"No health without mental health: a cross-Government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages represents a major step forward in mainstreaming mental health and supporting the Government's important aim of achieving parity of esteem between physical and mental health. It has been produced in collaboration with many of the Department's partner organisations. It will enable more decisions about people's mental health to be taken locally, and stresses the interconnections between mental health, housing, employment, and the criminal justice system. Supporting documents including an action plan for expanding talking therapies have also been published."

You can download the full document from the Department of Health's website.

Here is Rethink's press statement about the strategy - largely positive.

Cafe Scientifique - understanding psychosis

2011-02-15T20:32:00.002Z

Just received details of an event you might be interested in.

The event, which is free and open to everyone, is part of a series called 'Cafe Scientifique' which aims to foster a dialogue between scientists and the community. The one coming up is called 'Understanding Psychosis'. A professor of clinical psychology will give a short presentation, and then open up the floor for questions from the audience.

Date:February 23rd 2011
Time: 6 pm
Where: Krobar on Oxford road, corner of Dover street (note - NOT the one near the BBC but the one 10 minutes walk south)
Title: Understanding psychosis
Speaker: Tony Morrison

What is this about? Many people have unusual experiences and beliefs, such as hearing voices, seeing visions or believing that others are trying to harm or control them or put thoughts into their head. Some people are troubled by such experiences; others are not. Can we understand why these experiences occur, why they are associated with distress and disability for some and not others and how talking therapies can be used to reduce distress and improve quality of life in those who are troubled by them?

More info here.

Manchester City Council budget - implications for mental health

2011-02-14T22:27:00.002Z

I've just skim read the Budget Proposals for Manchester City Council's Adults' Directorate, for 2011 / 12. Richard Leese, Leader of the Council, is quite clear that there will be some very, very hard cuts. With planned savings of £109m there's no way there wouldn't be. I'm very wary of drawing conclusions from a quick read of something, but here are the important bits that I could find relating to the provision of mental health services:

Rates for mental health provision: projected saving in 2011/12 is £600,000; projected saving in 2012/13 is £600,000 - making a total projected saving over the next two years of £1.2 million. Ouch.
Individual budgets (IBs)propose to restrict the cash IB offer, which will make efficiencies of £1.466m. Create an independent review team to promote independence and reduce dependency with savings identified as up to £1.92m.
The budget settlement from central government reduces the Supporting People grant by 35% equating to a £12.6m reduction. The City Council have says: "The impact, if passported in its entirety, would displace 300 people from their accommodation and would remove tenancy support to 900 most vulnerable people e.g. people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and older people. Some of these people would have to enter residential care at much higher cost." So, they are proposing a "top up" Supporting People by a minimum amount of £4m resulting in a reduction of £8.6m over two years. They also say: "In order to manage this level of reduction, the Directorate will redefine Adult Social Care overall and also manage the risks going forward." Not sure what 'redefining' will mean in practice...

If you're reading this and it's making you worried about the services you receive please get in touch with us. We will try to find out what this might all mean in practice. We're a voluntary group of carers and service users here to give anyone in Manchester affected by mental illness some support. We're not professionals, but we will understand what you're going through. Get in touch any time by email or call Mary on 07816 754 032.

No health without hope - new report from YASP

2011-02-14T21:48:00.003Z

We're fortunate to have some fantastic third sector / civil society mental health organisations here in Manchester. One of these - YASP - which works with young people experiencing mental health problems, has just released a report about the huge challenges that young people accessing YASP services face. As well as drawing out the many difficulties that these young people including poverty, homelessness, debt and frequent harassment, young people talk about their difficult backgrounds including abuse, domestic violence and needing to seek asylum. Despite all of this, one of the biggest problem young people identify is loneliness.

“It’s about lack of friends, lack of confidence, feeling singled out, paranoia about people, don’t know what people are thinking or thinking you are weird” – YASP Service User.

“I have had no contact with my family in Angola and at first I was terribly homesick, and I still think a lot about things that happened to me in the past, but with the support and friendships at YASP I am now learning to live with this”.- YASP Service User.

Through RMCIA I know parents whose children have accessed YASP services and found them a huge help. Let's hope that the cuts don't see services such as this suffer.

To read the full report visit the YASP website.

Upcoming North West events

2011-02-14T21:33:00.002Z

Couple of events coming up in the North West that you might be interested in:

February 18th service user focus group in Preston on personal health budgets (PHB). You don't need to know anything about PHBs to participate as the organisers will be explaining, so it's also an opportunity to learn about them. For an information sheet email Karen Machin or text 07979 252 526.

18th March ROLEcamp

What’s it all about? Outcomes . The change created by an intervention.

Services and service commissioners are measuring the effectiveness of their services by looking at outcomes. We, the ROLE network, believe those outcomes should be selected by service users/survivors and carers. "No decision about me without me."

This event asks what outcomes do we want? And how will we know if services have provided those outcomes?

Who should attend?

This event is for people in the North West of England who have a personal lived experience and involvement in mental health. You might call yourself a:

service user
survivor
patient
client
carer

It doesn’t matter what sort of service you may have received (or refused). It might be from the NHS or from a charity.

We want people with experience of all kinds of services including people who have been detained under the Mental Health Act, or used counselling services. We welcome people who experience multiple discrimination – people who in addition to mental health challenges, face challenges because of race, gender, sexuality, age, faith or disability.

For more information and to book (it's free of charge) visit Eventbrite.

Cutswatch - we need your help

2011-02-03T22:18:00.002Z

While we all know that this is a tough economic climate, we want to make sure people affected by severe mental illness are not unjustly affected by cuts to mental health spending and services.

Councils and health trusts are about to sign off their budgets. In order to build up a national picture of cuts to spending on mental health services, Rethink needs your help.

We need volunteers to help us track what is happening across the Greater Manchester area. Please let us know what’s happening near you, by finding out what your council and local health trust’s new spending plans are for mental health. You can find out by:

Checking your council and Primary Care Trust’s websites to see if information is readily available
Calling your local council and ask them how you find out
Asking your local PCT's Patient Advice Liaison Services (PALs) or Patient and Public Involvement team - for advice on how to find out about NHS plans for mental health in your area.

If you have any information just post it as a comment on this blog, or email us at maryrayner@hotmail.com.

Tough times for The Roby

2011-01-20T23:19:00.002Z

Really sad news that The Roby, a centre that provides many different wellbeing and mental health services for the local community in Longsight, is facing a huge cut 86% in its funding income.

Great quote from Ben Crouch, Director of The Roby, who says: "In my two years here at The Roby, we have directly supported and intervened when people have turned up on our door because they are on the brink of suicide or have been kicked out of their home and we have given them whatever assistance we can. They come to us because they know we are there because we’ve previously helped a family member of one of their friends. You can’t commission that."

Tough times at the moment but mental health services can be seen as a soft target. With a common misconception that someone experiencing mental distress should just 'pull themself together', places such as The Roby can be viewed as a nice to have, rather than a need to have.

The Roby is holding a public meeting on the 24th January 2011 at the Roby United Reform Church on Dickenson Road to start a campaign to ‘Save our Services’. Doors open at 5pm and anyone with an interest in supporting an organisation like The Roby.

If you know of cuts to any other services you can report this to the mental health charity Rethink, through their Fair Treatment Now campaign.

Our plans for 2011

2011-01-13T23:31:00.004Z

We had a busy and productive meeting last night and amongst many other things discussed our plans for this year. Here there are, in summary - more details to come soon:

What do we want to achieve this year?

Reach 50 new people
Hold at least two events in a different location
Run a campaign to raise awareness of mental illness in Manchester
Raise funds to ensure we can continue our work

Events

We want to organise three 'outreach' events, not at the usual venue of Manchester Carers Centre, because we want to try and reach a wider audience. The 'hot topics' we would like as themes for our events are:

GP commissioning: its effect on mental health in Manchester, in particular the three practice based commissioning hubs that we understand are forming across the city.
Health White Paper - what does it mean?
Changes in benefits, in particular Employment and Support Allowance, and the push to get people 'back to work'.

Campaign for 2011 – ‘What we know now’
At our 'Bring and Share' event in December we talked about all the skills, experience and knowledge that we've gained by either coping with having a mental illness, or though caring for a loved one who has been very ill. We're a pretty skilled bunch of people and have something powerful here. If we'd known these things 10, 15, 20 years ago then where would we be now?

What an inspiring evening!

2010-12-08T21:47:00.006Z

We had our 'Bring and Share' event tonight and as well as eating too much chocolate (again) I've come away feeling really inspired. We talked about all the skills, experience and knowledge that we've gained by either coping with having a mental illness, or though caring for a loved one who has been very ill. You can see all the ideas we jotted down from the discussion - from coming to understand your limitations (and that these can change), to developing patience, coping strategies and learning how to think positively. We understand how mental health services work and different illnesses themselves. It struck me, particularly from the people in the room who themselves have to deal with what can be devastating mental illnesses, that we're a pretty skilled bunch of people. For some, mental illness forces a process of self examination - and eventually self awareness - that is painful but hugely illuminating. It's a process that many of us won't have to go through and we'll be less wise for it. So, hats off to those of you who have a mental illness and work through it the best you can.

We think we've got something powerful here. If we'd known these things 10, 15, 20 years ago then where would we be now? The plan is to pull all our experiences together into a document that we can share with others across Greater Manchester. So, we'd love to hear about your experiences. If you'd like to share what you've learnt through experiencing mental illness, through caring for someone or through your professional work then we'd love to hear from you. There are two ways you can do this:
1. Add your comments below using the comment function, or
2. Email 'What I know now' to maryrayner@hotmail.com. We won't share your name with anyone unless you say we can.

'Bring and Share' Christmas event

2010-12-07T22:34:00.000Z

For our last meeting before the Christmas break, we would like to invite you to a ‘Bring and Share’ event. All are welcome – carers, service users and professionals.

Wednesday 8th December
6pm – 8pm
Manchester Carers Centre, Vulcan Mill, Pollard Street, Manchester M4 7AN

Just bring along a bit of food to share around! Drinks will be provided.

As well as a social evening, we will be spending part of our time planning activity for 2011.

A ‘walking bus’ will leave from the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station (on the Fairfield Street side) at 5:30pm. If you would like to meet here please call Mary on 07816 754 032. If you need to walk back into town after the event there will be others to walk back with.

For more information call Mary on 07816 754 032.

More wishes for mental health

2010-10-08T18:09:00.002+01:00

Today I've spoken about our Mental Health Wish List campaign at an event organised by Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust. The Wish List is our four top priorities for improving services in Manchester - see an earlier blog post that explains it in more detail. We've been asking commissioners and providers to respond. We got nothing from local councillors and had a meeting with commissioners NHS Manchester (who are set to be abolished under the government's health reform plans). However, the most productive response has been from Manchester Mental Health Trust. They're putting together a formal written response, we spoke about the Wish List at their recent AGM, and today have been at their 'Effectiveness Day' to do the same. The best part about today for me was getting new wishes from the audience.

Here they are:

Wishes about services...

Continuity of service – the cumulative impact of closure, such as losing established relationships, are are often not counted.
Better awareness of mental health outside of mental health services.
I wish we could get it right for everyone, everytime.
I wish that all service users are supported towards working towards their own recovery.
With budgets so tight...mainstream some carers’ services and work more in partnership to minimise duplication.
Professionals who decide on the services understand the services fully.
Carers to have a break for a few days every three months.
Person-centered approach for everyone.
Better resources including more frontline staff, allowing for better quality of care and time given to service users and carers.
Family support services for carers.
Co-ordinated support and services.
More Community Psychiatric Nurses for ethnic minorities.
Joined up services for dual diagnosis patients.

Wishes about attitudes to mental illness...

Mental illness to be treated as an illness like cancer and not as something strange.
The wish for a universal acceptance of mental illness.
Mental health is everyone’s business.
Get rid of stigma and discrimination in mental health.

I've sent theses issues to the Trust.

Come and celebrate World Mental Health Day with us

2010-10-03T20:03:00.002+01:00

In celebration of World Mental Health Day this October, we’re organising an evening event all about putting carers and service users at the heart of mental health. With the government promising to ‘put the patient at the heart’ of healthcare, increasing political interest in professionals, service users and carers working together to ‘co-design’ services, and changes at a local level with the launch of Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust, the issue of carer and service user involvement is a hot topic.

But what will these changes mean in practice and how can carers and service users influence this agenda? Come along to find out more, discuss the issues and input into our campaign for service user and carer involvement.

Wednesday 13th October 2010, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Manchester Carers Centre, Vulcan Mill, Pollard St, Manchester, M4 7AN
Everyone welcome, food and drink provided

Speakers include:

Patrick Cahoon from Manchester Mental Heath and Social Care Trust, on the Trust’s new Carers’ Strategy
Representative from the Princess Royal Trust for Carers on best practice in involvement
Mathieu Culverhouse from Irwin Mitchell solicitors, on dealing with issues surrounding carers’ knowledge of the care their relative receives

Just turn up on the night. For more information call Manchester Carers Line on: 0161 272 7274, or email Mary Patel on maryrayner@hotmail.com.

Wish List campaign a success!

2010-09-02T23:05:00.002+01:00

Over the past year we've been lobbying mental health providers on four ‘wishes’ for improving services in the area. We’ve been delighted at the response: not only have carers, service users and professionals from across Manchester signed up in support of it, but Manchester Mental Heath and Social Care Trust have agreed to write a formal response.
One of the wishes - putting carers and services users at the heart of service design – is high on the political agenda right now with talk of ‘co-design’ of services and the Health White Paper promising to put patients at the heart of our healthcare provision.
To explore what this means in practice and how carers and service users can influence this agenda, we're holding an event, ‘Mental health: putting carers and service users at the centre’. With speakers from Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust and more this is a chance to get informed, discuss issues and take part in our campaigning work.
The free event will take place on Wednesday 13th October, from 5:30 – 7:30pm at Manchester Carers Centre, Vulcan Mill, Pollard St, Manchester M4 7AN. For more information email maryrayner@hotmail.com or call Manchester Carers Line on 0161 272 7274.

Cuts in services?

2010-08-19T22:21:00.001+01:00

This link highlights an online poll that Rethink are asking mental health service users, carers and staff to complete. It asks for your input on where services are being cut, which ones and by how much. It also asks for your opinion on what kinds of services could be cut if you absolutely had to pick one. Clearly this is a difficult decision, but it will help us to ensure that the most vital services are protected.
Your support will enable Rethink to monitor where and how mental health services are being affected by cuts, which is vital for our campaigning. It will take just 2 minutes to complete and really will help Rethink to stop mental health being a soft touch for cuts.

Recovery information evening a success

2010-06-06T20:38:00.002+01:00

25 people attended our Recovery Information Evening last month. We heard from two great speakers - Susan Holden from Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust on how recovery is being implemented in the Trust and from Ben Crouch from The Roby in Longsight about their progress over the past year on providing recovery-based services to the local community. Attendees discussed what recovery means both from a service user and carer perspective and how carers need the right information and support in order to play a positive role in supporting their loved ones to recover.
Susan has since passed on information about WRAPs (Wellness Recovery Action Plans). They were first developed by Mary Ellen Copeland. According to Susan, Copeland markets a particular format which tends to uses ‘service’ language. Others have adapted and produced different types of personal support plans.
Ben has also been in touch about the emotional needs of carers. The Roby offer a counselling service - referrals can be taken over the phone, by calling Saj on 0161 273 4844. See a full list of the services provided by The Roby on their website.
We'll be holding another recovery information evening in September, this time on the subject of service user and carer involvement in developing services. If you know of any inspirational examples in this area please get in touch with us - email maryrayner@hotmail.com

Mental health & recovery - an information evening

2010-05-03T16:17:00.004+01:00

Next Wednesday, 12th May, we're holding an information evening to explore different perspectives on recovery and how people can recovery - and be supported to recover - from a mental illness.
We're delighted to have speakers from The Roby and from Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust talk about the work they are doing to support the process of recovery.
Meet and socialise with other people who are affected by mental illness, either personally or through a caring or family connection.
Everyone welcome – food and drink will be provided.
Wednesday 12th May 2010
5:30pm – 7pm
Followed by our AGM 7pm – 8pm (all welcome)
Manchester Carers Centre
Beswick House, Beswick Row
Manchester, M4 4PR
For more information call Manchester Carers Centre on 0161 835 4090 or email Mary Rayner on maryrayner@hotmail.com.
The event is part of our 'Wish List' campaign. We have four wishes for improving services in Manchester...promoting recovery, making services users and carers central to the improvement of services, going beyond medication and improving the atmosphere on wards.

Politicians to clean up their act?!

2010-03-26T23:02:00.002Z

Rethink have won couple of important campaigning victories recently. The first has been succeeding in persuading government to ban employers from asking job candidates about their medical history before inviting them for interview. There are so many cases of capable people openly disclosing a mental illness, only to find they are passed over for interview time and time again.
The second victory, announced just this week, has been persuading the leaders of the three main political parties to sign up to an agreement not to use mental health slurs in the run up to the general election. It's a pretty sad sign that this campaign was needed - though politicians do stoop pretty low in their heckles, even to the point of picking on physical disabilities (Gordon Brown and his eye, for instance). But good on Rethink for getting this issue on the agenda.
Watch out Gordon, David and Nick - we'll be listening!

Getting mental health on the government's agenda

2010-03-23T22:17:00.002Z

Rethink have been doing lots of lobbying in the run up to the general election, raising awareness of mental health issues amongst politicians. You can support their work by signing Rethink's petition. The petition tells new MPs that 1 in 4 people are affected by mental health problems, and many are STILL:

- missing out on basic treatments and information
- facing discrimination in everyday life and
- too often locked up in prison without any healthcare

Rethink are calling for the new Parliament to act to improve things for people affected by mental illness and are aiming to collect 10,000 signatures to take to Downing Street as soon as the election results are in.

Sign the petition now.

NW directory for carers - your views wanted

2010-02-07T18:22:00.001Z

Caring with Confidence have launched a survey for carers and organisations that aims to eventually build a helpful directory for carers in the North West and help improve learning and care training opportunities for unpaid carers. Fill out the survey.

Kitchen Volunteers needed for the Roby's Breakfast Club

2010-01-09T17:09:00.004Z

The wonderful Roby in Longsight has won CAS:H grant funding from Manchester City Council’s Longsight Ward so that they can open their doors each morning from Monday to Friday between 8:30 and 9:30 and will be providing free breakfasts, a space to be social and have fun and also to get support first thing in the morning if things are getting you down.
The funding allows the Roby to provide basic breakfast food and drinks (with a healthy focus, but with the odd Bacon Butty available as a treat) but we will be relying on volunteers to staff the kitchen, help with preparing breakfast, cooking, serving and providing hot and cold drinks and smoothies.
The Roby is a mental health and well-being charity based in Longsight with its community centre in the Roby United Reform Church on Dickenson Road. The charity provides essential services to individuals living with mental health conditions, rough sleepers and people living in sheltered / supported housing, people with drug and alcohol issues, refugee and asylum seekers and many others. The Roby a welcoming organisation that takes an active stance in tackling social exclusion.
If you are interested in volunteering your time for this project, please complete this online survey to provide the Roby with your contact details, indicate what areas you are interested in contributing too and they will get in touch to meet with you.
The planned launch of the Breakfast Club is 1st March 2010.

Recovery - new report from Rethink

2009-12-29T20:20:00.003Z

Recovery is on our Mental Health Wish List for 2010 and is a topic that seemed to generate a lot of conversation and excitement at our Mistletoe and Mental Health event a couple of weeks ago. Going through my email inbox, which I'm a bit behind on, I found an email from Rethink sent in November with news of a new report on recovery. 'Getting back into the world: reflections on lived experiences of recovery', is what it says - a compilation of interviews with 48 people across England who have personal experience of mental illness. What's really interesting - and positive - about the report is that the interviews, analysis and write up were also done by people who have personal experience of mental illness. I've not had a chance to have a proper read but a quick glance shows that it will be an inspiring, thought provoking and useful report for anyone with an interest in recovery in mental illness.

Confidentiality and information sharing

2009-12-29T19:17:00.003Z

Although the issue of confidentiality and information sharing hasn't made it onto our Mental Health Wish List it has cropped up several times as a discussion point over the past few months. Rethink recently sent through some guidance on information sharing from the Department of Health. The report, 'Information Sharing and Mental Health', touches on some of the issues that we've discussed - that service users have a right to access information that impacts on them and that carers often feel that information is withheld from them unnecessarily. The guide is intended mostly for health professionals and is primarily focussed on sharing of information between statutory and non-statutory organisations. So, it doesn't directly address the issues we've been discussing as a group but does give a useful insight into the difficulties that professionals face. However, the guide does reference a report by Rethink for the Department of Health, published in 2004 , 'Positive and Inclusive: Effective ways for professionals to include carers in information sharing' which does look exclusively at information sharing with carers. It's a pretty long report (over 200 pages) but it is summarised - p.9 lists the main results and p.11 the main recommendations.

Support our wish list for mental health services in Manchester

2009-12-14T18:00:00.003Z

At our Christmas party this week we launched our wish list for mental health services in Manchester. We're calling on service users, carers and people who work with us to sign up in support of the wish list. Here's how you can show your support:
1. Follow this link to download the wish list
2. Save it to your computer
3. Add in any comments you have and sign your name (just typing is fine - no need to sign in pen)
4. Email it to me or post it to Ruth Hannan, Manchester Carers Centre, Beswick Row, Manchester M4 4PR
At the end of January we'll collect up all the signed wish lists and send them to Manchester City Council, NHS Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust.
The document I've linked to above is a summary version of the wish list, because we thought that not everyone has the time to read through a 10 page document! If you'd like to read the full wish list, click here to download.
We don't claim that the wish list is comprehensive or representative of the views of Manchester's carers and service users. So, we hope that you help us to improve it. You can do this by leaving comments on this blog or by adding your comments to the wish list before you send it back to us.

What's your mental health wish list?

2009-11-24T21:56:00.002Z

To celebrate the end of 2009 Rethink Manchester Carers in Action have put together a ‘wish list’ of what we’d like mental health provision to look like in Manchester, covering areas such as use of the recovery model and involving carers and service users in staff training. We want to know what else you think should be on the list and would particularly like service users' views.
After the event we will be handing the wish list to Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust.
So whether you’re a service user, carer or professional, we hope you can come along, tell us what else you want on the wish list and join our festive celebration.

Wednesday 9th December 2009, 6-8pm
Manchester Carers Centre
Beswick Row, M4 4PR

Buffet food and drinks will be provided

Please let us know if you’d like to come
Email Mary Rayner, Group Co ordinator: maryrayner@hotmail.com
Or call Manchester Carers Centre on 0161 835 4090

Time to Change campaign is recruiting

2009-11-10T18:57:00.002Z

Time to Change, the national anti-stigma campaign, is recruiting for 'Lived Experience Advisors'. They want to hear from anyone who has direct experience as a survivor, service user or carer, is involved with national, regional or local networks and has skills in public speaking, media work, research, involving others or community engagement.
This is a chance to join England's most amitious campaign to end mental health discrimination.
For more information, including application forms, visit the Time to Change website, email, or phone on 020 8215 2356.

Next meeting this Weds 14th Oct

2009-10-11T20:52:00.001+01:00

It's time again for some more campaign plotting... we're planning to hold a Christmas Party on Wednesday 9th December to bring together as many different carers, service users and their representatives to discuss what we'd like the future of mental health to be in Manchester. More details coming soon...
If you'd like to come to this Wednesday's meeting, it's 6-8pm at Manchester Carers Centre, Beswick Row (nr Victoria Station).

Campaigning is go!

2009-10-08T22:27:00.001+01:00

We actually finalised our campaign aims at our meeting last month, but preparing to speak at a conference tomorrow about RMCIA has reminded me that I've not written about them yet. After much discussion, debate (and dare I say arguing!), here are our main campaign aims...
1 Challenging stigma and discrimination - did you know that 1 in 8 people would not want to live next door to someone who has a mental health problem?
2 Developing best practice with professionals. There's lots that we want to do under this category, such as encouraging use of the recovery model, and tackling unwelcoming atmospheres in some wards.
3 Information is power! Being diagnosed with a severe mental illness - or having a loved one diagnosed - is such a disorientating time. Some basic information - what questions to ask, what sort of care you should expect, and where you can talk to other people in the same situation - can be a lifeline. We want to get information out there.
So, that it's for now. We think it's pretty ambitious (though you should have seen our list before we prioritised) - but we're determined.
We'd love to know what you think about our priorities and what ideas you might have about how we can achieve them.

Personalisation in mental health - what does it mean?

2009-09-23T23:08:00.003+01:00

One of the major shifts in health and social care policy over the past five years has been how to allow individuals to have more control over the care package they receive - called 'personalisation'. Most of the trialling of personalisation so far has happened with social care.
However, currently the Department of Health is working with over 70 Primary Care Trusts nationally which have applied to test out personal health budgets – using health money to create personalised solutions. In the North West there are currently around 10 PCTs bidding to achieve formal pilot status. It's early days for personalisation in mental health but I'll be watching to see what the results are from these pilots. For more information see the North West Mental Health Improvement Programme's latest bulletin at http://www.northwest.nhs.uk/document_uploads/MentalHealthNews_July09/Issue038_Pers&MH_CB.pdf. You can subscribe to this yourself using a link at the bottom of the document.

Preparing for swine flu - info for carers

2009-09-14T21:00:00.003+01:00

If you feel that you'd like to be prepared in case you are unlucky enough to get swine flu this year, you might be interested in this information I've received from Manchester City Council...
Carers can plan for an emergency as part of a Carer's Needs Assessment. In the assessment, they can discuss how they would like the person that they care for to be looked after if they become ill or their situation changes and there is also the option to have an emergency sitting service available as back-up. The assessment is simply a discussion about their needs as a carer and, as well as planning for an emergency, it gives carers the chance to find out about other services that could help them in their caring role. To request a Carer's Needs Assessment, carers can simply call Manchester's Contact Service on 0161 255 8250.
Carers should also find themselves a flu-friend or flu-friends who understand their caring role and, as well as being able to assist the carer, may be able to take on some of the caring responsibilities. The attached Flu-friend Flyer allows carers to keep a list of their flu-friends.
Carers can also find out more information about swine flu and caring (including information about flu jabs) at www.nhs.uk/carersdirect or call the Flu Service on 0800 1 513 100 for information if they feel unwell.

Support for carers 'too complex' says report

2009-09-08T21:03:00.001+01:00

Britain's six million unpaid carers who look after relatives or dependents are missing out on crucial benefits because of overly complex rules, MPs have concluded.
A report by the Commons public accounts committee revealed that carers claim only £2bn in benefits, while their work saves the Treasury an estimated £23bn a year in health bills. For the full story see here.

Collective Voice North West

2009-09-08T20:14:00.002+01:00

The standing conference for service users, carers and the public now has a new name – Collective Voice North West.

The first event was held in Liverpool in July – see this short film.

The next Collective Voice North West event will be held in Manchester on the 12th October, in conjunction with World Mental health Day. The theme of the event will be ‘stigma’ with opportunities throughout the day to engage in discussions, workshops and a marketplace.

Bookings for the event via standingconference@rethink.org

Shaping the future of care together: reply by 13 November 2009

2009-09-08T20:08:00.002+01:00

Your chance to have your say on the reform of adult care and support in England. The Government wants to create a National Care Service which is fair, simple and affordable. How should they do it? They have published the Green Paper for public consultation.

Copies of the full Green Paper, Shaping the Future of Care Together, and the Easy Read version are available from:-
DH publications orderline
PO Box 777
London SE1 6XH
Email: dh@prolog.uk.com
Tel: 0300 123 1002
Minicom: 0300 123 1003

Quote the reference, 295936/Shaping the Future of Care Together for the full Green Paper and, for the shorter version, 295936/ER Shaping the Future of Care Together – Easy Read.

You can also order copies through the Department of Health Orderline here. Or read the consultation on the Department of Health's website. Copies in alternative languages and formats are also available, but upon request so may take some time to produce. Email careandsupport@dh.gsi.gov.uk with your details to order.

Want to have your say on the future of mental health

2009-08-17T21:27:00.004+01:00

If you've ever trawled through a Government consultation document you'll know that they're not the easiest read. This one, from the Department of Health, is no exception - at 130 pages you'll need a few cups of tea to get you through. Thankfully, Rethink have produced a handy six-page summary to save you the trouble.
In a nutshell, the National Service Framework (NSF) for Mental Health in England expires this year and New Horizons is its new 'vision' for mental health. It contains some promising stuff - it covers areas such as prevention and public mental health, stigma, personalised care and collaboration between services. New Horizons aims to shape the way a range of agencies work to make mental health everyone’s business, from health services, local authorities, schools, employers, and those involved in the criminal justice system.
The Department of Health asks quite a few (big) questions, such as: What do you think are the three most important changes for mental health and mental health care in the next 10 years? It's important that the Government hears any examples of good or bad practice you know of.
If you'd like to have your say, the easiest way to respond is to...
1. Read Rethink's briefing at http://www.rethink.org/how_we_can_help/campaigning_for_change/campaigns_on_the_move/have_your_say_on_the.html. The briefing summarises the consultation and give clear guidance on how you can respond, including contacts at Rethink's policy team if you need advice or guidance.
2. Respond to the Department of Health's questions by using this online survey http://www.info.doh.gov.uk/questionnaire/newhorizons.nsf
You'll need to be quick as the consultation closes on 15th October.

New NICE guidelines

2009-08-10T21:09:00.003+01:00

NICE guidelines aren't a handbook for general good behaviour, but are issued by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (hence the 'NICE') as a guide on ow different health conditions should be treated - and set out the most effective treatments which they recommend should be offered. The new NICE guidelines on treatment for schizophrenia were published in March 2009. Rethink has produced a guide on changes from when the guidance was last published, which include:
- The guidelines no longer recommend that newer, atypical antipsychotics are prescribed over older ones. Instead, they say that a choice of medication should be offered to the service user, following a discussion about possible side effects.
- The new guidelines also recommend that the service user should be offered 10 sessions of CBT and possible family therapy.
- GPs are also required to offer annual physical health checks to people with schizophrenia and the results should be shared with their secondary mental health services.
Research conducted by Rethink has revealed that only 1 in 3 service users are currently offered any choice of medication, and fewer than 50% have had potential side effects of their medication discussed with them. So it's important that health professionals are aware of the new guidelines if things are going to change.
If you'd like to help promote this good practice for treating schizophrenia, you can take part in Rethink's simple e-campaign and send an email to your MP. Visit www.rethink.org/nice to take part and for other local campaign ideas.

We're official!

2009-08-01T23:23:00.001+01:00

We've just received notification from Rethink that the North West Regional Committee has approved our application to register as a Rethink Group.

Running the Manchester 10k

2009-06-30T21:40:00.001+01:00

On 17th May I ran the Manchester 10k to raise funds for RMCIA. Thanks to everyone who sponsored me - you helped to raise nearly £200!. It was a bit of a challenge as I had a stitch from 2k onwards and spent the last kilometre with my hand dug in my side trying to get rid of it - which made me look a bit like a one-winged chicken!

Launch event

2009-06-30T21:39:00.000+01:00

On Wednesday 13th May 2009 over 50 people got together at Manchester Carers Centre to celebrate the launch of Rethink Manchester Carers in Action. We heard from a range of speakers including Diane Miller from Time to Change, a groundbreaking national campaign that is challenging people’s perceptions of mental health problems, Shirley Devine, Chief Executive of Manchester Carers Centre, Grainne Cuerden, North West Regional Manager for Rethink and from Karen Machin who is active in mental health campaigning.

We finished off the evening by cutting through stigma - or more specifically cutting a cake with the word 'stigma' written across it. A very tasty start to our campaigning activity!