Working with Transgender people to improve health and wellbeing - followup

On Monday 13th December a workshop evening was held by representatives of both the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust and the Eastern and Coastal Kent Community Health NHS Trust. Among the attendees were NHS professionals, members of the Transgender community, representatives from GIRES (the Gender Identity Research and Education Society) and other interested private bodies. The workshop aimed to find out how to provide more and better access to support and information for Transgender people.

Many topics were discussed, and several priority areas emerged for future work. The need to provide more education regarding Transgender issues in training NHS staff was highlighted, alongside the importance of working with General Practitioners to encourage willingness to provide medical care for, and a more ethical treatment of, Transgender people. The workshop established links with individuals and organisations eager to participate and take the agenda forward.

All feedback from both the participants and facilitators was very positive and when asked for their thoughts of the evening, one participant remarked “I am so happy to see that there are people within the NHS committed to improving the experience Transgendered people encounter”.

A working group will be formed and another meeting will be held in January 2011.

For more information, please contact either Sheree Bell, Community Engagement Officer for the Kent and Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust, or Adam Lott, Equality and Diversity Manager for Eastern and Coastal Kent Community Health NHS Trust.

East Kent User Forum campaign against proposed cuts to benefits

The EKUF have launched a vigorous campaign to voice the concern and stress felt by those on mental health related benefits who feel threatened by the cuts proposed in the recent Comprehensive Spending Review.

Read more about the campaign here, and take part in an anonymous survey here.

Mental Health Commissioning and Contracting Team - Christmas 2010 newsletter

Kent County Council's Mental Health Commissioning and Contracting Team have published their latest newsletter. Amongst the many interesting items is a brief article introducing myself, Brian Pugsley, as the new Live It Well webmaster, and a report on the opening of the Live It Well centre in Ashford.

KMPT Community Engagement Workshops

The Kent and Medway Partnership Trust are holding a series of workshops as part of their search for an improved approach to accessing expertise within the community and the development of a Community Engagement Strategy. Local people, particularly those that use KMPT services, will be vital to the success of this strategy. Anyone interested in becoming involved is invited to attend one of the workshops.

The workshop in Canterbury is on Thursday 16 December, 10am-2pm (lunch provided), at

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

or in Maidstone on Wednesday 15 December, 10am-2pm (lunch provided), at

Trinity Foyer
20 Church Street
Maidstone
ME14 1LY

Further information can be seen on the KMPT website, where you can also download a workshop booking form.

A Woman's View - exploring mental health experience through an artists eye

This free one day event will take place at

Tonbridge Baptist Church
Darenth Avenue
Tonbridge
TN10 3HZ

on Monday 10 January 2011, 10am-3pm (lunch provided)

A day for women to discuss, share and learn from each others experiences, giving women a voice and influencing support services. Using art work especially produced for this event to stimulate discussion, the workshop will focus on the theme of "The 3 phases of womanhood" (18-35, 35-60, 60+).

The event is promoted by the Kent and Medway Partnership Trust. To find out more, see this flyer or call Sheree Bell, Community Engagement Officer at KMPT on 07949 037401. To register and obtain a booking form please email or call the Equalities Team on 01732 523347.

East Kent User Forum Christmas Newsletter published

The East Kent User Forum Christmas Newsletter has been published can can be accessed or downloaded here. This is a great media-rich document with lots of photos, images and articles, consequently it's quite  large (4.4mb) so it might take a while to appear.

Live It Well summary published

A summary of the final version of the Live It Well strategy for improving the mental health and mental wellbeing of people in Kent and Medway has been published, and you can read or download it here.

How health walks transform lives

An article in The Guardian discusses the benefits of "health walks." Groups were established by professionals and are now self-supporting. Walkers are convinced that, in addition to the obvious physical benefits, their morale and mental health is lifted.

East Kent User Forum Autumn Newsletter published

The East Kent User Forum Autumn Newsletter has been published can can be accessed or downloaded here. This is a great media-rich document with lots of photos, images and articles, consequently it's quite a large (8mb) so it might take a while to appear.

Regulator says it will drive improvements for mental health patients

The Care Quality Commission today (27 October) highlighted areas of poor practice in mental health services for patients who are subject to the Mental Health Act, and pledged to use its regulatory powers to lever improvement.

Publishing its first annual report on the use of the Act, CQC said its findings raised important concerns about how some care providers, in both the NHS and private sector, were adhering to the principles of the Act and its Code of Practice.

The commission identified three priority areas where services needed to do much better:

• involving patients in decisions about their care and treatment;
• assessing and recording patients’ consent to treatment;
• minimising restrictions on patients and avoiding ‘blanket’ security measures.

Read the full press release or download the full report.

Call for research volunteers - aged over 65

Are you over 65? Would you be prepared to be interviewed for an important study of older people’s health and wellbeing?

The East Kent User Forum is helping the Royal College of Psychiatrists to develop a standardised interview, which could be used by mental health practitioners and researchers to more effectively assess mental health disorders in the elderly. The interview will be used in a major European survey of people aged between 65 and 84 in six countries, including the UK. Before starting the main survey, the interview we’ve developed needs to be tried out with a small number of people to see how well it works, find out if there are any problems with it, and get feedback about how it can be improved.

The interview will last a couple of hours and would take place in your own home at a time convenient to you. If you are interested in being interviewed, please contact Maggie Gallant on 01843 230726 who will be able to tell you more about it. Thank you.

Working with Transgender people to improve health and wellbeing

You are warmly invited to an evening of discussion and social networking in a confidential and respectful space. The aim of this event is to engage transgender people further in helping to improve key areas such as access to support and information, getting help with substance misuse concerns and enabling  staff to deliver better services through improved awareness and training.

Refreshments and a buffet meal will be provided on arrival.

Please come along and get involved – your views matter!

Monday 13th December 2010 5.45pm – 8.30pm  at

Music for Change
Chaucer Technology School
Spring Lane
Canterbury, CT1 1SU.
www.musicforchange.org

To register: contact Deana Cook
To discuss: please call Sheree Bell 07949 037 347

See the flyer here.

Patient's Council meetings at The Ashford Mental Health Unit

The Patients Council meetings offer an informal and supportive environment for you to express and share your views and concerns about your stay at the hospital.

At Patients Council meetings, patients can:

· Discuss what you think of your ward
· Record what works well and what could work better
· Make proposals for what is needed

Maggie & Amanda from the East Kent User Forum will be visiting all wards from 1.15pm on:

Thursday 6th January 2011
Thursday 3rd February 2011
Thursday 3rd March 2011
Thursday 7th April 2011
Thursday 5th May 2011
Thursday 2nd June 2011

See the Patient's Council Poster here.

Ashford User Forum

Ashford User Forum will be holding monthly meetings in order to discuss issues affecting mental health service users. The Forum is open to anyone with an interest in mental health matters. Share information and meet new people in our informal group meeting. Help others to benefit from your experiences.

Meetings take place at

Braethorpe Live It Well Centre
Canterbury Road

at 11am on

Thursday 6th January 2011
Thursday 3rd February 2011
Thursday 3rd March 2011
Thursday 7th April 2011
Thursday 5th May 2011
Thursday 2nd June 2011

Singing for Wellbeing

The main focus of the Sidney De Haan Research Centre is researching the potential value of active participation in group singing for wellbeing and health. In September 2009 they established the East Kent Singing for Health project, which culminated in a public performance at the Granville Theatre in Ramsgate in June 2010, clips of which are shown in this wonderfully informative and inspiring short film about the project.

The Centre has undertaken an evaluation of the project during the first year and shown substantial positive benefits for mental wellbeing among participants. The project re-started in October 2010 for a second year and further performances are planned. Learn more about this exciting project from the website or via email.

East Kent User Forum open meetings

The East Kent User Forum (EKUF) are having a series of three open meetings. Come along and find out how you can become more involved in your area and have a say in how local services are planned. Meet the staff, volunteers and user reps over a mince pie and hot chocolate. We look forward to seeing you.

Ashford meeting on Thursday December 2nd at 11.00am

Braethorpe
Canterbury Road
Ashford

Deal meeting on Friday December 3rd at 11.00am

Deal Resource House
London Road
Deal

Dover meeting on Wednesday December 8th at 11.00am

Ashentree House
Ashentree Lane
Dover

For more information – ring Maggie or Amanda on 01843 230 726

Ways to Wellbeing Workplace Workshops

The NHS is funding free Ways to Wellbeing Workplace Workshops as part of the Live It Well Strategy.

Organisations are invited to arrange for workshops covering issues such as stress, anxiety, low mood and the sorts of work-related and financial worries that are becoming everyday realities as more people face coping with the impact of the economic downturn.

The free Ways to Wellbeing workshops are run by professionals from KCA’s Psychological Therapy team and employment specialists mcch. They aim to help people survive uncertain times by introducing them to strategies designed to build up their resilience and help them thrive. The workshops are run by professionals from KCA and mcch.

To arrange a workshop for your organisation or find out more, call Don MacLeod, KCA’s Programme Co-ordinator on 01634 406087.

Race & Ethnicity in Mental Health Action Group

The East Kent Race & Ethnicity in Mental Health Action Group (REMAG) will be holding their initial meeting on Friday 12th November at the Spring Lane Neighbourhood Centre in Canterbury between 10am and 12pm; lunch will be provided afterwards.

"We envisage that service providers, mental health and social care commissioners (from statutory and voluntary groups) alongside members of the community, will engage with this action group in order to encourage equity in access and experience of services for black and minority ethnic (BME) groups in East Kent. This opportunity is the first of its kind in East Kent and it has the potential to be a beacon of good practice across the region."

Further information in this flyer and in this report. If you would like to attend or have any other queries please contact Bernadette Avis on  01622 230718.

If you were in charge, where would you spend the money?

After the recent spending review all Kent Adult Social Services are expecting cuts, meaning some difficult decisions. Service users and others can make their views known at this free event on Thursday November 11th, 10:30-2:45, with lunch.

Ashford Enterprise Centre
Towers School, Faversham Road,
Kennington, Ashford
TN24 9AL

A Kent LINk Community Engagement Event

October KENT LINk Bulletin

This months bulletin has two articles of particular interest. "Transforming Mental Health Services for Children in Need" introduces Wintrop Hall in Staplehurst, near Maidstone, which is being transformed into Kent's first dedicated specialist children's mental health centre.

"What is Big White Wall?" introduces the revolutionary mental wellbeing social network Big White Wall. A number of places are available to Kent residents on this site, funded by the Kent and Medway NHS Social Care and Partnership Trust.

Read the bulletin online here.

Live It Well final strategy published

October 10th, World Mental Health Day, saw the publication of the final Live It Well strategy for improving the mental health and wellbeing of people in Kent and Medway. The draft strategy was circulated earlier this year, and changes were made as a result of feedback received.

Read the final Live It Well strategy

Read about the consultation exercise

GP commissioning

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has written to GPs to clarify the implications for GP commissioning in the July white paper on health.

What do we in Kent think about the planned changes to the NHS?

In their recent white paper, Liberating the NHS, the Government have set out their plans for improving the NHS. They are interested to hear from members of the public about how these plans should be carried out.

The Kent LINk (Local Involvement Network) has produced this summary of the biggest changes and would like to hear what you think about them. You can give your views by answering the questions in this online survey.

The Kent LINk will then put all the views together and give a combined response to the Department of Health on behalf of the people of Kent.

Or, if you prefer, you can go to the Department of Health website to see the full white paper and give your feedback directly. The deadline for giving your feedback to Kent LINk is Wednesday 22nd September.

The Care Quality Commission publishes the views of 17,000 community mental health service users

This substantial survey has recently been published, and a short extract from the press release is shown below. Read the full report here, or the entire press release here.

Some people who use community mental health services in England are still not getting the care and support that fully meets their needs, according to a survey published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) today (Tuesday 14 September).

The CQC survey captures the views of more than 17,000 people aged 16 and over who had contact with specialist community mental health services between July and September last year. They had been referred to a psychiatric outpatient clinic, local community mental health team or other community-based service. The survey covered 66 NHS trusts.

People were generally very positive about the health and social care workers they had seen most recently for their mental health condition. The vast majority said workers listened carefully to them, gave them enough time for discussion and took their views into account. Also, most people said they were treated with respect and dignity and had trust and confidence in their health or social care worker.

But many reported that they had not been involved as much as they would have liked in some aspects of their care. Significant numbers of people said they would have liked more explanation of, or more say in, their treatment and support, such as their medication or care planning. Nearly half of those surveyed did not know who to contact in a crisis outside normal office hours. Of those who said they wanted some form of talking therapy, 73% had received it but 27% had not.

CIH Level 3 in Supporting Homeless Persons Certificate

Dear Colleague

You may be interested to know that Porchlight is running another “Engage to Change” course, starting in October 2010.

Porchlight was the first centre in the country to be accredited to deliver this course, which leads to the “CIH Level 3 in Supporting Homeless Persons Certificate”. It has been developed by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), Homeless Link and Broadway as part of the government’s “No-one left out: communities ending rough sleeping” strategy. This new level 3 qualification has been developed specifically for people working directly with homeless people. It covers the mainstays of key working and aims to support workers in developing their approach to gaining successful outcomes for their clients. It is aimed at staff who are experienced in this sector, and is therefore not an induction programme.

We are offering places on the course to external agencies at a cost of £495.00 per student, which includes all course materials, support, CIH registration and student membership.

Course dates are 12th and 13th October 2010, 17th November 2010, 19th January 2011 and 23rd March 2011 and it is essential that students are able to attend on all five dates. The course will be run at our offices in the centre of Canterbury.

For further information about the course content, individual modules, support that students can expect and what we expect from the students, please follow the following link:

http://porchlight.org.uk/about/training/engage-to-change/

As we are expecting more interest than available places, acceptance on the course is by application. An application form is available from the above link.

Applications must be returned to us by Monday 13th September 2010. If successful at this stage, we will invite candidates to come into our Head Office on Monday 20th September 2010 to discuss their application and complete a literacy and time impact assessment.

If you still have any queries about the course, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Beverley Callaghan
Interim Head of HR

Porchlight
2nd Floor Watling Chambers
18-19 Watling Street
Canterbury
Kent CT1 2UA
Direct Line: 01227 813195
Reception: 01227 760078
Fax. 01227 453331

Research Volunteers Wanted

Hull University - Research Volunteers
Would you like to help to improve our understanding of mental health?
Have you a few minutes to spare?

An NHS mental health professional is seeking volunteers to complete some online questionnaires. It doesn’t matter whether or not you have experienced problems with your mental health – everybody can make an important contribution and anyone aged 18 or over can take part.
Payment is not offered but you will be entered into a free £250 prize draw.

To request more information, please email
volunteer4research@googlemail.com

A new play about the mental health sysytem

'Blue/Orange', Arcola Theatre, London

Tiata Fahodzi is a professional theatre company presenting drama representing the experiences of Africans in Britain. An experience which is statistically more likely to afflict Britain’s Africans, in line with other Black groups, is spending time in the mental health care system; a topic explored in Joe Penhall’s award-winning play ‘Blue/Orange’.

From Wednesday 27 October – Saturday 20 November 2010 a radically new, all-female, tenth anniversary production of the play will be staged at the Arcola Theatre in Dalston, East London.

‘Blue/Orange’ is a passionate, witty and ultimately devastating exploration of institutional politics, mental health and race. Unfolding like a game of human chess the drama centres on a patient alternately bewildering and beguiling her medical consultants. Her stories of a damaged childhood in thrall to Idi Amin and a precarious urban London upbringing are plausible but are they true?

Is it more dangerous to keep her inside than to set her free?

Tickets are available from the theatre on 020 7503 1646 or by visiting their website.

Tickets start from £10 and the theatre also operates a Pay What You Can scheme on Tuesdays. Please visit the website for more information.

East Kent User Forum - New Website

Have a look at the East Kent User Forum website!

www.eastkentuserforum.org

Here you will find a wealth of information about East Kent User Forums, the different groups and activities that we offer as well as the many ways in which you can become involved and join our organisation.

Our primary aim is to give a voice to Mental Health Service Users in our region. We aim to help them become involved in shaping the quality and breadth of services offered in East Kent and on a personal level to aid their recovery

Here you will find a wealth of information about East Kent User Forums, the different groups and activities that we offer as well as the many ways in which you can become involved and join our organisation.

Our primary aim is to give a voice to Mental Health Service Users in our region. We aim to help them become involved in shaping the quality and breadth of services offered in East Kent and on a personal level to aid their recovery

Mental Health Related Programmes

Hi all,

Take a look at this website:

http://www.swuf.org.uk/7.html

It has details of mental health related radio and TV programmes!

Carers Reference Group

Dear All

We would like to invite all Carers to attend the next meeting of the Carers Reference Group when the topic will be "Carers having a life of their own alongside their caring role". The details are as follows:

Date: 18 August 2010

Time: 12.30 - 3pm

Venue: Billiard Room, Oakwood House, Maidstone



Regards

Barbara

Barbara Seaman
Kent Carers
Admin Officer
Policy & Service Standards
Tel: 01622 221460

Volunteers needed in Dover Deal & Ashford

Volunteers needed in Dover Deal & Ashford

Would you be interested in becoming a Service user
Forum volunteer?

The following are just a few examples of the different ways you could become more involved with your local user forum:

Ashford Area– to visit the Arundel Unit with Amanda & Maggie Worker) to help run the Patients Council.

Admin Support – give admin support for user forum meetings, this role would involve taking minutes and writing them up

Challenge Stigma – to be part of the user forum commenting on or challenging, mental health services in East Kent

To Lead a User Forum in Dover, Deal or Ashford – you may wish to join one or set up a new one

To be our local representative on committees and meetings – to represent East Kent User forum

Peers Support – helping to organise and support members participating in forum activities

Moderators - Would you be interested in being a forum moderator for the east Kent User Forum website



If you would more information on any of the above please contact Maggie or
Amanda at East Kent User Forum – on 01843 230726
Or email – furst@rethink.org

East Kent User Forum - Time to Change Event

Time to Get Moving Campaign Walk- Part of the Time to change campaign


It's time to ... get moving!

Time to Get Moving is the part of our programme which brings people together to get active, get informed about mental wellbeing and challenge public attitudes. Time to Get Moving Week will run from 9 to 17 October, with lots of fun activities across England.

We at the Thanet User Forum will be running our event with the support of Thanet College


On Tuesday October 12th – meet at Margate Clock Tower at 1.00 pm

Walk will be from Margate to Westgate and back approx – 2 hours
Free time to Change tee shirts for all participants

Everyone Welcome

For more information please call – Maggie or Amanda on 01843 230726

Don't miss Radio 4's Discussion of Mental Health Budgets....

Hi all,

Don't miss Radio 4's discussion about mental health budgets tomorrow at 9pm (Tuesday 29th June) - plus the programme joins in with a Walk and Talk in Shrewsbury.

Take a look here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sv5bk

Raising Voices, Raising Spirits!

Click HERE to see a fantastic report by BBC Kent on the Mustard Seed Choir! Complete with interviews with members of the choir! They sound fantastic!

Article on Live It Well!

Check out this article on the new Live It Well site!

http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/New-website-will-help-to-boost-mental-well__being-newsinkent32030.aspx?news=local

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults

Free Training on Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults.... Click HERE for more information.

Kent and Medway Funding Fair

Click HERE for more information relating to the Kent and Medway Funding Fair - booking is open now!

Interviewers Wanted!

Do you know any mental health service users who would make a good interviewer for a trust project to look at our systems for service user involvement.

If so please encourage them to apply to this exciting opportunity. Deadline for applications is 21st Jan so please encourage people to act soon.

Click HERE for more information.



Thanks for your help.



Kind regards, nick



Nick Dent

PALS Manager (East)

Kent & Medway Partnership Trust

Love Shouldn't Hurt Conference

Canterbury District Domestic Violence Forum
invite you to Love Shouldn't Hurt 2.
A one day conference on domestic abuse and its
effect on children and young people.
St Mary Bredin Church, 59 Nunnery Fields, Canterbury
26 February 9am to 4pm

Click HERE for the invite, HERE for the agenda and HERE for a booking form. RSVP by 26th Jan 2010.

Pilot Police Custody Suite Diversion Scheme - An Update from Vanessa Fowler, Head of Specialist Commissioning, Secure Services

Hi All,

Vanessa Fowler, Head of Specialist Commissioning for Secure Services, has forwarded an update of the Pilot Police Custody Suite Diversion Scheme to be posted to the blogs. If you have any questions regarding the scheme you can email the Medway Mental Health Commissioning Team via Claire Martin whose email is claire.martin@medwaypct.nhs.uk


“A pilot Police Custody Suite Diversion Scheme began in the 6 police custody suites in Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT and the one Police Custody Suite in Medway PCT in October 2009. These services replicate that in West Kent PCT. The results and evaluation of this pilot service will be used to advise the future service model across Eastern and Coastal Kent and Medway.



Members of the Kent and Medway population detained in prison who meet requirements for transfer under the Mental Health Act 2007 are transferred from prison to hospital in a timely manner and never experience unnecessary delay over 28 days. We have indeed negotiated a bespoke 6 week transfer programme with a low secure hospital provider, dedicated to working with transferred prisoners. The health economy is committed to this group of often acutely ill people getting rapid access to the right treatment in the right place at the right time.”