Terry Bamford retires from SPN

It feels strange to be leaving SPN after three and a half very happy years as Director. I will always be grateful that the then co-chairs of SPN, Judy Foster and Stewart Hendry who with Peter Ferns constituted a formidable interview panel decided to take a chance on somebody who had already retired twice!

Commitment to Social Models

It has been a great experience and I have learned a huge amount. SPN is a good working model of co-production because we do model very effectively the importance of developing programmes and policies with service users. And a commitment to social models of mental health has to be at the heart of public policy. Indeed if you listen to the rhetoric, it already is. the sadness is how far the day to day reality of mental health care falls short of the rhetoric.

Personalisation

In today's newsletter, we report discrimination against older people in service delivery and stereotyped attitudes in the 'treatment' of gays and lesbians. Race discrimination has long disfigured mental health care and secure units remain frightening places, especially for women patients.

SPN has pushed for progress on these issues and tried to keep the social work and social care flag flying. That is a critially important role when social work is undergoing a crisis of identity about its role in mental health. Personalisation is a social care agenda. If we succeed in translating the concepts into mental health care, we will strengthen the social model because we will be putting the views and priorities of service users first. That is why SPN will continue to play an active role in carrying forward the discussion about personalisation.

Lucky?

I have been very luck to work with great colleagues and know that Vicky, Jean and Raza will continue to drive things forward. I am grateful to them and the Executive Committe for their constant support and assistance. It will be a privilege as Trustee to remain involved with the organisation which has been such an important part of my life.

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