CITY PAROCHIAL FOUNDATION
Work is ongoing.
SPN IN THE MEDIA
The “bigger picture” column of April’s issue of Mental Health Today has been co-written by SPN Executive member Daisy Bogg alongside Harjinder Bahra, equality and diversity manager at Bedfordshire and Luton Partnership NHS Trust. The column argues that one size doesn’t fit all – and that applies to the delivery of mental health services to BME communities
In May’s issue of Mental Health Today, Exec members Suman Fernando and Peter Ferns will give their views on the misrepresentation and stigmatisation of black peoples’ experience of mental distress in the Aesop report and Guardian article from last December.
PERSONALISATION FOR ALL? PERSONALISATION AND DIVERSITY STUDY DAY 30 MARCH 2010
On 30 March around 70 people gathered at the Methodist Hall in Manchester and enjoyed a lively day of learning, exchange and debate on the challenges and opportunities of the Personalisation Agenda for mental health service users from marginalised communities.
We’d like to thank all of the speakers and workshop facilitators for making the day so successful. Our thanks are also extended to all the delegates whose enthusiastic participation and crucial insights shaped and the day and its outcomes.
As SPN Exec member Suman Fernando summed up at the end of the day, the key issues which emerged from the study day were around choice, language and implementation.
The study day acknowledged the tremendous progress which has been made in understanding mental health experiences directly from service users and how the user experience has started to inform services, approaches and policies. New Horizons and the Personalisation Agenda do offer an inspiring vision with potential for real change. However for service users from marginalised communities, who face additional discriminations, there remains the challenge of removing societal barriers to full inclusion, particularly around attitude and language, which they face in everyday life. Left unchallenged, these everyday, and sometimes unwitting, discriminations can become embedded and perpetuated not only by those engaging with and delivering services to marginalised service users, but also those commissioning and planning services and assessing needs.
Other challenges which the study day identified were how to successfully bring together a delivery system which is “top down” with a “bottom-up” approach as outlined in New Horizons, and the threat posed to access, choice and equality of services by creeping privatisation of health and mental health services.
"THINKING FAMILY: NEW MODELS OF PRACTICE” PMHCWN STUDY DAY 30 APRIL 2010 IN BIRMINGHAM – EVENT POSTPONED
As mentioned earlier, the imminent election has required us to postpone PMHCWN’s study day to a later date. People who have already booked their ticket can either have a refund or can carry forward their booking at discounted rate of £75. If you have booked a place and want either to carry forward your booking or request a refund, please email Tayo Richards at spn@scie.org.uk. Likewise, please get in contact with Tayo if you would like immediate notification of the rescheduled date.
SPN REGIONAL EVENTS
Thursday 27th May - Steve Nash will be discussing the MHNE Personalisation Research Project. The meeting will be at Gateshead Civic Centre from 1.00 pm - 3.00 pm. Please check the board in reception area for room. Everyone is welcome and please pass this message on to anyone else you feel may be interested. For more information please contact jeaniemolyneux@phonecoop.coop
PARTY MANIFESTOS
With election fever taking over politics and the media, SPN takes a look at the implications of the three main political parties’ manifestos for social care and mental health for service users, practitioners.
THE LABOUR PARTY
In its manifesto, the Labour party says that it will “pioneer better mental health care and tackle the scourge of mental illness” increase the number of therapists (although makes no promises on reducing waiting times), and makes a clear commitment to tackle stigma. It also promises that every area of the country will have a Family Nurse Partnership to support families in greatest need. On welfare reform Labour says it will making savings of £1.5 billions and will reassess the Incapacity Benefit claims of 1.5 million people by 2014. Download the Labour Party's manifesto here
THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
The Liberal Democrats’ manifesto says that they will cut the Department of Health by 50% abolish strategic health authorities and integrate health and social care. Lib Dems say that they will prioritise dementia research and improve access to counselling for people with mental health problems by continuing the roll-out of cognitive and behavioural therapies.
Lib Dems also plan to give disabled job seekers better practical help to get to work, using voluntary and private sector providers and will reform Access to Work. Click here to download the Liberal Democrat's manifesto.
THE CONSERVATIVES
The Conservatives’ plans include putting patients in charge of making decisions about their care, including control of their health records. For people with a chronic illness or a long-term condition, the Conservatives say they will provide access to a single budget that combines their health and social care funding, which they can tailor to their own needs. As well as weighting public health funding towards the poorest areas with the worst health outcomes; the Conservatives also say that they will enable welfare-to-work providers and employers to purchase services from Mental Health Trusts and increase access to effective ‘talking’ therapies. The Conservatives plan to reassess all claimants of Incapacity Benefit, focus and refocus Sure Start outreach services towards the neediest (Sic) families. The Tories have matched Lib Dem’s plans for funding dementia research (in their Older Peoples’ Manifesto). Social Care gets little mention in the Conservatives’ manifesto though policy paper “Back To the Frontline” (in last month’s newsletter) outlines some of their proposals around child protection. Click here to download the Conservative's manifesto.
SPN COMMENT
While there are many laudable proposals and ambitions in each manifesto, the present economic situation cannot be ignored. Each party is proposing cuts with the public sector earmarked for savings. In the budget announced in March, the Government announced that it would be looking to cut 11bn over Whitehall departments which more than a third of savings coming from the Department of Health. Health Secretary Andy Burnham proposed cutting £4.35bnb with £555m proposed savings by reducing staff sickness and absence. Conservative plans to save £1-2bn by reducing the use of agency staff and not filling posts are worrying for social workers and fears have been expressed in Community Care magazine that these plans could see social work jobs being axed or vacancies remaining unfilled. Click here for the article.
SPN is concerned that mental health services, already being privatised in some areas, will be an easy target for cuts, thus threatening the ambitious and long- awaited programmes for improvement being implemented in the sector. The experience of a mental health service user extends beyond health and social services. For many service users whose conditions prevent them from being able to work, the benefit system is a crucial means of support. Plans from both the major parties to reassess people on Incapacity Benefit are therefore a cause for alarm and worry. The current restructuring of Incapacity Benefit to Employment Support Allowance via the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is already seeing people too ill to work being put on to Job Seekers Allowance with the WCA and has been criticized by organisations such as Mind and the Citizens Advice Bureau. For people with mental health conditions which may fluctuate or which can appear “invisible” the change in system is particularly worrying. Surely if people with mental health problems are to be supported into work they can sustain, then ‘return to work’ interventions need to have the person – not cost cutting- at their centre.
Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)
DCSF PUBLISHES PAPER ON EARLY INTERVENTION
In its latest paper on Early Intervention, the Government calls for children's social care services to invest in preventative schemes and details plans announced in the Budget for a new Children and Young People's grant which will be trialled from April 2011. The Government intends this to be a step towards further integration in services for children and young people to support a shift to more early intervention and prevention. Read more here
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DH)
GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES NATIONAL CARE SERVICE
The Government has published the White Paper Building the National Care Service which it sees as ranking as important as the Welfare System or the NHS. Under the National Care Service everyone who needs care when they are old or disabled will get it for free. The National Care Service will be based on a principle of shared social insurance and will be funded by contributions from everyone in a fair way. As well as ensuring people get high quality care when they need it, it will give peace of mind that savings and homes will be protected from the expensive care costs that arise from serious long term conditions, such as Alzheimer’s or recovering from a stroke.
SHIFT PUBLISHES LATEST RESULTS OF ATTITUDES INTO MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH
Latest research commissioned by the DH reveals that people are broadly sympathetic towards people with a mental illness. The findings show, however, some attitudes towards people with mental illness are worse compared to when the DH first commissioned the poll in 1994 whilst a number have improved. Several attitudes that had worsened over the period up until 1997 have since improved. Read more here
PROPOSALS FOR IMPROVING SAFEGUARDS FOR PEOPLE USING HERBAL MEDICINES, TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE AND ACUPUNCTURE ANNOUNCED BY HEALTH SECRETARY
Read the article here.
GOVERNMENT RESTATES EXPECTATIONS FOR PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST
The DH has written to councils restating what progress is expected on Putting People First in 2010-11. The new local authority circular states that councils must make personal budgets available to all eligible people with ongoing care and support needs. It highlights sources of advice and guidance which can help councils to achieve the Putting People First milestones, including the new guidance on eligibility. Read more here
DIRECT PAYMENT FOR HEALTH CARE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO CONSULTATION ON THE PROPOSALS FOR PILOTING DIRECT PAYMENTS FOR HEALTH CARE
Read more here.
FRAMEWORK FOR MENTAL WELL-BEING LAUNCHED
The DH has launched a framework for developing well-being by adopting a broad-based public health approach to maintaining good mental health.
The ‘Confident Communities, Brighter Futures’ report offers a systematic evidence base from which local authorities and the NHS can act to reduce inequalities and improve mental health in their areas. Read more here
SPN COMMENT
We very much welcome this framework. The recognition that mental health exists far beyond a medical diagnosis and that mental health and well-being affect, and are affected by, all other aspects of peoples’ lives is central to SPN’s mission and work.
PROF LOUIS APPLEBY APPOINTED FIRST ‘HEALTH AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE TSAR’
Read the article here
NHMUDU
PODCAST – LOUIS APPLEBY ON NEW HORIZONS
Read more here<
FREE TRAINING SAFEGUARDING VULNERABLE GROUPS ACT 2006 FREE TRAINING IN SHA REGIONS FOR INDEPENDENT MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATES
Read more here
REMINDER LAW COMMISSION LAUNCHES PROPOSALS FOR ADULT SOCIAL CARE – DEADLINE 01/07/2010
On 24 February the Law Commission launched its consultation to streamline and consolidate adult social care legislation.
CARE QUALITY COMMISSION LAUNCHES EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS SCHEME
Read more
here</LINK?NMHDU CONFERENCE: ETHNICITY AND USE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ACT - 24 MAY LONDON
Read the article here
HEARING VOICES - UK NATIONAL TOUR OF NEW PLAY
This new play’s entire script is based on the experience of author, Clare Summerskill’s, two month stay on a psychiatric ward in London and interviews with other mental health service users were in hospital with her. The play tours from April 27 to May 31. For further information, venues etc visit their website
BME OLDER PEOPLES’ VIEWS ON PERSONAL BUDGETS SOUGHT
The National Centre for Independent Living (NCIL) wants to get in touch with Personal Budget holders of Black and Minority Ethnic origins (who have mental health needs or needs as older people) to carry out real interviews (phone-based or face-to-face) on their experiences of personal budgets. These interviews are an essential add-on to a formal study in 5 localities – until now there is very limited understanding of the experiences with personal budgets among BME communities. The interviewer would ring you at a time of the person’s convenience, the interview would last about 1 1/2 hours and there is a payment £15. If you are interested, please contact NCIL’s Policy & External Relations Manager Bernd Sass either by email policy@ncil.org.uk or by phone 020 7587 1663 to answer any questions or set a suitable time.
COMMUNITY CARE LAUNCHES DEMENTIA CAMPAIGN
Read more here
TIME TO CHANGE ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR 2010
Time to Change, the anti-discrimination campaign has announced that to support the forthcoming burst of activity launching mid April, they will be updating their toolkit and as producing a brand new Campaign in a box that will include everything an organisation needs to run its own local campaign.
Time to Change's Get Moving week takes place 9 to 17October 2010 and aims to involve over 80,000 people in activity events all over England.
To find out more go to their website
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