Social Inclusion

Exhibit yourself at The Glades Disability Week

The Glades are holding a Disability Week during the week 5th to 12th July 2010. 

They already have commitment from Scooter and Motorbility Mart who operate their Shopmobility scheme, they will be showcasing a wide range of their products, Boots will be displaying and talking to customers about the products they sell in store and Magpie Dance will be performing in centre during the week.

They also want to include any local community/voluntary groups who would like to either exhibit art work or promote their organisation during the week.   If you are interested, could you contact The Glades directly. 

To be included on the leaflet promoting the week, you will need to have confirmed your participation by 7th June 2010. Please contact: Maria Cooper, Marketing Manager, or Carly North, Assistant Marketing Manager on: 0208 313 9292.

Get involved in helping the NMHDU

Opportunities For Involvement in National Developments in Mental Health

If you have personal experience of mental distress, or provide friends/family carer support to somebody who has, then this may be for you.

The NMHDU (National Mental Health Development Unit - www.nmhdu.org.uk) is part of the Department of Health, working to convert national policy in mental health and social care into active use. They develop methods, practices and resources that help improve health and social care services.

They need the whole of their work to involve people with experience of mental health problems, and the friends-and-family who support them, so the best possible results can be achieved for all concerned. They have opportunities for people to get involved now.

If you are already involved in this work, or want to find out about the work and how people are supported, the following events may interest you:

NMHDU Involvement Network Meetings
Direct Experience/Service Users: Monday 1st February 2010
Friends and Family/Carers: Thursday 11th February 2010

Registration/refreshments 10.30, for 11.00 - 3.00 including lunch at the Head Office of Together, 12 Old Street, London EC1V 9BE

The event is free, and they can arrange travel/pay reasonable expenses.

Download a reply form here

Call for Papers from New Zealand

The planning committee for the No One Alone conference, to be held in Auckland, New Zealand in September 2010, announces a call for papers and presentations from individuals and groups who wish to contribute at this conference.

Conference Themes

The proposal content must be linked to the theme of the conference including:

• The need for authentic and enduring relationships in people's lives.
• The impact of friendship and relationships on people's lives.
• The vulnerbility and potential for abuse where no freely given relationships exist.

Papers and presentations can include:

• Personal stories and experiences, including those from disabled people, caregivers and families
• Research
• Best practice approaches
• Theoretical persepctives and principles

and any topic that will advance greater understanding of what is required for authentic, long term friendships and relationships to be established and maintained for disabled people.

Deadline is Friday 26th March 2010.

Please visit http://www.imaginebetter.co.nz/noa_cfp.php for more information

NIACE ask how you are making the journey

NIACE is carrying out a small piece of research into how people experiencing mental health difficulties travel around in their everyday life (such as walking, driving, using public transport) and any issues or challenges they experience in travelling. We are especially interested in travel to adult learning classes - but not just that.

Have you experienced mental health difficulties within the last six months?

If so, please complete a questionnaire telling us about your travel experiences, by Friday 23 October 2009. If you are undertaking or about to start adult learning and would be interested in producing a diary telling us about your travel experiences, please contact us by Friday 9 October to discuss this.

Are you a practitioner working with people experiencing mental health difficulties?

If so, can you contribute by hosting a focus group or publicising this research to people you work with? Please let us know by Friday 9 October.   

To find out more visit: http://www.niace.org.uk/development-research/making-the-journey.

This includes a briefing sheet and questionnaire.

NDTi release training pack for front line staff teams

The National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) have spent ten years listening and analysing the things you do to support people participate in community life. They fed the learning into training sessions for thousands of people in hundreds of organisations, and learnt some more.

The core ideas have now been formed into a training pack containing practical exercises, a worksheet, study cards and an extensive reference list. Apart from a pen or pencil, you need no fancy equipment to access over 100 ideas, stories and hints.   

Please download the attached flyer for more information here 

The Social Inclusion Training Pack is available from the National Development Team for Inclusion, price £20 plus £5 p+p (postal charges to countries outside the UK may vary).  

Please contact the NDTi office to place your order for the training day and/or the Social Inclusion Training Pack.

Email: Pauline.White@ndti.org.uk or phone on (+44) 1225 787 981

Please note that  Develop will be obtaining copies for mental health teams in Bromley - any team that wants more than one should contact us via info@developbromley.com

New Horizons: towards a shared vision for mental health - consultation

Over the last 18 months, the Department of Health has been talking to a wide range of people and organisations about their ideas for better mental well-being and better mental health care as part of the New Horizons programme. New Horizons exists in order to advance the aims of improving the mental health and well-being of the population as well as improving the quality and acessibility of services for people with poor mental health. The New Horizons consultation document reflects what has been heard so far.

This consultation document sets out a new vision for targeting the root causes of mental illness and supporting the local development of higher quality, more personalised services. It explores both the prevention of mental illness and earlier intervention when things go wrong. It also looks at how services can become more innovative and work more effectively together. Key themes include prevention; tackling stigma; early interventions; personalised care; innovation; value for money; multi-agency commissioning / collaboration and strengthening transitional care.

While New Horizons describes some clear ideas that have emerged during discussions with a wide range of people it is not a final document. There are a number of important questions still to be resolved and the response to these and the rest of the proposals will have a strong influence on the final version. There is also a link to the online questionnaire regarding the consultation document in the other 'links section' below.

The consultation closes on 15 October 2009.

Visit the DoH website for more information and supporting documents here

Everyone has a story. What's yours?

In September 09 The One Show and BBC Learning will launch a storytelling competition with fantastic prizes.

15 of the best stories will be made into short films for BBC One.

True stories have inspired some of the most successful books and films of all time. My Story hopes to inspire the whole Nation to share their real life stories online. Popular BBC presenters like Kirsty Young, George Alagiah and Lenny Henry are signed up to the campaign and we are planning a big launch on radio, on TV and online.

Everyone has a story to tell and we'll be targeting audiences who lack confidence with literacy and under represented communities. 

We hope partners like you will integrate the My Story competition into your plans for the autumn. To make it easy for you to get involved, we are providing FREE resources from simple ready to run workshop plans to more comprehensive planning packs

My Story will hopefully complement and strengthen your existing work, but will offer your learners a new, exciting and accessible route into creative writing. The competition also has great potential for community cohesion work, improving IT skills, family learning, mental health, and ESOL learners.

Download the My Story campaign summary

Develop presents at National Conference

Develop’s Fabian Davis has talked about Mental Health Services and Community Engagement to Improve Social Inclusion at a national conference on Improving Adult Mental Health Services on the 15th of July.

During this presentation, Fabian discussed the background and history of the Develop project and the website. This was well received by all who attended and it is thought that the day raised Develop’s profile very successfully.

Job Vacancy

Social Inclusion Project Worker

Project Team
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
37.5 hours - flexible working negotiable
24 Month Contract
SALARY: Band 7

This is a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of developing and implementing social inclusion within an excellent existing framework. The trust is committed to ongoing delivery against its agreed targets and views the successful recruitment to this role as pivotal to achieving this.

For more information and application details please visit the NHS Jobs website listing here.

NSIP release their Vision and Progress report

The National Social Inclusion Programme (NSIP) recently published its ‘Vision and Progress' report, setting out the programme's work since the Social Exclusion Unit's 2004 publication ‘Mental Health and Social Exclusion'.

It reviews the progress made over the last four years at national, regional and local level across the statutory and non-statutory sectors in promoting the social inclusion agenda for people with mental health problems. The report also provides an assessment of the remaining and continuing challenges that need to be addressed for improved outcomes for people with mental health problems.

Download report

NSIP release their 4th Annual Review

NSIP have recently reviewed the programme's key achievements across the range of their activity, setting these in the context of an assessment both of future challenges and of sustainability for work to date.

This will be set out in the NSIP document ‘Social Inclusion and Mental Health: Vision and Progress' due for publication late February 2009.

Download review

RCN: A Call for Best Practice Examples

The RCN is currently developing an on-line resource to support nurses in their work with excluded groups.  This work is a result of RCN participation in the NSIP production of Capabilities for inclusive practice (2007) and is also a delivery of congress resolution 2006 to improve access to health care 'include not exclude'.

Ann Jackson from the Enhancing Practice & Influencing Team, RCN Institute says:

"We are looking at all excluded groups in all settings - so this is relevant for all nurses - including refugees, asylum seekers, economic immigrants, people with LD, people in the CJS, children and young people, people who are homeless, sex workers, travellers - people with mental health problems are often excluded from mainstream services and care.  However, we know that many nurses are doing fantastic and innovative work - which is often 'hidden'.  Part of the resource - which is primarily a sign-posting and policy document resource - will be to give examples of good practices.  These might also form part of a digital story series in the future.

We have a very simple template which would invite you to complete or circulate to any projects or practitioners, including student nurses and HCAs;  that you are aware of who are working in inclusive ways with excluded groups. "

Download template in Word format

Contact: Ann Jackson on 07764 208800

Mental Health Day Services E-Bulletin

December 2008

LAUNCH OF NATIONAL DAY SERVICES MODERNISATION NETWORK
The National Social Inclusion Programme (NSIP) is pleased to announce the launch of a National Mental Health Day Services Modernisation Network. The network is a collaboration between NSIP, Mind, Rethink and Richmond Fellowship and is aimed at Senior Managers in provider and commissioning organisations.

Its purpose is to provide support and resources to those involved in modernising day services in order to increase the effectiveness of the modernisation process and the resulting services through:

• The discussion of common issues and challenges in relation to day services modernisation, and ways of addressing these;
• The sharing of good practice in day services modernisation and the delivery of modernised day services;
• The discussion and dissemination of resources which may assist with modernisation or service delivery;
• Connecting people who can mutually support and learn from each other.

This will be achieved by quarterly Network meetings focusing on important day service modernisation issues. The first meeting is due to be held on Thursday 22^nd January from 11am-3pm in London and will focus on where day services modernisation has got to and taking service users through the modernisation process.

If you are a Senior Manager with responsibility for Day Services Modernisation and would like to book a place at the meeting, contact Nick Bowles at nick.bowles@richmondfellowship.org.uk. Please be aware that places are very limited.

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DAY SERVICES CHANGE BOOKLET FOR SERVICE USERS

‘How will my newly redesigned day service help me?' a booklet for people using mental health day services which are facing or undergoing change or modernisation, produced by NSIP is now available and copies are going fast.

The booklet is accessible and eye-catching and includes sections on:

• What's happening to my day service and why?
• What changes can I expect?
• How can this ‘new service' help me?
• Are the rumours true?
• How can I get involved?

To order your free copies, please e-mail marco.carrera@londondevelopmentcentre.org stating how many copies you would like (up to a maximum of 150).

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TOOLS TO MEASURE INCLUSIVE PRACTICE

Following the publication of Capabilities for Inclusive Practice by the Department of Health in 2007, the National Social Inclusion Programme commissioned a tool to measure socially inclusive practice from South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust. At the same time Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust decided to develop a tool too. The two resulting assessments are complementary as the former focuses on the individual practitioner and the latter on team practice.

Both tools, which offer a useful framework for evaluating the inclusiveness of staff and team practice, are available to download from: http://www.socialinclusion.org.uk/home/index.php?subid=50#whatsnew53

E-bulletin produced by Ben Taylor, National Day Services Lead at the National Social Inclusion Programme

Be part of an exciting film project

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust are looking for your views and opinions of your experiences of customer care. Your contribution could have an effect on future services

Be filmed and interviewed by people who use the service Inspirational FilmWorks are a Mental Health User filmmaking group.

They will be:

Visiting Bromley MIND, Stepping Stones, Masons Hill on the 12th December from 10.30am - 12noon.

Filming at Bromley MIND on the 19th December from 11am - 3.30pm

For further information please phone: Frederica Joseph on 020 8269 4152 or 07900 681 303

PLEASE NOTE: If you do not want your face in the film, we can just record your voice

Have your say on the future of care and support

The Government's engagement period on the future of care and support in England will finish on 28 November, 2008.

After five months of discussions and events across the country, this month provides the last opportunity for stakeholders and the public to get involved in the debate.

To have your say on the future of the care and support system, visit: http://www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/

Mind comments on Foresight's new report Mental Capital and wellbeing

Foresight, the Government's futures think tank, has published a new report detailing how we can take on the challenges facing mental health over the next 20 years.

Commenting on the findings, Mind's Chief Executive Paul Farmer (right) said: "One in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives, but what this groundbreaking report puts into focus is that every single one of us has mental health, good or bad, that we must take care to maintain especially as it fluctuates throughout the course of our lives depending on the challenges we face."

"Uncertainties about the economy are causing many people to develop mental health problems right now such as stress, anxiety and depression. Mind has seen calls about debt to its MindinfoLine double from this time last year. The fear of redundancy, repossession and spiralling debts are all examples of how external factors can cause mental health problems to spike. This report shows how we can better equip people to deal with life events for example by training young people on finances so that we can tackle the root cause of problems."

"Foresight's report presents an impressive future that shows it's possible to change thinking about mental health from something that happens to someone else or something that is shrouded in mystery. It presents us with an opportunity to tackle head on stigma and discrimination. We call on Government and businesses to take on board these recommendations because a mentally healthy society over the next 20 years stands to benefit us all individually, socially and economically."

"Mental health affects all our lives which means that the responsibility cannot fall to just one Government department and we must see a commitment to cross-government working on these issues. Foresight has created a framework for the future of mental health and has given us a once in a generation opportunity to ensure that mental health is at the forefront of Government thinking."

Mental wellbeing and older people

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published new public health guidance on occupational therapy interventions and physical activity interventions to promote the mental wellbeing of older people in primary care and residential care.

Read full article (PDF)

WHO report shows mental health services in England leading the way in Europe

Health Secretary Alan Johnson today welcomed publication of a landmark international report, which highlights that mental health services in England are leading the way in Europe.

The report from the World Health Organisation, published to mark World Mental Health Day on 10 October, showed that:

• England directs 13.8% of the health budget towards mental health - highest level in Europe among those who submitted figures
• We provide high levels of access to mental health care, with 12.7 psychiatrists per 100,000 population, compared to the European average of 8.9.
• Access to mental health nursing care is also higher than average, with 51.9 nurses per 100,000, compared with the European average of 18.7.
• England are the only country to provide a comprehensive network of specialist early intervention teams
• England is one of only three countries to provide comprehensive access to assertive outreach teams.
• England has 23 mental health beds per 100,000, reflecting continued focus on moving mental health treatment out of institutions and into the community.

Alan Johnson (right) said:

"I'm delighted that the WHO has recognised the transformation in mental health care in England over the last ten years. On World Mental Health Day, this is a huge tribute to the thousands of committed front line staff who have built a service we now know ranks among the very best.

"Our level of investment in mental health has risen to one of the highest in Europe and we now have over 700 teams providing innovative community based services as instead of treating people in hospital. The outdated and pernicious concept of "the asylum" is over but our commitment to improving services further is undiminished.

"I welcome the work by the WHO and the European Commission to promote exchange between countries and share experiences in improving mental health systems."

Matt Muijen, Regional Adviser for Mental Health, WHO Europe, said:

"The ambition and pace of change in England have been remarkable over the last 10 years, and mental health services here are increasingly being seen across Europe as a model to follow. This does not mean that everything is perfect in England - but I am saying that the political will as demonstrated by the financial investment in order to produce a nationwide comprehensive and co-ordinated system of care is impressive, and is recognised internationally as such.

"The report we are launching here today reflects real improvements in resources, workforce and community services that should be reflected in patients' experiences. I hope that the WHO can help to share what you have learned much more widely."

The Government is committed to continued improvement of mental health services. Spending on adult services has increased by £1.7billion since 20001/02, which has led to radical improvements. We now have over 60% more consultant psychiatrists, almost 80% more clinical psychologists and at least 20% more mental health nurses than we had in 1997, providing better care and support for people with mental health problems. An update of the National Services Framework on Mental Health is expected late 2009.

Bromley ACT Teach in Norway

  

Following a successful visit from a Norwegian delegate to the Bromley ACT Team in August 2007, members of the team were invited to Norway to hold a two day conference to speak about the positive approaches to care the team offer including social inclusion, work with dual diagnosis clients and the intensive whole team approach.

Itai Chikomo, Julian Palmisciano and Mark McManus held a series of presentations and a workshop to assist staff from health and social care and some eminent politicians in Norway, to think what can be adopted in their services, to explore some solutions to challenges they may face, and to explore and define a model of joint working. The conference itself was well received and seems to have had some desired effect.

Thove Berger who helped to organise the conference recently contacted the team with the following:

‘All of you did really well and you have created a lot of enthusiasm. Things are happening fast here now. Last week I was in a meeting in Oslo with the Department of Health. We are having a meeting with the hospital tomorrow to see if we can make an application to the Department together in order to get some money to start the process of establishing an ACT team in Skien.

This must be done before the 11th off November so we have to work fast. I will keep you informed. You have given us a lot off input, and we feel we understand the essence of ACT. That will make it easier to get going.'

The ACT Team hope to keep in close contact with Norwegian colleagues to keep informed about the development of their service, and to be on hand to offer any guidance and support where they can.

Community Channel launches Disability Week

Community Channel is the TV station dedicated to highlighting issues from local and international communities and the voluntary and charitable sectors.

From 15-21 September, it will broadcast a week of programmes focusing on disability issues. Featuring celebrities such as Britain's Missing Top Model finalist Sophie Morgan, film director Richard Attenborough and actor Bill Nighy, the week will consist of new documentaries showcasing the talents and achievements of disabled people, as well as exploring some of the challenges faced in day-to-day life.

For a full schedule go to: www.communitychannel.org/disability

Connect and Include: Available to download

An exploratory study of community development and mental health

This exploratory study was commissioned and funded by the National Social Inclusion Programme (NSIP) at the Care Services Improvement Partnership and managed by the Community Development Foundation.

The study comprised a brief review of literature relating to relevant policy and practice, a survey and 39 interviews including community development practitioners, people with experience of mental ill-health, and staff from mental health services.

The report is concerned with the individual and the community. It explores how community development can contribute to an individual's ‘recovery' from mental ill-health and also how it can promote ‘community well-being' within a locality or community of interest. The findings suggest that by bringing people together to address their own concerns, facilitated by community development practitioners and supported through partnerships, it is possible to reduce stigma, create new community-led resources and develop new connections between individuals, groups and organisations.

Visit the National Social Inclusion Programme website

Download Report and Executive Summary (PDF):

CDFFINAL.pdf | ExecSum2.pdf

10th to 17th May is Mind Week

This week the UK's leading mental health charity Mind will launch their 2008 Mind Week campaign.

This year's campaign will highlight the need for better support and services by financial service companies, banks and local authority collection departments for people with mental health problems and debt difficulties.

Visit the the 2008 Mind Week website

Volunteers wanted for Bromley Mind Day Services Programme

Bromley Mind are looking for two service users and a volunteer to join the working group which plans and evaluates the day services programme.

All expressions of interest must be made to a Service User Council member (either directly or via a member of staff) by the 10^th March 2008.

Download (as a PDF file):

Poster | Terms of reference

National Review of Day Services is published

A review of mental health day services in England was published by the Department of Health and the National Social Inclusion Programme (NSIP) on 24th January 2008. The launch was hosted by Bromley Mind at the Pavilion Leisure Centre in Bromley.

The modernisation of day services has proven challenging in many areas since commissioning guidance was published in February 2006 . The review, entitled From segregation to inclusion: Where are we now? , looks at how things have progressed since then and identifies lessons that can be learnt from those areas where services have undergone change.

For more information please visit the following link:

National Review of Day Services Published

Putting People First

A major new policy initiative around giving service users choice and control over their social care supports.

This paper sets out the protocol which supports the governments' commitment to independent living and the transformation of social care.

The government will be providing specific funding to support 'system wide transformation' through the 'social care reform grant' so that there is a more integrated approach to health and wellbeing in the community with an emphasis placed on developing individual budgets and self directed support.

Download document as a PDF file

National Social Inclusion Programme

NSIP Annual Update 2007

The third annual update for the National Social Inclusion Programme (NSIP) is now available for download as a PDF file.

Download PDF file