Self help guides

Open Mind have recommended a series of self help guides that can be downloaded in several formats including videos and booklets – http://www.ntw.nhs.uk/pic/selfhelp

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Consultation – health and wellbeing

St Helens – Health & Wellbeing Strategy – consultation available online at

http://applications.sthelens.gov.uk/ConsultationSuite/

More information at http://www.sthelens.gov.uk/health

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Meeting notes – September 18th

Lesley brought us up to speed on future together trips including Blackpool Lights on 25^th Oct 11am from URC £8 each. Also Oasis Groups Xmas party Mon 10^th Dec 2012 full xmas dinner with music, karaoke and free raffle!!!

Discussion about Heath Park Lodge shutting and where that leaves together not just for offices, but for funds also.

Discussions and updates from various groups:

• Mind have a Holiday to South Wales next month and news of next years Butterfly ball.

• The Hearing Voices Group now meets in the community room in Central library 3pm til 5pm on Fridays – contact Clinton Cropper or Stuart Kenyon

• No Secrets St Helens meet on Wednesdays.

• Dual Diagnosis still meet 1^st and 3^rd Tuesdays of month at Newton Library 1pm til 3pm and the other Fridays at Millennium centre St Helens 2pm til 3pm – contact Chad Fairhurst or Christine Ollerton

• Various Wellbeing projects – contact Mark and Lynn Swift

• Photographic Minds Saturday mornings at Millennium centre – contact David Hemming or Alan Sherratt

Heath Park Lodge: The Council is working with all organisations based in the building as they make alternative arrangements.

Stewart Assessment Centre: the teams are getting ready to move into their temporary bases.

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Acute Care Pathway – update September

September’s steering group meeting was cancelled. The next meeting is on 15^th October. Please bring your views on the new pathway to Karen at the regular forum and carers meetings as well as through the Oasis group, or by email. You can also speak to St Helens LINks, 5 Boroughs themselves or by using Patient Opinion’s website. But, however you do it, please feed back your experiences – both good and bad – so that we can all work together to get it right.

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Event – Recovery: St Helens

“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short,

but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.”

Michelangelo

Some people have mixed views on the idea of recovery in mental health. What was once a revolutionary idea from people who were using services, at a time when they were told there could be no recovery from mental distress, has now been taken up by the Department of Health and others who can see that we all need a ‘life beyond illness’. But many of us are frightened that recovery might mean discharge from services before we feel ready, or a loss of benefits and forced return to work.

Recovery focussed services need to be developed as a partnership between everyone involved, including service users and carers. For this to happen, we all need to know about recovery.

Come along to our event on 9^th October to find out more. Please see the attached flyer and booking form. Places are free for people working or living in St Helens.

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