Report – March 2011
In the last report of January 2010, the Forum had been through a period of change where individuals had decided to resign from the committee for personal reasons. The Forum Development Worker had completed a six month introductory period. We were looking to the future hoping for a period of membership growth and organisational stability.
The last year needs to be seen in the context of a period of national change. Following the General Election in May, the new Coalition government produced a series of consultations across health, social care and benefits. The proposals were widespread and included the abolition of PCTs to be replaced by GP commissioning. Changes within the Local Authority saw long standing officers take early retirement and the anticipation of decreased funding for 2011/12. This period has felt like commissioners and providers have been more concerned about the reconfiguring of their own organisations and less concerned with service user priorities.
Forum SLA
The Forum agreed a new Service Level Agreement with the PCT. This lists a series of outcomes which the Forum needs to meet in order to receive funding. This helps us to make sure we stay on track with providing our service. Our four outcomes are:
- Mental Health Forum members have the opportunity to meet regularly together to consider and collate their views about the planning and delivery of local mental health services
- Mental Health Forum members report that they receive up-to-date relevant information about national and local policy and the planning and delivery of local services
- Forum members are able to communicate their views and concerns to the organisations involved in the planning and delivery of services
- More service users are attracted to join, regularly attend and represent the forum
We feel that we have achieved all targets. Our concerns for the year have all been about opportunities for our representatives to engage with organisations. This may be of increasing concern in coming months with the changes within the NHS.
Forum management committee
The committee met regularly in the first six months. At the same time, individuals were taking on additional involvement positions with other organisations including 5 Boroughs. We have a long held worry about lack of capacity and burn out of individuals.
In July 2010, Lady Sherwood resigned from the committee. We thank her for her time on the management committee and wish her well with her work including the PD Hub. Denise Bellis agreed to join the committee with a view to taking on secretary responsibilities.
In the second half of the year, the management committee did not have regular formal meetings, mainly because it proved hard for all to meet either because of personal health problems or because of other commitments. We held informal meetings including at the Oasis group as well as by email.
The instability of the management committee has been cause for concern. We have been pleased by the refreshed involvement provided by the Peer Support Network and decided to delay the AGM to concentrate on facilitating a new group of people to stand for election.
Meeting schedule
We continued to organise monthly meetings of the Forum with speakers as follows:
- January 2010 AGM + Fiona Bremner, Single point of access
- February update from Collective Voice (NW regional meeting)
- March Mark from Personality Disorder Hub
- April video and presentation by dual diagnosis group, + Dave Watts MP
- May update from all meetings
- June one year celebration for Peter in post
- July Mike Smith, crazydiamond
- August no meeting
- September Penny Arnold, making waves, Nottingham – Peer Support Network launch
- October Peter Cowley, update on all groups in St Helens
- November discussion
- December Xmas event with Oasis
- January 2011 Discussion on priorities for the year ahead
- February Projects – photography project, spirituality group
- March Projects – walk and talk
Involvement with planning of services
The Forum representatives have continued to attend St Helens Mental Health Partnership Board (formerly LIT) meetings. This committee was reviewed in 2010 and did not meet regularly.
Representatives also attended the Social Inclusion Network (SIN).
Forum members contributed to the Overview and Scrutiny of Crisis Response within the Borough in December 2010.
Forum representatives provided service user input to the 5 Boroughs’ application for the ImROC pilot sites (Implementing Recovery Organisational Change), a national project led by the Centre for Mental Health. 5 Boroughs have been invited to be part of one of the learning sets.
Many Forum members participate in the involvement scheme run by 5 Boroughs. They also attend the Joint Service User Carer Forum, which has now increased the frequency of meetings to monthly.
Forum members are also involved in a wide range of voluntary and statutory sector initiatives, locally, regionally and nationally. This also includes links to carers groups.
Oasis group
Denise Bellis continued to run the Oasis group as a volunteer for together. The Forum supported the group by funding a trip to Blackpool in May, organised by Denise. The Forum also provided funding for a social event at Christmas. Forum members have highlighted the importance of this weekly group and have raised concerns about threats to funding.
a place called home – art exhibition
For World Mental Health Day we organised a successful art exhibition in the Godfrey Pilkington Gallery with assistance from Helena Homes. This was opened formally by Cllr Joe Pearson, was reported widely in local papers and advertised by local networks including CEN, arts and SIN.
This exhibition received overwhelmingly positive feedback, for the work of the individual artists, the presentation, the coordination and the partnership working. Paul Smith, Neighbourhood Manager for Helena Homes, emailed staff urging them to attend:
“… It is running as part of the celebrations of World Mental Health Day and is a timely reminder that a home is one of the most critical factors to well being and personal development – which is why your job is so important.”
Peer Support Network
In the summer we received Bright Ideas funding from the PCT to set up a Peer Support Network. Our aim was to offer regular meetings with a recovery focus and to develop a network across all self help groups. This was launched at an event in September with Penny Arnold, who has developed Peer Support Worker training for making waves in Nottingham with Julie Repper. Our group meets fortnightly, and started by considering how to promote the network. Representatives went to other self help groups throughout the Borough and encouraged people to complete feedback forms.
Walk and talk
This short walk was to promote the new campaign from time to change – it’s time to talk. Group members distributed 500 postcards and leaflets to individuals across the town centre. They were joined by representatives from the Police, together and the Wellbeing Project.
Priorities
In January 2011, the Forum held a discussion to look at priorities for the year ahead. The agreed priorities were:
- Cuts – the effect on service provision within the Borough
- Money – personal budgeting including benefits
- Access to services
- Our own projects
After many years of reacting to services and offering feedback on others’ services, we currently feel that the most productive use of our time is to develop our own projects in a positive way. This feels constructive and that we are making a difference to individuals who are either leading or participating in the projects. We feel that this attracts a wider range of people to the groups and helps to build support for the Forum. We hope this is something we can build on in the year ahead.
Finally, I would like to thank our active committee members, as well as all people, and organisations, who have supported the forum in 2010, including NHS Halton & St Helens for their continued funding.
Karen Machin
Chair.
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