30 Sep

Healthwatch North Tyneside Report ‘People’s experience of mental health services in North Tyneside’

Download Healthwatch North Tyneside’s Report ‘People’s experience of mental health services in North Tyneside’ here.

We would like to thank all those who took part in our project and shared their experience. We would also like to thank North Tyneside Council, North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group, NTW and Northumbria Trusts for their responses to our recommendations.

The views expressed were used to develop the Mental Health Strategy in North Tyneside and we will continue to monitor its implementation, in relation to what people have told us.

We are positive that the actions arising from our recommendations will continue to improve resident’s experiences of mental health services in North Tyneside. We will continue our work on mental health services with a focus on crisis support as an area we highlighted of concern from this report.

For any further information about this project or If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me or our Director Jenny McAteer

jenny.mcateer@healthwatchnorthtyneside.co.uk

Yours sincerely

Joanne Brown

Research Officer

Working Days: Mon, Tues, Thurs

Share your experience and rate your local services on our new online feedback centre

Phone  0191 263 5321

www.healthwatchnorthtyneside.co.uk

Parkside House

Elton Street East

Wallsend

NE28 8QU

Registered Charity Number 1160753

 

10 Sep

North Tyneside World Mental Health Day – 14 October 2016

The global theme for 2016  ‘Dignity in Mental Health – Psychological & Mental Health First Aid for All’ will enable the WFMH to contribute to the goal of taking mental health out of the shadows so that people in general feel more confident in tackling the stigma, isolation and discrimination that continues to plague people with mental health conditions, their families and carers.

Every year educational materials are produced by the WFMH for distribution:

2016-03-Dignityinmentalhealth[1]

One in four British adults will experience a clinical mental health problem in any one year. However, there is still a (totally false) belief that mental health is somehow less serious or important than physical health, which makes sufferers more unlikely to ask for help.

Many sufferers will receive little or no help when they present in an emergency.  In contrast the majority of people with physical health difficulties who present in an emergency in a public or hospital setting will be offered physical health first aid.  The WFMH states that psychological and mental health first aid should available to all, and not just a few.

North Tyneside Campaign 2016

The North Tyneside theme for this year is ‘Where To Turn?’.  This theme was derived from the WFMH’s theme and it will allow the NT WMHD Planning Group to focus on more than just crisis care.  It is hoped that celebrations will be informative as new and existing organisations will be invited so the community is aware of the latest services and contacts.

The main event will be held at The Crescent Club, Cullercoats from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm on Friday 14 October 2016.

As part of the celebrations, about 8 agencies will be giving a 5 minute presentation by the organisation’s representative focussing on how their service operates and supports people, followed by a 5 minute testimony from one of their service users – telling the story of their ‘journey’ and how the organisation helped them, followed by 5 minutes of questions from the floor.

Download a report of the NT WMHD 2016 event here

09 Sep

Mind Free Guide – ‘Planning for Recovery’

Back in April, nearly 5,000 people signed our letter to NICE*. We were asking them to change their guidance so that people leaving hospital get followed up within 48 hours.

I wanted you to know that NICE have now looked at the evidence**. Sadly they decided a change isn’t needed based on the evidence we gave them.

Their guidelines state that everyone leaving hospital should be followed up within 7 days, or 48 hours if a risk of suicide has been identified.

We’re disappointed, but we will carry on asking local health services to do better.

Many of you took part in our survey and told us you were not involved in planning your care after leaving hospital. We’ve created a new booklet to help you or your loved ones.

Download the booklet ‘Planning for Recovery’

This booklet is for anyone leaving hospital after a mental health crisis. It will help you take part in your discharge and care planning, think about what you need, know what to expect, and where to find support.

And we’ll keep campaigning to make sure everyone gets the right care and support after a mental health crisis.

Take care,

Zara

Mind Policy and Campaigns

PS. If you haven’t yet, there’s still time for you to take our survey and share your experiences of leaving hospital.

* The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care.

**The NICE evidence review is available to read on their website

27 Jun

Introducing the SIGN Directory

Are you an organisation or group providing services or activities in North Tyneside? Do you provide support with health and wellbeing issues?

If so, then why not register to become part of the new online SIGN Directory and promote your services and events to the people of North Tyneside? Registration is free – click here to register as a provider

If you would like to find out more about SIGN please visit the website, or to enquire about the directory please e-mail sign@northtyneside.gov.uk.

Please note: To access the SIGN directory you will need a supporting web browser, we recommend Google Chrome or Firefox

20 May

National Attitudes to Mental Illness Survey

Time to Change

We've changed millions of attitudes

The latest National Attitudes to Mental Illness Survey, released today, shows that since Time to Change began around 4.1 million people have improved attitudes towards those of us with mental health problems. More people than ever also say that they would be happy to live with, work with or continue a relationship with someone with a mental health problem.

Overall, people’s willingness to have contact with someone with a mental health problem has improved by 11% since 2009. Attitudes towards those of us with mental health problems have also improved by 9.6% in the same period.

We know that for many people, being judged and isolated can be harder than the mental health problem itself, so this is really encouraging.
There’s still a long way to go until everyone with a mental health problem gets the support they need. But we’re moving in the right direction.

The research shows the power of social contact – bringing together people with experience of mental health problems to talk to people who don’t. Personally knowing someone with a mental health problem makes someone much more likely to have positive attitudes.

Too many people with mental health problems are still made to feel isolated, ashamed and worthless. But attitudes are changing, and together, we can make a real difference.

20 May

Social Action in North Tyneside (SAINT)

What is the SAINT project?

The SAINT project aims to support local people into social action who face barriers to volunteering. VODA will engage and support people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties, learning difficulties, poor physical health, long term unemployment or social isolation. The purpose of the project is to empower individuals to work as a group and take on social change.

What is Social Action?

Social Action projects are volunteering which benefit the local community. Social Action projects can focus on a specific area of interest and can be short term, one off or longer term projects. Social action projects can be events, campaigns, awareness raising, practical support, creative projects and everything in between. An example might be turning an unused public spaced into a wildlife garden or creating and distributing leaflets that raise awareness of homelessness.

How will it work?

Volunteers will take part in a volunteering training programme that will allow them to build relationships with others on the programme and start to identify social action projects and individual goals. The programme will follow four one day sessions covering;

What is the project, how will it work? Ground rules and team building.

  1. What is Social Action?

Exploring what social action is. How will it benefit me and the local community? What sort of issues might a social action project tackle?

  1. Social Action Planning

How do we plan, deliver and evaluate the success of the social action project?

  1. Personal Goals

Work with each other to identify personal goals and how these can be achieved through volunteering.

The SAINT project will be flexible and allow for people to take part in social action projects as little or as much as they want or are able to.

Benefits of the project

The SAINT project will be led by the people involved, support will be offered by VODA and volunteer facilitators to help with this; but the project as a whole will focus on the needs, interests and skills of the people involved and will be tailored to this. The group will be able to steer the direction of the project throughout their involvement to share their views, experiences and ideas.

By Taking part in the project, SAINT aims to support volunteers to achieve;

  • Improvements in wellbeing
  • Improvements in Self Confidence
  • Meet new people and increase social networks
  • Increased Employability skills (Team work, communication, leadership, problem solving, planning and evaluation).

Volunteers will be able to identify personal goals and work towards achieving these with 1:1 and group support through VODA.

If you are interested in finding out more contact:

E: Josie.robinson@voda.org.uk T: 0191 643 2632

06 May

ASCA North East Mental Health – Video Information

Please find our online video here.

Find up to date. current & trending news around the issues that are important and requested by our clients here.

Our mailing address is:
ASCA NORTH EAST
The Poplars, Heaton Methodist Church
No7 Simonside Terrace,Heaton
Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear NE6 5JX
United Kingdom

Our telephone:
01912092887

24 Jun

Talking to your GP – Find The Words

It’s not always easy to have a conversation about your deepest feelings with your GP, someone you may hardly know, especially the first time. Many of us find it really hard to take that first step.

That’s why we’ve made a short film and free guide about talking to your GP – Find The Words.

We want to make it easier for people to ask for help from their GP, so that many more people can get the right help when they need it.

Our free guide has tips and some useful exercises to help you talk to your GP or practice nurse about the things you might find hard to express, to make the most of the few minutes you have with them.

It’s not always easy having that first conversation, however it’s always OK to ask for help.