NSUN news

Well here we are, 2016! Wishing all our members the very best for this year. No doubt it will be challenging for both individuals and groups who are struggling with reduced funds and harsher conditions both professionally and personally. We will continue to share news, views and opportunities from around the country so please  do keep sharing what's happening in your area.

On 31 December the Guardian reported that research by Healthwatch England shows that  'inadequate support for people with mental illness has replaced the difficulty of getting a GP appointment as the public’s main frustration with the NHS ' . In the article Dr Geraldine Strathdee, NHS England’s national clinical director for mental health (who received a New Year Honours award), highlighted the priorities of the forthcoming mental health taskforce report, “real change in prevention, mental health promotion and improved access to services and crisis care”. The mental health taskforce report is due to be published this month.

Congratulations also go to Paul Farmer, CEO of Mind and Professor Til Wykes who were recognised in the New Year Honours awards.

If you missed it previously, you can read our response to the 2015 autumn Comprehensive Spending Review (setting government spending over the next five years) and what it means for mental health.

Member Blogs

Read Alison Faulkner's blog about the 4Pi National Involvement Standards. Join over 50 organisations who have already signed up here.

If you would like to share your experiences, ideas or news and views, please send a request to info@nsun.org.uk.

Previously shared information available online

Please visit our website to find jobs and events we shared in previous e-bulletins.

Research into what LGB&T people want from health and social care.

A new project from the National LGB&T Partnership aims to investigate, and inform policy makers of, what LGB&T people want from health and social care services.

Working with National Voices, the resource will outline what LGB&T people want from health and social care services, describe the key areas of concern, and make recommendations to improve services for LGB&T people.

To take part in this important piece of work, complete the survey HERE.
The online survey will close on 8th January 2016.

If you would like more information, including a version of the survey to work through with your group, or to receive the survey in hardcopy for individual completion, please email.

Speak Up CIC: January activities

SpeakUpCIC is a service user led organisation that has a broad range of Peer Support activities and services to offer individuals with lived experience of mental ill health in the Kent region.  Through different SpeakUpCIC activities people can share their experiences and views of mental health services in a safe and confidential environment, either individually or within a group.

Activities for January 2016 include:

• Service Users' Forum
• Peer Support Drop-in
• Positive Ways of Looking at Depression
• Creative Writing
• Art Therapy Group
• Mental Health Action Group
• Walk and Talk (Margate)
• Monthly Quiz

Here you can find dates and venues for

• Thanet
• Ashford
• Deal and Dover

For more information about activities  email  or telephone 01843 448 384
 

Theatre From Life

This January The Dragon Cafe welcomes the theatre company Playing ON for their month exploring Theatre From Life.  Join an afternoon workshop with Theatre Works - Be Yourself at 2pm today 4th January and gain an insight to the Guest Curator's approach and theatrical background in the Playing ON Evening.  You can also hear from this month's exhibitor Marius Els  and discover how he used his photographic skills as art therapy to manage his mental health. 

You can view the full programme here.

Innovation Box: Chance to win FREE support

Innovation Box wants to fundamentally change the way that charities and social enterprises engage with technology and the digital world. They have developed a survey to establish how charities and social enterprises are currently using technology, what they feel is working well, where they are struggling and where they need more support.
 
Innovation Box will use this information to identify the most relevant and effective ways to secure specialist support from the private sector to enable organisations that would not otherwise be able to access or afford this independent guidance, knowledge and expertise.

Complete the survey HERE and enter the draw to win free support.

For more information about Innovation Box email Helen Lang.

Developing quality measure for people with psychosis

Would you like to help develop quality measures for services for people with psychosis? Have your say!

• How do we know that a psychosis service is high quality?
• What should we be looking for?

The McPin Foundation is working with NHS England and they would like to invite people with lived experience of psychosis or carers of someone who has experienced psychosis to help us answer these questions. They will be holding two workshops to discuss these issues and help identify suitable quality measures for psychosis services: 
Monday 25th January 2016 in Leeds
Friday 29th January 2016 in London

Download the flyer by clicking here. You can also access further information by visiting the website.

Reasonable travel expenses will be covered, lunch will be provided and anyone attending will receive a £20 a shopping voucher as a thank you for their time
If you are interested please email or call  020 7922 7877.

Recruiting Management Committee Members

Management Committee Members Sought by thriving grassroots mental health charity at the cutting edge of advocacy service delivery in South London

Community Support Network South London (CSN) is a Brixton based mental health service user led and run mental health charity which currently provides mental health advocacy services primarily within the London borough of Lambeth in forensic, (for people with a criminal record in addition to mental health problems); in-patient and community settings. 

CSN are seeking new Management Committee member.
Expenses reasonably incurred in the execution of the role (e.g. travel, printer cartridges) will be met.

If you are interested, please contact: cpedler@csnsl.org.uk or telephone Cherry Pedler, CSN Manager on: 07950 412905. 

Chief Medical Officer calls for action on women’s health

In her latest annual report, ‘Health of the 51%: women’, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Professor Dame Sally Davies makes recommendations on a wide range of health issues, most notably obesity, ovarian cancer and ‘taboo problems’ such as incontinence and the menopause. Read more here.

2016 New Year Honours for health and social care services

People from across the health and care community have been acknowledged for their service in the latest New Year Honours awards. Read who here.

CQC consultation

Seeking views on plans to give Care Quality Commission (CQC) powers to set fees for the cost of all aspects of its comprehensive inspections.
Consultation closes  1 February 2016
Respond online here.

DH departmental spending over £25,000: 2015

Information on Department of Health spending over £25,000. Transparency data.

Department of Health responds to consultation on mental capacity and deprivation of liberty standards

The Department of Health has published its response to the Law Commission’s consultation on how the law should regulate deprivations of liberty (DoLS) for people who lack capacity to consent to their care and treatment arrangements. The consultation proposes that DoLS should be replaced by a new system called ‘protective care’ and that there should be a new code of practice. The Law Commission will publish its final recommendations by the end of 2016.